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FLEX LTD. (FLEX)·Q2 2026 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- FLEX delivered a record Q2 FY26 on most metrics: revenue $6.804B (+4% Y/Y), adjusted operating margin 6.0% (4th straight quarter ≥6%), and record adjusted EPS $0.79; GAAP EPS $0.52 included $41M (~$0.11) of Ukraine missile-strike related costs .
- Clear beat vs S&P consensus: revenue $6.804B vs $6.706B* and EPS $0.79 vs $0.757*; momentum underpinned by strong data center demand (Cloud + Power) and favorable mix .
- Guidance raised across FY26: revenue to $26.7–$27.3B, adjusted operating margin to 6.2–6.3%, and adjusted EPS to $3.09–$3.17; Q3 guide: revenue $6.65–$6.95B, adj. EPS $0.74–$0.80 .
- Stock narrative/catalysts: AI-led data center buildout, launch of Flex AI infrastructure platform (up to 30% faster deployment) and NVIDIA collaboration on modular AI “factories” (including 800V DC ecosystems), plus sustained margins ≥6% suggest further estimate upward bias if execution holds .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
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What Went Well
- Record quarter: “Revenue came in at $6.8 billion… adjusted EPS of $0.79, up 23%” with adjusted operating margin 6.0%, fourth straight quarter at or above 6% .
- Data center outperformance: business “continues to deliver outstanding results across both cloud and power,” and management still expects “data center revenue to grow at least 35% this year” .
- Product/portfolio mix accretion: higher-value data center offerings (power, cooling, compute integration) seen as margin accretive; management reiterates sustained improvement in H2 on mix and execution .
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What Went Wrong
- Ukraine disruption: GAAP EPS absorbed $41M of asset impairments/inventory write-downs/other charges from the Mukachevo missile strike; revenue headwind ≈1% of company sales (~$100M in 2H) .
- Consumer/Lifestyle softness: Agility benefited from cloud but faced weaker consumer/lifestyle trends; management flagged reduced lifestyle expectations tied to Ukraine facility shutdown .
- FX/tariffs remain fluid: tariffs incorporated into guidance and “largely pass-through,” but situation remains dynamic; FX cited as an incremental headwind vs prior guide .
Financial Results
Headline results by quarter
Q2 vs S&P Global consensus
Margins (Y/Y and sequential context)
Segment performance (Q2 FY2026)
KPIs (cash and investment)
Additional Q2 cash metrics: net inventory -4% Y/Y, +1% Q/Q; inventory (net of advances) 55 days; buybacks ~$297M (~5.6M shares) .
Non-GAAP adjustments (Q2): Added back stock-based comp ($37M), intangible amortization ($16M), restructuring/impairment ($51M), legal/other ($9M), and tax adjustments (-$17M), producing adjusted net income of $300M and adjusted EPS $0.79 .
Guidance Changes
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- Strategy: “We achieved a record Q2… shifting our portfolio toward higher margin businesses… confident in our data center position… as they navigate the AI era.” – CEO Revathi Advaithi .
- Data center outlook: “We remain bullish… expect our data center revenue to grow at least 35% this year,” supported by proprietary products and global manufacturing .
- Mix and margins: H2 margin improvement driven by growth in higher-margin products and services; both “perform above the Flex average” .
- Tariffs: “Tariffs are largely a pass-through for us” and incorporated into guidance .
- Capacity/Capex: Strong capacity in EMEA/NA; Dallas asset, U.S. cooling ramp (JetCool), expansions in Fontana, Colombia; “meaningful” capex over next 2–5 years for data center growth, while maintaining strong cash flow .
Q&A Highlights
- Data center guide cadence: Management will update full-year data center growth at year-end; reiterated “at least 35%” for FY26 despite raising total revenue guidance by $500M .
- Margin trajectory: Sequential H2 margin improvement driven by accretive growth in products and services; sustainability into FY27 expected as mix shifts continue .
- Ukraine impact: Ukraine site ≈1% of revenue; IMPLIED ~$100M 2H headwind, but FY26 guidance raised nonetheless .
- Cloud silicon mix: Participates in both custom and merchant; customization tends to be favorable; forward mix update planned at investor day .
- Capacity and investments: Flex sees no near-term constraints; expanding in EMEA/NA; capex to rise with AI demand; continued internal AI/automation initiatives to drive productivity .
Estimates Context
- Q2 FY26 performance vs S&P consensus: Revenue $6.804B vs $6.706B*; Adjusted EPS $0.79 vs $0.757* — both beats .
- Forward consensus (S&P): Q3 FY26 EPS $0.786* and revenue $6.836B*; Q4 FY26 EPS $0.849* and revenue $6.895B*. Management’s Q3 guide (rev $6.65–$6.95B; EPS $0.74–$0.80) brackets consensus, implying a likely tighter in-line to modest beat scenario depending on mix and execution .
- Disclaimer: *Values retrieved from S&P Global.
Forward consensus snapshots (S&P Global)
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Flex’s AI data center exposure is translating into sustained top-line growth and structurally higher margins (≥6% adj. operating margin four quarters running), with mix levers intact into H2 and FY27 .
- Raised FY26 guidance across revenue, margins, and EPS signals continued estimate revision momentum; Q3 guide brackets S&P consensus with room to outperform if power/compute mix skews favorable .
- Ukraine disruption is a contained headwind (~1% of revenue; ~$100M 2H impact), with GAAP EPS noise offset by strong non-GAAP execution and cash generation .
- Platform strategy (grid-to-chip power, cooling, rack/compute integration) plus NVIDIA collaboration and an AI infrastructure platform (up to 30% faster deployment) deepen competitive moat and shorten deployment timelines for customers .
- Cash discipline persists amid growth investments: Q2 FCF $305M, OCF $453M, and ongoing buybacks ($297M) while capex scales to capture AI demand .
- Watch sensitivities: consumer/lifestyle softness and FX/tariffs (largely pass-through) remain variables; management confidence suggests upside skew if macro stabilizes .
- Near-term trading lens: beat-and-raise quarter with AI catalysts and H2 acceleration implied; any pullbacks on macro/consumer headlines could be opportunities given secular AI buildout and Flex’s mix-driven margin path .
References:
- Q2 FY26 8-K/Press release and schedules
- Q2 FY26 earnings call transcript (prepared remarks + Q&A)
- Q2 FY26 earnings slides (financials, segments, reconciliations)
- Q1 FY26 8-K/Press release
- Q4 FY25 8-K/Press release
- NVIDIA collaboration press release ; Flex AI infrastructure platform press release ; Ukraine facility release
S&P Global estimates: Denoted with an asterisk (*) and used in consensus comparisons and forward estimates. Values retrieved from S&P Global.