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Viavi Solutions Inc.: Q4 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 52.5% year over year: Fourth-quarter net revenue was $443.1 million, up 8.9% from $406.8 million in the third quarter. Source
  • Network and Service Enablement up 69.2%: Segment revenue was $353.9 million, up 10.1% from the third quarter. Segment operating margin was 20.0%, against 4.6% a year earlier. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating margin reached 24.0%: Non-GAAP operating margin was 24.0%, against 14.4% a year earlier. The Q3 column in this release shows 21.2%, while the third-quarter release gave 21.0%. Source
  • Diversification named as growth driver: Management named its diversification into data center ecosystem and aerospace and defense end markets as a key growth driver in fiscal 2026. Source
  • Cash and investments reached $656.7 million: Total cash, short-term investments and short-term restricted cash was $656.7 million, against $508.0 million at March 28, 2026. Source
  • Operating cash generation in the quarter: Cash flows from operations were $66.7 million in the quarter and $113.9 million for the year. The third-quarter release reported $26.3 million used in operating activities, mainly a contingent consideration payment. Source
  • First-quarter guidance issued: Management gave net revenue and non-GAAP EPS ranges for the first quarter of fiscal 2027, the period ending October 3, 2026. Source

“VIAVI's fourth quarter and fiscal year 2026 financial performance has exceeded our expectations, driven by strong growth in many of our end markets.”

Oleg Khaykin, VIAVI's President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net revenue SourceFirst quarter of fiscal 2027, ending October 3, 2026$450 million to $460 millionNew
Non-GAAP diluted EPS SourceFirst quarter of fiscal 2027, ending October 3, 2026$0.40 to $0.42New

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: The release adds a first-quarter fiscal 2027 guidance section. The third-quarter release gave guidance only for the fourth quarter. Source
  • Ended: The Term Loan B, listed at $450.0 million in the third-quarter release, was extinguished. Losses on extinguishment of the 1.625% notes and the Term Loan B were $10.5 million in the quarter and $56.7 million for the year. Source

Fourth quarter and fiscal year results

  • Revenue rose 52.5% year over year: Fourth-quarter net revenue was $443.1 million, up 8.9% from $406.8 million in the third quarter. Source
  • Fiscal year revenue reached $1.5 billion: Fiscal year 2026 net revenue was $1,518.3 million, up 40.0% from $1,084.3 million in fiscal 2025. Source
  • GAAP net income and diluted EPS: GAAP net income was $32.7 million, or $0.13 per diluted share, against $8.0 million and $0.04 a year earlier. Source
  • Non-GAAP EPS rose to $0.34: Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $0.34, against $0.27 in the third quarter and $0.13 a year earlier, on non-GAAP net income of $89.1 million. Source
  • Fiscal year GAAP net loss: Fiscal year GAAP net loss was $30.4 million, or $(0.13) per diluted share. Fiscal year non-GAAP net income was $243.8 million, or $1.00 per diluted share. Source

Segments and regions

  • Network and Service Enablement up 69.2%: Segment revenue was $353.9 million, up 10.1% from the third quarter. Segment operating margin was 20.0%, against 4.6% a year earlier. Source
  • Optical Security and Performance grew 9.6%: Segment revenue was $89.2 million, up 4.6% from the third quarter. Segment operating margin was 40.0%, against 39.6% a year earlier. Source
  • Fiscal year segment revenue split: Fiscal year Network and Service Enablement revenue was $1,182.9 million, and Optical Security and Performance Products revenue was $335.4 million. Source
  • Fiscal year segment margins: Fiscal year operating margin was 16.1% for Network and Service Enablement and 36.6% for Optical Security and Performance Products. Source
  • Customer mix by region: Share of fiscal year net revenue by customer location: Americas 45.0%, Asia-Pacific 30.9% and EMEA 24.1%. Source

“Our diversification strategy into datacenter ecosystem and aerospace and defense end markets has been a key growth driver for us during FY26, and we expect this strategy to continue driving our growth for the next several quarters.”

