PI
POWER INTEGRATIONS INC (POWI)·Q3 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q3 revenue was $118.9M (+3% q/q, +3% y/y) with non-GAAP EPS of $0.36; both modestly beat consensus. GAAP EPS was $(0.02) due primarily to elevated stock-based compensation and other operating expenses . Q3 consensus: revenue $118.5M*, EPS $0.350*; actual: revenue $118.9M, EPS $0.36 (non-GAAP) .
- Guidance implies a softer Q4: revenue $100–$105M, non-GAAP GM 53.5–54.0%, non-GAAP opex ~$47M, tax ~3%, with consumer appliances driving declines and industrial down seasonally; management expects GM to rebound in 1H26 as mix normalizes and the yen impact turns favorable .
- Industrial remains the structural growth engine (up ~20% YTD; high-power gate drivers >30% YTD), while consumer appliance demand is digesting tariff-driven preload; channel inventory rose to 9.8 weeks in Q3 but is being worked down in Q4 .
- Strategic catalyst: AI data centers. POWI detailed 1250V/1700V PowiGaN for 800VDC architectures and a collaboration with NVIDIA; early samples for rack-level AC-DC system GaN product are expected by year-end 2025, with a main DC-DC product release planned for 2027 .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- Industrial strength continues: Q3 industrial revenue mix rose to 42% (from 36% in Q3’24), with YTD industrial up nearly 20% and high-power gate drivers up >30% YTD; new design wins in Indian rail and heavy vehicles reinforce pipeline .
- Consistent cash generation and capital returns: Cash from operations was ~$29.9M; POWI repurchased 919k shares for $42.4M and announced a 2026 dividend increase to $0.215/quarter .
- AI data center positioning validated: Company published 800VDC white paper and announced NVIDIA collaboration; management emphasized high-voltage GaN advantages vs. 650V GaN stacking and 1200V SiC in efficiency/power density and reliability .
What Went Wrong
- Consumer appliances softened significantly following tariff-driven preload; management expects Q4 revenue declines led by consumer, with industrial also down seasonally .
- Gross margin pressure: Non-GAAP GM fell 70 bps q/q to 55.1% on higher input costs and FX tailwinds fading; Q4 non-GAAP GM guided to 53.5–54.0% before a rebound in 1H26 .
- GAAP loss: $(1.4)M GAAP net income ( $(0.02) diluted EPS) driven by $21.2M in stock-based compensation and other operating expense items; non-GAAP EPS was $0.36 .
Financial Results
P&L Summary (USD)
Results vs. S&P Global Consensus
Values retrieved from S&P Global.*
End-Market Mix (% of Revenue)
KPIs and Capital Returns
Non-GAAP/GAAP Adjustments (Q3 2025)
- Stock-based compensation: $21.205M total; “Other operating expenses” line items also present; amortization of intangibles $0.147M in COGS .
Guidance Changes
Management also expects non-GAAP GM to rebound in 1H26 as mix normalizes and yen impact reverses; recent yen weakness could further support GM later in 2026 .
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- “Our industrial business remains on track for strong growth in 2025… we are on course for solid growth in 2025 despite the challenging economic backdrop… 1250- and 1700-volt PowiGaN technologies for next-gen AI data centers, including our collaboration with NVIDIA” .
- “We generated $30 million in cash from operations in Q3 and are on track for more than $80 million in free cash flow this year… we will return nearly $150 million to stockholders this year… board has declared a $0.005 per share dividend increase effective in Q1 of 2026” .
- “We need to adapt our organization… increase the ROI on our R&D spending… Data center, auto, and high power have different requirements… pushing the team to tighten up on OpEx and capital spending” .
Q&A Highlights
- Consumer correction and normalization: Management expects significant Q4 consumer decline and channel inventory normalization as tariff-driven preloads clear; Whirlpool commentary supports finished-goods inventory clearing by year-end .
