JI
JABIL INC (JBL)·Q2 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q2 FY25 revenue was $6.73B, core EPS $1.94, and GAAP EPS $1.06; revenue and core EPS exceeded internal expectations and beat S&P Global consensus, driven by strength in capital equipment, cloud/data center infrastructure, and digital commerce .
- Management raised FY25 outlook: net revenue to $27.9B (from $27.3B), core EPS to $8.95 (from $8.75), and reiterated core margin at 5.4% and adjusted FCF at $1.2B+ .
- Q3 FY25 guidance calls for revenue of $6.7–$7.3B, GAAP EPS of $1.50–$1.99, and core EPS of $2.08–$2.48; segment guidance highlights continued AI-led growth (+22% YoY) in Intelligent Infrastructure, with prudence in EVs/renewables .
- AI-related revenue now expected at ~$7.5B in FY25 (~40% YoY), with expanding silicon photonics and liquid-cooling capabilities—key structural growth drivers for margins and mix .
- Balance sheet and cash generation remain robust: Q2 adjusted FCF $261M, YTD $487M; debt-to-core EBITDA ~1.4x; $1.6B cash; share repurchases of 2.5M shares, $364M remaining under the $1B authorization .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- AI-led demand acceleration: “Contrary to market fears, the deployment of GPU integrated racks and liquid-cooled data centers continues to accelerate,” supported by design/engineering that improves yields at launch .
- Segment outperformance: Intelligent Infrastructure revenue up 18% YoY to $2.6B; segment core margin 5.3% (+110 bps YoY) on strength in cloud/DCI and capital equipment .
- FY25 uplift: Raised FY25 revenue to $27.9B and core EPS to $8.95, citing diversified portfolio resilience and robust cash generation expectations (> $1.2B) .
What Went Wrong
- EVs/renewables caution: Regulated Industries revenue ~$2.7B, down 8% YoY; management remains prudent on EV and renewable markets near term .
- Connected Living softness: CLDC revenue $1.3B, down 13% YoY; consumer demand remains weaker post-holiday, margins at 4.5% with seasonality headwinds .
- Inventory days slightly above target: Inventory days rose to 80 (net 61), modestly above the 55–60 target, reflecting timing to support growth in Intelligent Infrastructure .
Financial Results
P&L vs prior year and prior quarter
Segment breakdown (Q2 FY25)
KPIs and Cash
Versus Wall Street (S&P Global consensus)
Values marked with * retrieved from S&P Global.
Guidance Changes
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- CEO: “As the geopolitical situation continues to evolve, our ability to adapt, combined with our designation as a U.S. domiciled manufacturing service provider and our significant U.S. footprint, is becoming increasingly important for our customers.”
- CEO on AI: “AI-associated business is now expected to represent approximately $7.5 billion in revenue this fiscal year… demand for servers, racks, photonics, advanced networking gear, storage and testing equipment all continue to climb higher.”
- CFO: “Core operating income for the quarter came in at $334 million. Core operating margins came in at 5%… Adjusted free cash flow for the quarter came in at $261 million.”
- CEO on photonics: “We’ll be showcasing 1.6T capability… really well positioned for silicon photonics; smaller base today but future outlook is really good.”
Q&A Highlights
- Tariffs and reshoring: Jabil views tariffs as pass-through costs and a potential manufacturing leveler; US footprint (30 sites) and USMCA compliance mitigate exposure; customer moves would be end-market dependent; scenario planning underway .
- AI photonics and CPO: Progress with hyperscalers on 800G/1.6T; leveraging Intel-acquired capabilities; CPO in development with growth expected over next 1–3 years .
- Segment margins and CLDC roadmap: CLDC margins affected by seasonality and Mobility divestiture; medium-term opportunity in digital commerce and humanoid/warehouse automation .
- Automotive/EVs: Cautious near term; offsets from China EV OEMs and power programs; portfolio positioned to be technology-agnostic across ICE/hybrid/EV .
- Supply chain localization: Active discussions; moving full supply chains is multi-quarter; localization/regionalization trends recognized .
Estimates Context
- Q2 FY25 beats vs S&P Global: Revenue $6.73B vs $6.40B*; core/normalized EPS $1.94 vs $1.83*—strength in AI/cloud/DCI and capital equipment were primary drivers. Values marked with * retrieved from S&P Global .
- FY25 trajectory: Company guides revenue $27.9B and core EPS $8.95; consensus stood lower at $29.22B and $9.41* respectively at the time; guidance implies prudence in EV/renewables, balanced by AI-led growth. Values marked with * retrieved from S&P Global .
- Q3 FY25 setup: Guidance revenue $6.7–$7.3B and core EPS $2.08–$2.48 vs consensus of ~$7.07B and ~$2.32*; mix (AI/cloud/DCI) and cautious stance on EV/renewables drive the range. Values marked with * retrieved from S&P Global .
Values marked with * retrieved from S&P Global.
Key Takeaways for Investors
- AI momentum is the core narrative: expanding photonics, liquid cooling, and ATE tied to custom silicon should sustain double-digit Intelligent Infrastructure growth and support margins through mix .
- FY25 raised outlook reflects confidence while maintaining prudence in EVs/renewables; expect continued back-half margin seasonality and core tax rate of 21% .
- Cash returns remain robust: adjusted FCF tracking >$1.2B with buybacks ongoing ($364M remaining); dividend maintained at $0.08/share—shareholder-friendly capital allocation .
- Inventory normalization should follow growth ramps; near-term net inventory days slightly above target due to Intelligent Infrastructure timing—monitor working capital progress through Q3/Q4 .
- Watch segment guidance: Q3 points to broad-based AI-capex strength (+22% YoY) within Intelligent Infrastructure; CLDC remains seasonal/consumer-sensitive; Regulated Industries stable but cautious .
- Strategic M&A (Pii) expands healthcare TAM and capabilities, enhancing diversification and long-term stickiness in high-quality, regulated markets .
- Trading: Near term, beats on AI/cloud/DCI and raised FY guide are positive catalysts; risk is macro/EV/renewables caution and tariff implementation mechanics—company positioning suggests resilience .