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F5 Reports 11% Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2023 Revenue Growth; Company Prioritizing High-Impact Initiatives While Reducing Operating Costs

F5, Inc. (NASDAQ: FFIV) today announced financial results for its second quarter of fiscal year 2023.

“We delivered 11% revenue growth in our second quarter as a result of stronger than expected systems shipments and strong global services performance,” said François Locoh-Donou, F5’s President and CEO. “While customer spending remains pressured by macro-economic uncertainty near term, we are differentiated in our ability to help customers tackle the significant challenges ahead, including simplifying their hybrid and multi cloud application environments.”

Second Quarter Performance Summary

Second quarter fiscal year 2023 revenue grew 11% from the year ago period, to $703 million, up from $634 million in fiscal year 2022. Global services revenue grew 8% from the year-ago period while product revenue grew 14%, reflecting 43% systems revenue growth and software revenue that was down 13% from the year-ago period.

GAAP net income for the second quarter of fiscal year 2023 was $81 million, or $1.34 per diluted share compared to $56 million, or $0.92 per diluted share, in the second quarter of fiscal year 2022.

Non-GAAP net income for the second quarter of fiscal year 2023 was $154 million, or $2.53 per diluted share, compared to $131 million, or $2.13 per diluted share, in fiscal year 2022.

A reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP measures is included in the attached Consolidated Income Statements. Additional information about non-GAAP financial information is included in this release.

Business Outlook

“Given the persistent macro uncertainty and its impact on customer spending, we now expect low-to-mid single-digit revenue growth in fiscal year 2023 with non-GAAP operating margins of approximately 30% and non-GAAP earnings growth of 7% to 11%,” continued Locoh-Donou.

For the third quarter of fiscal year 2023, F5 expects to deliver revenue in the range of $690 million to $710 million, with non-GAAP earnings in the range of $2.78 to $2.90 per diluted share.

The Company has previously committed to returning cash to shareholders by using at least 50% of its annual free cash flow toward share repurchases. As of the date of this report, the Company had $1.23 billion remaining under its currently authorized common stock repurchase program and announced it plans to repurchase at least $250 million worth of shares during the third quarter of fiscal year 2023.

Company Prioritizing High-Impact Initiatives While Reducing Operating Costs

“Our portfolio and roadmap are squarely aligned with our customers’ hybrid and multi-cloud realities and their desire to simplify operations and lower total cost of ownership,” said Locoh-Donou. “Given the current demand environment however, we are taking action to reduce our operating costs while prioritizing initiatives and innovations that will deliver the most benefit to our customers.”

F5 announced today that it is reducing its global headcount by approximately 620 employees, or approximately 9% of its total workforce. These workforce-related actions are expected to be completed by April 21, 2023 with the exception of the Company’s EMEA and parts of its APAC regions where employees will continue the consultation process over the coming weeks, as required by local laws.

The Company estimates that these headcount reductions will result in annualized savings of approximately $130 million. The Company expects it will incur approximately $45 million in severance benefits costs and other charges related to these actions in fiscal year 2023. Additionally, the Company will reduce, and in some cases, eliminate portions of its facilities footprint, as well as reduce costs by applying additional scrutiny on discretionary projects, further reducing travel, and substantially reducing the size of its corporate bonus pool in 2023.

All forward-looking non-GAAP measures included in the Company’s business outlook exclude estimates for amortization of intangible assets, share-based compensation expenses, significant effects of tax legislation and judicial or administrative interpretation of tax regulations (including the impact of income tax reform), non-recurring income tax adjustments, valuation allowance on deferred tax assets, and the income tax effect of non-GAAP exclusions, and do not include the impact of any future acquisitions or divestitures, acquisition-related charges and write-downs, restructuring charges, facility exit costs, or other non-recurring charges that may occur in the period. F5 is unable to provide a reconciliation of non-GAAP earnings guidance measures to corresponding U.S. generally accepted accounting principles or GAAP measures on a forward-looking basis without unreasonable effort due to the overall high variability and low visibility of most of the foregoing items that have been excluded. Material changes to any one of these items could have a significant effect on our guidance and future GAAP results. Certain exclusions, such as amortization of intangible assets and share-based compensation expenses, are generally incurred each quarter, but the amounts have historically varied and may continue to vary significantly from quarter to quarter.