- End-market cadence Q4: Consumer down most; industrial modestly down on seasonality and project timing; computer/comms roughly flat to slightly down .
- Data center GaN vs. SiC: POWI sees 1700V GaN advantaged in 800V AUX supply and 1250V GaN for main DC-DC, with SiC at front-end AC-DC; has OEM wins in AUX supply; main DC-DC product planned for 2027 .
- AI data center content and timing: Content per rack ~“around $1,000” today (higher in 800VDC); near-term revenue from existing arch products sampling by YE’25; meaningful main-supply revenue a few years out .
- Automotive traction: Heavy-vehicle traction inverter win (10x content vs. passenger power-supply-only), plus passenger-car EPS socket momentum .
Estimates Context
- Q3 outcome vs. S&P Global consensus: Revenue $118.9M vs. $118.5M*; non-GAAP EPS $0.36 vs. $0.350* — both modest beats. Q1 and Q2 also modest beats on both revenue and EPS, indicating estimate discipline even through tariff-related volatility .
- Q4 setup: Management guided revenue to $100–$105M (consensus revenue $103.0M*), non-GAAP GM 53.5–54.0%, and non-GAAP opex ~$47M; consensus EPS for Q4 is $0.187* with limited visibility given mix/GM headwinds .
Values retrieved from S&P Global.*
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Near-term: Expect a soft Q4 led by appliance digestion and seasonal industrial; mix and FX reduce GM to ~54% before rebounding in 1H26 — watch for the Q4 channel inventory cleanup to set up 1H seasonality (AC builds) .
- Medium-term margin recovery: As industrial regains mix and yen turns favorable with a ~1-year lag, non-GAAP GM should improve from Q4 levels; focus on 1H26 cadence .
- Structural growth intact: Industrial electrification (HVDC, metering, rail) and automotive sockets continue to expand with multiple new design wins; these carry higher-margin profiles .
- AI optionality: Collaboration with NVIDIA and 1250V/1700V GaN portfolio position POWI for 800VDC architectures; earlier revenue likely from rack-level AC-DC GaN system product sampling by YE’25; larger main DC-DC opportunity targeted for 2027 .
- Capital returns discipline: Strong cash generation (~$29.9M CFO in Q3) supports buybacks and a raised 2026 dividend; diluted shares expected to fall below 56M in Q4 .
- Watch consumer normalization: Appliances remain sensitive to tariffs and housing; management expects normalization as preloaded inventory clears with 2026 growth potential aided by efficiency and GaN adoption .
- Risk checklist: Tariff regime, end-demand for appliances/housing, FX (yen lag), and timing of AI and auto ramps remain the key swing factors .
Appendix: Additional Detail
Q4 2025 Outlook (Selected items)
- Revenue: $100–$105M; non-GAAP GM 53.5–54.0%; non-GAAP opex ~ $47M; tax ~3%; diluted share count down 0.4–0.5M q/q to <56M .
Balance Sheet/Cash Flow Highlights (Q3 2025)
- Cash and equivalents $48.6M; short-term marketable securities $193.2M; inventories $164.6M; operating cash flow $29.9M; CapEx $5.7M .
Non-GAAP Reconciliations (Q3 2025)
- Non-GAAP gross profit $65.5M; non-GAAP gross margin 55.1%; non-GAAP income from operations $18.1M; non-GAAP EPS $0.36 .
Selected Quotes
- “We expect fourth-quarter revenues of $100–$105 million, with the consumer category driving a large portion of the decrease… Our industrial business continues to be strong” .
- “By the end of this year, we expect to deliver early samples of our system-level GaN product for rack-level AC-to-DC converters… production release planned for late 2026” .
- “We will be taking steps in the months ahead to better align our R&D and go-to-market resources… I am pushing the team to tighten up on OpEx and capital spending” .
All document data and quotes are cited to the company’s Q3 2025 8-K/press release and earnings call; estimate figures are from S&P Global as noted.