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Zebra Technologies Corp.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 October 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 5 new, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales rose 5.2% to $1,320 million: Net sales were $1,320 million, up 5.2% from $1,255 million a year earlier, with organic growth of 4.8%. Source
  • GAAP net income and EPS declined: Net income was $101 million, or $1.97 per diluted share, down from $137 million and $2.64 a year earlier. The release attributes higher operating expenses mainly to stock-based compensation. Source
  • Non-GAAP diluted EPS rose 11.2%: Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $3.88, up from $3.49, and non-GAAP net income rose 9.4% to $198 million. Source
  • AIT sales grew 11.0%, organic 10.6%: Asset Intelligence & Tracking net sales were $455 million, up 11.0% reported and 10.6% organic, compared with 2.0% organic growth for EVM. Source
  • Gross margin fell 80 basis points: Gross margin was 48.0% against 48.8%, mainly from about $6 million of U.S. import tariff expense net of mitigating actions. Source
  • Free cash flow fell to $504 million: Nine-month operating cash flow was $560 million against $707 million, capital expenditures were $56 million against $41 million, and free cash flow was $504 million against $666 million. Source
  • Elo Touch Solutions acquisition agreement: The second-quarter release announced an agreement to acquire Elo Touch Solutions for $1.3 billion. The third-quarter release calls Elo a recent acquisition.

“Our strong third quarter results were driven by solid demand, lower-than-expected tariffs, operating expense leverage and continued excellent execution by our teams,”

Bill Burns, Chief Executive Officer of Zebra Technologies

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales growth SourceFourth quarter 2025 versus prior-year quarterbetween 8% and 11%New
Adjusted EBITDA margin SourceFourth quarter 2025approximately 22%New
Non-GAAP diluted EPS SourceFourth quarter 2025$4.20 to $4.40New
Adjusted effective tax rate SourceFourth quarter 2025 EPS assumptionapproximately 18%New
Free cash flow SourceFull year 2025greater than $800 millionKept
Share repurchases SourceFrom fourth quarter 2025 through the next 12 months$500 millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Fourth-quarter 2025 guidance given for sales growth, adjusted EBITDA margin and non-GAAP diluted EPS. Source
  • New guidance: A $500 million share repurchase expectation covers the fourth quarter of 2025 and the following 12 months. Source
  • Guidance kept: Full-year 2025 free cash flow guidance is greater than $800 million, the same as the prior release. Source
  • New: Elo Touch Solutions acquisition is described as recent and included in the Connected Frontline segment. Source
  • New: Reportable segments change from the fourth quarter to Connected Frontline and Asset Visibility & Automation. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net sales rose 5.2% to $1,320 million: Net sales were $1,320 million, up 5.2% from $1,255 million a year earlier, with organic growth of 4.8%. Source
  • GAAP net income and EPS declined: Net income was $101 million, or $1.97 per diluted share, down from $137 million and $2.64 a year earlier. The release attributes higher operating expenses mainly to stock-based compensation. Source
  • Non-GAAP diluted EPS rose 11.2%: Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $3.88, up from $3.49, and non-GAAP net income rose 9.4% to $198 million. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin rose 20 basis points: Adjusted EBITDA was $285 million, a 21.6% margin, on lower adjusted operating expense as a percentage of sales, partly offset by lower gross margin. Source

Segments and regions

  • EVM sales grew 2.4%, organic 2.0%: EVM net sales were $865 million against $845 million. Reported growth was 2.4% and organic growth was 2.0%. Source
  • AIT sales grew 11.0%, organic 10.6%: Asset Intelligence & Tracking net sales were $455 million, up 11.0% reported and 10.6% organic, compared with 2.0% organic growth for EVM. Source
  • Connected Frontline recast sales $705 million: On the recast basis, Connected Frontline net sales were $705 million in the third quarter, against $675 million in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • AVA recast sales were $615 million: On the recast basis, Asset Visibility & Automation net sales were $615 million in the third quarter, against $580 million in the prior-year quarter. Source

“We are also building on our track record of value creation for shareholders, committing to $500 million of share repurchases over the next twelve months, supported by our strong balance sheet and cash flow.”

Bill Burns, Chief Executive Officer of Zebra Technologies

Products and customers

  • Tangible products sales increased: Tangible products sales were $1,081 million against $1,019 million, and services and software were $239 million against $236 million. Source
  • Connected Frontline scope defined: Connected Frontline covers mobile computing products and related services and software offerings formerly in EVM, plus the Elo acquisition. Source
  • AVA scope from former AIT: Asset Visibility & Automation covers barcode and card printing, RFID and RTLS, and related supplies, sensors and services, formerly the AIT segment. Source

Costs, margins and tariffs

  • Gross margin fell 80 basis points: Gross margin was 48.0% against 48.8%, mainly from about $6 million of U.S. import tariff expense net of mitigating actions. Source
  • Adjusted gross margin 48.2% versus 49.1%: Adjusted gross margin, which excludes share-based compensation in cost of sales, was 48.2% in the third quarter against 49.1% a year earlier. Source
  • Operating expenses rose on stock compensation: Operating expenses were $451 million against $422 million, mainly from higher stock-based compensation. Adjusted operating expenses were $368 million against $364 million. Source
  • Tariff expense lower than second quarter: The second-quarter release cited about $10 million of tariff expense net of mitigating actions, against about $6 million in the third quarter.
  • Income tax expense rose to $58 million: Income tax expense was $58 million against $12 million a year earlier. The release gives no explanation for the change in the text. Source

Cash, capital and shareholder returns

  • Cash rose to $1,053 million: Cash and cash equivalents were $1,053 million, against $901 million at December 31, 2024. Total debt was $2,183 million. Source
  • Free cash flow fell to $504 million: Nine-month operating cash flow was $560 million against $707 million, capital expenditures were $56 million against $41 million, and free cash flow was $504 million against $666 million. Source
  • Repurchases reached $284 million year to date: Share repurchases were $284 million for the nine months, against $16 million in the same period of 2024. Source
  • Payables outflow, receivables inflow: Accounts payable used $115 million of cash in the nine months, against a $79 million source a year earlier. Receivables and inventory released cash. Source

Strategy, acquisitions and reporting

  • Elo Touch Solutions acquisition agreement: The second-quarter release announced an agreement to acquire Elo Touch Solutions for $1.3 billion. The third-quarter release calls Elo a recent acquisition.
  • Segment change reflects operating model: Management says the segment change aligns reporting with how the business is operated and the detail reviewed by the chief operating decision-maker. Source
  • Segment profit excludes stock compensation: From the fourth quarter, segment results will exclude share-based compensation from segment operating income, on both GAAP and non-GAAP bases. Source
  • Photoneo acquired for $62 million: The nine-month cash flow shows the Photoneo acquisition at $62 million. Source

Coming up, as management said on 28 October 2025

  • Fourth-quarter segment reporting begins: Connected Frontline and Asset Visibility & Automation become the reportable segments from the fourth quarter, with prior periods recast. Source
  • Repurchases begin in fourth quarter: Share repurchases of $500 million are planned to begin in the fourth quarter of 2025 and continue through the next 12 months. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: Tariffs remain a cost item, and the fourth-quarter margin estimate assumes current rates and exemptions. Source
  • External: Currency translation added about 0.2 points to reported consolidated sales growth in the quarter. Source
  • Operational: Acquisition and integration costs were $10 million in the quarter, against $1 million a year earlier. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The second-quarter release said Elo was expected to close in 2025. This release calls it a recent acquisition and does not state a closing date.

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.