Oleg Khaykin, VIAVI's President and Chief Executive Officer

Margins and costs

  • GAAP gross margin increased: GAAP gross margin was 59.1%, against 57.5% in the third quarter and 56.3% a year earlier. Non-GAAP gross margin was 62.3%. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating margin reached 24.0%: Non-GAAP operating margin was 24.0%, against 14.4% a year earlier. The Q3 column in this release shows 21.2%, while the third-quarter release gave 21.0%. Source
  • GAAP operating margin up 850 bps: Fourth-quarter GAAP operating margin was 13.8%. Fiscal year GAAP operating margin was 6.9%, and fiscal year non-GAAP operating margin was 20.6%. Source
  • Operating expenses rose year over year: Total operating expenses were $200.4 million, against $148.2 million a year earlier. Selling, general and administrative expense was $124.3 million, against $89.7 million. Source
  • Contingent consideration and restructuring items: Change in fair value of contingent consideration was $8.7 million in the quarter and $33.0 million for the year. Restructuring was a $1.0 million benefit in the quarter and a $15.9 million charge for the year. Source
  • Acquisition and integration charges lower: Acquisition and integration related charges were $0.2 million in the quarter, against $5.6 million a year earlier, and $12.6 million for the year, against $22.3 million. Source

Demand, end markets and working capital

  • Diversification named as growth driver: Management named its diversification into data center ecosystem and aerospace and defense end markets as a key growth driver in fiscal 2026. Source
  • Growth expected for several quarters: Management expects the strategy to keep driving growth for the next several quarters. The third-quarter release had said these end markets would continue as drivers for the foreseeable future. Source
  • Receivables up year over year: Accounts receivable, net was $351.3 million, against $320.3 million at March 28, 2026 and $261.0 million at June 28, 2025. Source
  • Inventory higher than prior periods: Inventories, net were $155.3 million, against $147.9 million at March 28, 2026 and $117.9 million a year earlier. Source
  • Deferred revenue increased: Deferred revenue was $101.9 million, against $85.2 million at March 28, 2026 and $74.1 million a year earlier. Source

Cash, debt and balance sheet

  • Cash and investments reached $656.7 million: Total cash, short-term investments and short-term restricted cash was $656.7 million, against $508.0 million at March 28, 2026. Source
  • Operating cash generation in the quarter: Cash flows from operations were $66.7 million in the quarter and $113.9 million for the year. The third-quarter release reported $26.3 million used in operating activities, mainly a contingent consideration payment. Source
  • Senior and convertible notes outstanding: Outstanding were $250.0 million of 0.625% convertible notes and $400.0 million of 3.75% senior notes, with a net carrying value of $641.9 million. Source
  • Interest expense lower than third quarter: Interest expense was $10.4 million in the quarter, against $14.3 million in the third-quarter release. Fiscal year interest expense was $47.4 million, against $30.0 million. Source
  • Stockholders' equity increased: Total stockholders' equity was $1,448.5 million, against $846.5 million at March 28, 2026 and $780.2 million at June 28, 2025. Source

Guidance and prior range

  • First-quarter guidance issued: Management gave net revenue and non-GAAP EPS ranges for the first quarter of fiscal 2027, the period ending October 3, 2026. Source
  • Fourth-quarter range from prior release: The third-quarter release set net revenue and non-GAAP EPS ranges for the fourth quarter. Actual fourth-quarter figures are reported in the results above.

Reporting basis and disclosures

  • Non-GAAP excludes acquisition and compensation items: Non-GAAP measures exclude purchase accounting effects, amortization of acquired intangibles, stock-based compensation, restructuring and changes in contingent consideration, among other items. Source
  • Webcast and slides scheduled: A live webcast was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Pacific on August 5, 2026, with a replay archived on the investor site and supplementary slides posted. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA reconciliation included: Adjusted EBITDA was $116.3 million in the quarter, against $51.4 million a year earlier. Fiscal year adjusted EBITDA was $352.5 million, against $193.2 million. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 August 2026

  • Form 10-K still to be filed: Results are preliminary until the Form 10-K for fiscal 2026 is filed, and figures may change for adjustments identified before then. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Gross margin (GAAP) Source59.1%
Gross margin (non-GAAP) Source62.3%

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said fiscal 2026 financial performance exceeded its expectations. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.