Live Webcast and Conference Call

F5 will host a live webcast to review its financial results and outlook today, April 19, 2023, at 5:00 pm ET. The live webcast is accessible from the investor relations page of F5.com. To participate in the live call via telephone in the U.S. and Canada, dial +1 (877) 407-0312. Outside the U.S. and Canada, dial +1 (201) 389-0899. Please call at least 5 minutes prior to the call start time. The webcast replay will be archived on the investor relations portion of F5’s website.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements including, among other things, statements regarding F5’s future financial performance including revenue, revenue growth, operating margins, earnings growth, planned stock repurchases, future customer demand and spending, markets, and the performance and benefits of the Company’s products. These, and other statements that are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to the safe harbor provisions created by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of certain risk factors. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions and other factors that, if they do not fully materialize or prove correct, could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: customer acceptance of offerings; continued disruptions to the global supply chain resulting in inability to source required parts for F5’s products or the ability to only do so at greatly increased prices thereby impacting our revenues and/or margins; global economic conditions and uncertainties in the geopolitical environment; overall information technology spending; F5’s ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses’ products with F5 technologies; the ability of F5’s sales professionals and distribution partners to sell new solutions and service offerings; the timely development, introduction and acceptance of additional new products and features by F5 or its competitors; competitive factors, including but not limited to pricing pressures, industry consolidation, entry of new competitors into F5’s markets, and new product and marketing initiatives by our competitors; increased sales discounts; the business impact of the acquisitions and potential adverse reactions or changes to business or employee relationships, including those resulting from the announcement of completion of acquisitions; uncertain global economic conditions which may result in reduced customer demand for our products and services and changes in customer payment patterns; litigation involving patents, intellectual property, shareholder and other matters, and governmental investigations; potential security flaws in the Company’s networks, products or services; cybersecurity attacks on its networks, products or services; natural catastrophic events; a pandemic or epidemic; F5’s ability to sustain, develop and effectively utilize distribution relationships; F5’s ability to attract, train and retain qualified product development, marketing, sales, professional services and customer support personnel; F5’s ability to expand in international markets; the unpredictability of F5’s sales cycle; the ability of F5 to execute on its share repurchase program including the timing of any repurchases; future prices of F5’s common stock; and other risks and uncertainties described more fully in our documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K and other documents that we may file or furnish from time to time, which could cause actual results to vary from expectations. The financial information contained in this release should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in F5’s most recent reports on Forms 10-Q and 10-K as each may be amended from time to time. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available as of the date hereof and qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. F5 assumes no obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements.

GAAP to non-GAAP Reconciliation

F5’s management evaluates and makes operating decisions using various operating measures. These measures are generally based on the revenues of its products, services operations, and certain costs of those operations, such as cost of revenues, research and development, sales and marketing and general and administrative expenses. One such measure is GAAP net income excluding, as applicable, stock-based compensation, amortization and impairment of purchased intangible assets, facility-exit costs, acquisition-related charges, net of taxes, restructuring charges, and certain non-recurring tax expenses and benefits, which is a non-GAAP financial measure under Section 101 of Regulation G under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. This measure of non-GAAP net income is adjusted by the amount of additional taxes or tax benefit that the Company would accrue if it used non-GAAP results instead of GAAP results to calculate the Company’s tax liability.

The non-GAAP adjustments, and F5's basis for excluding them from non-GAAP financial measures, are outlined below:

Stock-based compensation. Stock-based compensation consists of expense for stock options, restricted stock, and employee stock purchases through the Company’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Although stock-based compensation is an important aspect of the compensation of F5’s employees and executives, management believes it is useful to exclude stock-based compensation expenses to better understand the long-term performance of the Company’s core business and to facilitate comparison of the Company’s results to those of peer companies.

Amortization and impairment of purchased intangible assets. Purchased intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives, and generally cannot be changed or influenced by management after the acquisition. On a non-recurring basis, when certain events or circumstances are present, management may also be required to write down the carrying value of its purchased intangible assets and recognize impairment charges. Management does not believe these charges accurately reflect the performance of the Company’s ongoing operations; therefore, they are not considered by management in making operating decisions. However, investors should note that the use of intangible assets contributed to F5’s revenues earned during the periods presented and will contribute to F5’s future period revenues as well.

Facility-exit costs. F5 has incurred charges in connection with the exit of facilities as well as other non-recurring lease activity. These charges are not representative of ongoing costs to the business and are not expected to recur. As a result, these charges are being excluded to provide investors with a more comparable measure of costs associated with ongoing operations.

