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LANTRONIX INC (LTRX)·Q2 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Net revenue was $31.2M and Non-GAAP EPS $0.04, both within guidance; GAAP EPS was ($0.06) . Sequential revenue declined on softness at the largest automotive customer and slightly lower Enterprise activity; YoY revenue fell ~16% on weaker out-of-band and switch products .
- Gross margins expanded: GAAP to 42.6% and Non-GAAP to 43.2%, reflecting a favorable mix toward higher-margin System Solutions .
- Q3 FY2025 guidance calls for revenue of $27.0–$31.0M and Non-GAAP EPS of $0.01–$0.05, with a slower-than-expected smart grid rollout in Europe the primary headwind; management expects shipments to resume after initial deployment .
- Strategic catalysts center on Edge AI initiatives (Qualcomm collaboration, SmartLV, Teledyne/FLIR camera design wins), NetComm integration into the Connect portfolio (4G/5G gateways), and cost reduction plans largely completed, positioning the model for improved margin and lower OpEx .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- Margin expansion: GAAP GM 42.6% (vs. 42.1% in Q1 and 40.6% YoY) and Non-GAAP GM 43.2% (vs. 42.6% in Q1 and 41.6% YoY) on improved mix toward higher-margin System Solutions .
- Cost actions: Non-GAAP OpEx trending to $11.25–$11.75M per quarter; initiatives substantially complete in January, with expected FY2025 OpEx ~$4.5M lower vs FY2024; incremental NetComm costs ~$0.3–$0.4M per quarter .
- Strategic progress in Edge AI and customer wins: “We continue to strengthen our strong collaboration with Qualcomm… integrating Qualcomm’s advanced AI frameworks into our Lantronix Edge AI systems” and shipping OOB solutions into AI data centers; drone computing module win for a U.S. defense application .
What Went Wrong
- Revenue pressure: Q2 revenue down sequentially and ~16% YoY (-$5.9M), driven by softness in out-of-band and switch products, and lower volume from the largest automotive customer .
- OOB weakness in the quarter tied to a government-related entity, partially offset by expected sequential growth into Q3 as data center build-outs progress .
- Q3 outlook softer on smart grid timing: “Sequentially lower revenue in FQ3 primarily reflecting a slower than anticipated rollout by our large Smart Grid customer in Europe” (shipments expected to resume after initial deployment) .
Financial Results
Consolidated Financials
Segment Breakdown (Net Revenues)
Revenue by Region
KPIs
Guidance Changes
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- “Lantronix has the key assets in Compute and Connect to drive Edge Intelligence… focused on Enterprise; Smart Cities including critical infrastructure; and Transportation” .
- “We continue to strengthen our strong collaboration with Qualcomm… integrating Qualcomm’s ‘advanced AI frameworks’” and pursuing prototypes across banking, manufacturing, and agriculture .
- “Sequential improvement in gross margin reflects favorable product mix toward higher-margin System Solution products” .
- “Activities to reduce our operating costs have been substantially completed… quarterly non-GAAP OpEx in the range of $11.25 to $11.75 million… NetComm IoT products… add approximately $300 to $400 thousand per quarter” .
- “For the Third Quarter… revenue… $27 to $31 million… Non-GAAP EPS… $0.01 to $0.05… slower than anticipated rollout by our large Smart Grid customer in Europe” .
Q&A Highlights
- Smart grid visibility: Management remains single-sourced with Gridspertise; Q3 softness from rollout timing; North America pilots underway (Carolinas and Northeast/Massachusetts) .
- Gross margin outlook: Non-GAAP GM expected “slightly higher” in Q3 vs Q2; Q4 margin pressure anticipated vs near-record Q3 levels .
- Out-of-band trajectory: December-quarter weakness tied to a government entity; expecting growth from AI data center deployments; LM4 platform expands addressable use cases .
- Tariffs/supply chain: Transitioning majority of manufacturing out of China; management does not expect material business impact .
- FY2026 growth framing: Double-digit growth targeted from base business via Edge AI, out-of-band refresh, NetComm 5G gateways, and channel expansion; cautious to exclude large Gridspertise assumptions .
Estimates Context
- Wall Street consensus (S&P Global) for Q2 FY2025 EPS and revenue was unavailable due to S&P Global daily request limits at the time of retrieval. As a result, formal comparisons to consensus estimates cannot be provided. Values would normally be retrieved from S&P Global.
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Margin mix shift remains a bright spot; Non-GAAP GM reached 43.2% in Q2 and guided slightly higher for Q3, despite top-line pressure .
- Q3 guide softness is primarily timing-related at the European smart grid customer; shipments expected to resume post initial deployment, limiting structural demand concerns .
- Cost reduction program is largely complete, with Non-GAAP OpEx tracking $11.25–$11.75M per quarter; NetComm adds a manageable $0.3–$0.4M per quarter .
- Edge AI momentum is building: Qualcomm collaboration and Teledyne/FLIR camera design wins support FY2026 revenue contributions; drone and surveillance programs are approaching early production .
- Out-of-band positioning strengthens: LM4 platform extends OOBM into compact deployments; AI data center deployments are a near-term growth vector .
- Balance sheet discipline: Cash of $19.2M at Q2 including NetComm purchase; positive operating cash flow in H1 FY2025; debt reduction actions initiated in Q3 .
- Near-term trading implications: Expect narrative driven by gross margin resilience and Edge AI/design-win updates versus headline revenue softness; watch execution against Q3 and Q4 guidance and smart grid rollout cadence for sentiment shifts .