PS
Pure Storage, Inc. (PSTG)·Q1 2026 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q1 FY26 revenue of $778.5M (+12% y/y) and non-GAAP EPS of $0.29, with non-GAAP operating margin of 10.6%; GAAP net loss was $(14.0)M as stock-based comp and taxes offset other income . Versus S&P Global consensus, revenue (
$770.4M*) and EPS ($0.248*) were both beaten. Values retrieved from S&P Global. - Subscription momentum: subscription services revenue $406.3M (+17%), ARR $1.7B (+18%), RPO $2.7B (+17%); Storage-as-a-Service TCV sales grew 70% y/y (≈$95M) .
- Guidance: Q2 FY26 revenue $845M and non-GAAP operating margin 14.8%; FY26 revenue $3.515B and non-GAAP operating margin 17.0% maintained; company reiterated FY26 outlook despite macro/tariff uncertainties .
- Strategic updates: Launch of FlashBlade//EXA for AI/HPC and partnerships with Nutanix and SK hynix underpin AI/virtualization narratives; management highlighted tariff insulation via Evergreen One pricing and progress toward hyperscale deployments (Meta) in 2H .
- Leadership: CFO transition announced; Kevan Krysler to depart after successor is named; company cited no issues with financial integrity .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
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What Went Well
- Strong subscription mix and backlog: subscription services revenue $406.3M (+17% y/y), ARR $1.7B (+18%), and RPO $2.7B (+17%) . “Q1 FY26 was a solid start to the year, with strong revenue growth” – CFO Kevan Krysler .
- Evergreen momentum and predictability: Storage-as-a-Service TCV +70% y/y to ~$95M; large Evergreen One deals and high-velocity transactions both contributed; management emphasized tariff cost absorption and SLA-based pricing predictability .
- AI and platform innovation: Introduced FlashBlade//EXA to target AI/HPC scale, and advanced Fusion 2.0 adoption (“almost 100 customers are using or testing Fusion”) to virtualize data into an enterprise data cloud – CEO .
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What Went Wrong
- GAAP profitability: GAAP operating loss $(31.2)M and GAAP net loss $(14.0)M (driven by stock-based comp and taxes), despite non-GAAP operating income of $82.7M .
- Opex headwinds from FX: foreign currency-based operating expenses increased sequentially by ~+$8M on weaker USD, tempering non-GAAP margin expansion .
- 2H macro/tariffs visibility: management flagged reduced visibility for 2H given tariffs/retaliatory tariffs and broader macro uncertainty; tone: cautiously confident but vigilant .
Financial Results
Revenue and EPS vs prior periods
Margins vs prior periods
Segment revenue breakdown
Key KPIs and cash flow
Estimate vs Actual (S&P Global consensus)
Values retrieved from S&P Global.
Guidance Changes
Note: After Q2 results, FY26 guidance was raised to Revenue $3.60–$3.63B and non-GAAP OI $605–$625M, but this occurred subsequent to Q1 disclosure .
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- Strategy: “Pure’s platform enables customers to unify, virtualize and modernize their data footprints… with our single, advanced Purity Operating Environment.” – CEO Charles Giancarlo .
- AI/Hyperscale: “Production validation testing is on schedule… on track to deliver our anticipated one to two exabytes… in the second half of the year.” – CEO . On EXA: “Margins would be at or above our standard company margins on a long-term basis.” – CEO .
- Evergreen One & Tariffs: “Any incremental tariff costs… will be absorbed… customer subscription rates will not be subjected to higher tariff costs.” – CFO Kevan Krysler .
- Macro: “We are navigating increased uncertainty… confident in our ability to outpace the competition.” – CEO .
Q&A Highlights
- Hyperscale ramp and rev rec: Management reiterated 1–2 EB in 2H with licensing/royalty revenue model; Q1/Q2 FY26 contributions de minimis; long-term gross margin accretive due to high software mix .
- EXA economics: EXA targets niche but sizable GPU/sovereign cloud/HPC markets; disaggregated model with software monetization on data nodes; margins at or above company levels over time .
- Evergreen One trajectory: Q1 TCV strength included a larger deal that closed earlier; does not change full-year revenue assumption; tariff cost absorption reiterated .
- Margins/FX: Non-GAAP product GM rose sequentially to 64%; total GM 70.9%; FX lifted opex by ~$8M q/q, limiting margin expansion .
- Linearity and cash: “Very typical linearity… started off strong, stayed strong,” aiding cash flow performance .
Estimates Context
- Q1 FY26: Beat on both revenue and EPS vs S&P Global consensus (Revenue: $778.5M vs ~$770.4M*; EPS: $0.29 vs ~$0.248*). Values retrieved from S&P Global. Actuals per company 8‑K .
- Q2 FY26: Company guided revenue $845M and non-GAAP operating margin 14.8% , broadly consistent with S&P consensus revenue (
$846.4M*) and EPS ($0.388*), noting EPS guidance not provided. Values retrieved from S&P Global. - FY26: At Q1, company maintained $3.515B revenue guide vs S&P consensus (~$3.619B*), implying room for later revision; indeed, FY26 guidance was raised after Q2 results . Values retrieved from S&P Global.
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Mixed headline (GAAP loss) but clear underlying strength: non-GAAP profitability, subscription growth, and cash generation (FCF $211.6M) support quality of earnings .
- Narrative catalysts: (1) execution on 1–2 EB hyperscale deployments with licensing revenue in 2H; (2) early traction for FlashBlade//EXA in AI/HPC; (3) Nutanix partnership and Azure AVS integration broadening virtualization opportunity .
- Defensive positioning vs tariffs: Evergreen One pricing absorbs tariff costs, providing deal certainty and potentially shifting mix toward subscriptions in uncertain environments .
- Watch gross margin trajectory: sequential product GM improvement and non-GAAP GM ~71% align with mid-60s product GM target; FX headwinds may be transient .
- Cash returns/discipline: $120M buybacks in Q1 with $152M remaining authorization; ongoing strong OCF supports capital allocation flexibility .
- Leadership transition risk contained: CFO departure not related to financial integrity; continuity until successor named (subsequently filled in Q2) .
- Near-term trading lens: Q1 beat/maintained FY guide + Q2 guide strength = constructive; stock likely sensitive to hyperscale updates, EXA demand signals, and any changes to FY26 outlook at Q2/Q3 checkpoints .
Notes:
- Asterisks (*) denote S&P Global consensus data. Values retrieved from S&P Global.