Acquisition-related charges, net. F5 does not acquire businesses on a predictable cycle and the terms and scope of each transaction can vary significantly and are unique to each transaction. F5 excludes acquisition-related charges from its non-GAAP financial measures to provide a useful comparison of the Company’s operating results to prior periods and to its peer companies. Acquisition-related charges consist of planning, execution and integration costs incurred directly as a result of an acquisition.

Restructuring charges. F5 has incurred restructuring charges that are included in its GAAP financial statements, primarily related to workforce reductions and costs associated with exiting facility-lease commitments. F5 excludes these items from its non-GAAP financial measures when evaluating its continuing business performance as such items vary significantly based on the magnitude of the restructuring action and do not reflect expected future operating expenses. In addition, these charges do not necessarily provide meaningful insight into the fundamentals of current or past operations of its business.

Management believes that non-GAAP net income per share provides useful supplemental information to management and investors regarding the performance of the Company’s core business operations and facilitates comparisons to the Company’s historical operating results. Although F5’s management finds this non-GAAP measure to be useful in evaluating the performance of the core business, management’s reliance on this measure is limited because items excluded from such measures could have a material effect on F5’s earnings and earnings per share calculated in accordance with GAAP. Therefore, F5’s management will use its non-GAAP earnings and earnings per share measures, in conjunction with GAAP earnings and earnings per share measures, to address these limitations when evaluating the performance of the Company’s core business. Investors should consider these non-GAAP measures in addition to, and not as a substitute for, financial performance measures in accordance with GAAP.

F5 believes that presenting its non-GAAP measures of earnings and earnings per share provides investors with an additional tool for evaluating the performance of the Company’s core business and is used by management in its own evaluation of the Company’s performance. Investors are encouraged to look at GAAP results as the best measure of financial performance. However, while the GAAP results are more complete, the Company provides investors these supplemental measures since, with reconciliation to GAAP, it may provide additional insight into the Company’s operational performance and financial results.

For reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, please see the section in our attached Condensed Consolidated Income Statements entitled “Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

About F5

F5 is a multi-cloud application services and security company committed to bringing a better digital world to life.​​​​​​​ F5 partners with the world’s largest, most advanced organizations to secure and optimize apps and APIs anywhere—on premises, in the cloud, or at the edge. F5 enables organizations to provide exceptional, secure digital experiences for their customers and continuously stay ahead of threats. For more information, go to f5.com. (NASDAQ: FFIV)

You can also follow @F5 on Twitter or visit us on LinkedIn and Facebook for more information about F5, its partners, and technologies. F5 is a trademark, service mark, or tradename of F5, Inc., in the U.S. and other countries. All other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

F5 is a trademark, service mark, or tradename of F5, Inc., in the U.S. and other countries. All other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE: F5, Inc.

F5, Inc.

Consolidated Balance Sheets
(unaudited, in thousands)
 
 

March 31,

September 30,

 

2023

 

 

2022

 

 
Assets
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents

$

734,544

 

$

758,012

 

Short-term investments

 

20,710

 

 

126,554

 

Accounts receivable, net of allowances of $5,181 and $6,020

 

485,622

 

 

469,979

 

Inventories

 

50,745

 

 

68,365

 

Other current assets

 

533,554

 

 

489,314

 

Total current assets

 

1,825,175

 

 

1,912,224

 

 
Property and equipment, net

 

169,771

 

 

168,182

 

Operating lease right-of-use assets

 

216,293

 

 

227,475

 

Long-term investments

 

4,736

 

 

9,544

 

Deferred tax assets

 

235,109

 

 

183,365

 

Goodwill

 

2,288,635

 

 

2,259,282

 

Other assets, net

 

483,532

 

 

516,122

 

Total assets

$

5,223,251

 

$

5,276,194

 

 
Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity
Current liabilities
Accounts payable

$

69,952

 

$

113,178

 

Accrued liabilities

 

295,533

 

 

309,819

 

Deferred revenue

 

1,160,118

 

 

1,067,182

 

Current portion of long-term debt

 

-

 

 

349,772

 

Total current liabilities

 

1,525,603

 

 

1,839,951

 

 
Deferred tax liabilities

 

3,401

 

 

2,781

 

Deferred revenue, long-term

 

636,194

 

 

624,398

 

Operating lease liabilities, long-term

 

259,916

 

 

272,376

 

Other long-term liabilities

 

72,578

 

 

67,710

 

Total long-term liabilities

 

972,089

 

 

967,265

 

 
Commitments and contingencies
 
Shareholders’ equity
Preferred stock, no par value; 10,000 shares authorized, no shares outstanding

 

-

 

 

-

 

Common stock, no par value; 200,000 shares authorized, 60,465 and 59,860
shares issued and outstanding

 

190,592

 

 

91,048

 

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

 

(22,977

)

 

(26,176

)

Retained earnings

 

2,557,944

 

 

2,404,106

 

Total shareholders' equity

 

2,725,559

 

 

2,468,978

 

Total liabilities and shareholders' equity

$

5,223,251

 

$

5,276,194

 

F5, Inc.

Consolidated Income Statements

(unaudited, in thousands, except per share amounts)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

Six Months Ended

 

March 31,

 

March 31,

 

 

2023

 

 

 

2022

 

 

 

2023

 

 

 

2022

 

 
Net revenues
Products

$

340,581

 

$

297,518

 

$

681,139

 

$

640,667

 

Services

 

362,594

 

 

336,706

 

 

722,414

 

 

680,657

 

Total

 

703,175

 

 

634,224

 

 

1,403,553

 

 

1,321,324

 

 
Cost of net revenues (1)(2)(3)(4)
Products

 

99,795

 

 

71,234

 

 

198,650

 

 

152,896

 

Services

 

55,859

 

 

55,125

 

 

112,011

 

 

108,536

 

Total

 

155,654

 

 

126,359

 

 

310,661

 

 

261,432

 

Gross profit

 

547,521

 

 

507,865

 

 

1,092,892

 

 

1,059,892

 

 
Operating expenses (1)(2)(3)(4)
Sales and marketing

 

233,076

 

 

228,826

 

 

466,181

 

 

462,861

 

Research and development

 

141,363

 

 

135,838

 

 

283,686

 

 

266,109

 

General and administrative

 

67,036

 

 

68,554

 

 

137,027

 

 

134,215

 

Restructuring charges

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

8,740

 

 

7,909

 

Total

 

441,475

 

 

433,218

 

 

895,634

 

 

871,094

 

 
Income from operations

 

106,046

 

 

74,647

 

 

197,258

 

 

188,798

 

Other income (expense), net

 

2,737

 

 

(1,934

)

 

7,439

 

 

(4,365

)

Income before income taxes

 

108,783

 

 

72,713

 

 

204,697

 

 

184,433

 

Provision for income taxes

 

27,347

 

 

16,477

 

 

50,859

 

 

34,638

 

Net income

$

81,436

 

$

56,236

 

$

153,838

 

$

149,795

 

 
 
Net income per share - basic

$

1.35

 

$

0.93

 

$

2.55

 

$

2.47

 

Weighted average shares - basic

 

60,330

 

 

60,573

 

 

60,211

 

 

60,693

 

 
Net income per share - diluted

$

1.34

 

$

0.92

 

$

2.54

 

$

2.43

 

Weighted average shares - diluted

 

60,691

 

 

61,405

 

 

60,537

 

 

61,661

 

 
 
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
 
Net income as reported

$

81,436

 

$

56,236

 

$

153,838

 

$

149,795

 

Stock-based compensation expense

 

64,039

 

 

64,129

 

 

126,913

 

 

127,886

 

Amortization and impairment of purchased intangible assets

 

12,569

 

 

12,850

 

 

25,254

 

 

32,287

 

Facility-exit costs

 

1,533

 

 

3,518

 

 

3,539

 

 

6,260

 

Acquisiton-related charges

 

7,045

 

 

12,966

 

 

14,782

 

 

29,857

 

Restructuring charges

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

8,740

 

 

7,909

 

Tax effects related to above items

 

(12,994

)

 

(18,896

)

 

(30,164

)

 

(44,160

)

Net income excluding stock-based compensation expense, amortization and impairment of
purchased intangible assets, facility-exit costs, acquisition-related charges, restructuring
charges and non-recurring tax expenses and benefits (non-GAAP) - diluted

$

153,628

 

$

130,803

 

$

302,902

 

$

309,834

 

 
Net income per share excluding stock-based compensation expense, amortization and impairment of
purchased intangible assets, facility-exit costs, acquisition-related charges, restructuring charges
and non-recurring tax expenses and benefits (non-GAAP) - diluted

$

2.53

 

$

2.13

 

$

5.00

 

$

5.02

 

 
Weighted average shares - diluted

 

60,691

 

 

61,405

 

 

60,537

 

 

61,661

 

 
(1) Includes stock-based compensation expense as follows:
Cost of net revenues

$

7,583

 

$

7,341

 

$

15,219

 

$

14,886

 

Sales and marketing

 

26,889

 

 

27,613

 

 

52,610

 

 

54,366

 

Research and development

 

18,689

 

 

18,233

 

 

37,231

 

 

36,816

 

General and administrative

 

10,878

 

 

10,942

 

 

21,853

 

 

21,818

 

$

64,039

 

$

64,129

 

$

126,913

 

$

127,886

 

 
(2) Includes amortization and impairment of purchased intangible assets as follows:
Cost of net revenues

$

9,959

 

$

9,959

 

$

19,918

 

$

19,918

 

Sales and marketing

 

2,390

 

 

2,476

 

 

4,779

 

 

11,391

 

General and administrative

 

220

 

 

415

 

 

557

 

 

978

 

$

12,569

 

$

12,850

 

$

25,254

 

$

32,287

 

 
(3) Includes facility-exit costs as follows:
Cost of net revenues

$

150

 

$

611

 

$

351

 

$

1,093

 

Sales and marketing

 

486

 

 

888

 

 

1,149

 

 

1,637

 

Research and development

 

537

 

 

1,216

 

 

1,178

 

 

2,128

 

General and administrative

 

360

 

 

803

 

 

861

 

 

1,402

 

$

1,533

 

$

3,518

 

$

3,539

 

$

6,260

 

 
(4) Includes acquisition-related charges as follows:
Cost of net revenues

$

74

 

$

108

 

$

167

 

$

195

 

Sales and marketing

 

849

 

 

3,609

 

 

2,164

 

 

9,773

 

Research and development

 

1,233

 

 

5,697

 

 

5,001

 

 

11,691

 

General and administrative

 

4,889

 

 

3,552

 

 

7,450

 

 

8,198

 

$

7,045

 

$

12,966

 

$

14,782

 

$

29,857

 

 
F5, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(unaudited, in thousands)
 
 
Six Months Ended
March 31,

 

2023

 

 

2022

 

 
Operating activities
Net income

$

153,838

 

$

149,795

 

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Stock-based compensation

 

126,913

 

 

127,886

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

54,817

 

 

59,798

 

Non-cash operating lease costs

 

20,231

 

 

19,363

 

Deferred income taxes

 

(49,492

)

 

(15,832

)

Impairment of assets

 

-

 

 

6,175

 

Other

 

1,878

 

 

(439

)

Changes in operating assets and liabilities (excluding effects of the acquisition of businesses):
Accounts receivable

 

(14,317

)

 

(72,777

)

Inventories

 

17,620

 

 

(5,828

)

Other current assets

 

(43,547

)

 

(60,896

)

Other assets

 

9,354

 

 

(27,893

)

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

 

(59,534

)

 

(35,649

)

Deferred revenue

 

102,933

 

 

99,303

 

Lease liabilities

 

(22,140

)

 

(26,131

)

Net cash provided by operating activities

 

298,554

 

 

216,875

 

 
Investing activities
Purchases of investments

 

(689

)

 

(53,715

)

Maturities of investments .

 

95,773

 

 

96,349

 

Sales of investments

 

16,085

 

 

78,988

 

Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired

 

(35,006

)

 

(67,911

)

Purchases of property and equipment

 

(23,793

)

 

(15,792

)

Net cash provided by investing activities

 

52,370

 

 

37,919

 

 
Financing activities
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options and
purchases of stock under employee stock purchase plan

 

22,461

 

 

28,628

 

Repurchase of common stock

 

(40,005

)

 

(250,023

)

Payments on term debt agreement

 

(350,000

)

 

(10,000

)

Taxes paid related to net share settlement of equity awards

 

(9,825

)

 

(16,816

)

Net cash used in financing activities

 

(377,369

)

 

(248,211

)

 
Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

 

(26,445

)

 

6,583

 

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

 

2,979

 

 

(997

)

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period

 

762,207

 

 

584,333

 

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period

$

738,741

 

$

589,919

 

 
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities

$

27,200

 

$

30,346

 

Cash paid for interest on long-term debt

 

2,970

 

 

2,383

 

Supplemental disclosures of non-cash activities
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for lease obligations

$

9,577

 

$

818

 

 

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