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SANMINA CORP (SANM)·Q3 2025 Earnings Summary

Executive Summary

  • Q3 FY2025 delivered revenue of $2.04B, non-GAAP gross margin of 9.1%, and non-GAAP diluted EPS of $1.53; all were above management’s outlook and marked solid execution in a dynamic macro environment .
  • Versus Wall Street consensus, revenue and EPS were beats: revenue $2.04B vs. $1.98B*, EPS $1.53 vs. $1.415*; however EBITDA came in below consensus at $133.2M vs. $144.6M*; estimates based on 2 covering analysts* . Values retrieved from S&P Global.
  • Q4 FY2025 guidance implies revenue of $2.0–$2.1B and non-GAAP EPS of $1.52–$1.62, maintaining the full-year growth trajectory of ~6–8% and reinforcing margin discipline (non-GAAP operating margin 5.5–6.0%) .
  • Strategic catalyst: announced definitive agreement in May to acquire AMD’s ZT Systems data center infrastructure manufacturing business—expected to add $5–$6B annual net revenue run-rate and double Sanmina’s net revenue within three years; accretive to non-GAAP EPS in year 1 post-close .

What Went Well and What Went Wrong

What Went Well

  • Strong beat on EPS and revenue vs. guidance and consensus; CEO: “Revenue, non-GAAP gross margin, and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share exceeded our outlook” . Values retrieved from S&P Global.
  • CPS margin expansion to 14.7% (+320 bps YoY) on higher revenue, favorable mix, and operational efficiencies; CFO emphasized progress and target above 15% medium term .
  • Robust cash generation and balance sheet strength: CFFO $201M; FCF $168M; cash and equivalents $798M; revolver undrawn, ~$1.7B liquidity; pretax ROIC 24.8% .

What Went Wrong

  • EBITDA underperformed vs. Street despite top-line/EPS beats: actual ~$133.2M vs. consensus ~$144.6M*, suggesting mix and investment spend effects. Values retrieved from S&P Global.
  • IMS gross margin dipped slightly YoY to 7.5% (-10 bps), reflecting mix within the segment .
  • Automotive/transportation softness noted; CEO cited slower demand near-term, with recovery expected in FY2026 .

Financial Results

Consolidated Performance and Consensus vs. Actuals

MetricQ1 2025Q2 2025Q3 2025
Revenue ($USD Billions)$2.006 $1.984 $2.042
GAAP Diluted EPS ($)$1.16 $1.16 $1.26
Non-GAAP Diluted EPS ($)$1.44 $1.41 $1.53
Non-GAAP Gross Margin %9.0% 9.1% 9.1%
Non-GAAP Operating Margin %5.6% 5.6% 5.7%
Cash From Operations ($USD Millions)$64 $157 $201
Free Cash Flow ($USD Millions)$47 $126 $168

Q3 2025 vs. Prior Year and Consensus

MetricQ3 2024Q3 2025 Guidance (from Q2)Q3 2025 ActualStreet Consensus (Q3 2025)
Revenue ($USD Billions)$1.841 $1.925–$2.025 $2.042 $1.980*
GAAP Diluted EPS ($)$0.91 $1.05–$1.15 $1.26 N/A
Non-GAAP Diluted EPS ($)$1.25 $1.35–$1.45 $1.53 $1.415*
EBITDA ($USD Millions)N/AN/A~$133.2*~$144.6*

Values retrieved from S&P Global.

Segment and End-Market Breakdown

Segment / End-MarketQ1 2025Q2 2025Q3 2025
IMS Revenue ($USD Billions)$1.62 $1.60 $1.65
IMS Non-GAAP Gross Margin %7.9% 7.7% 7.5%
CPS Revenue ($USD Billions)$0.416 $0.411 $0.422
CPS Non-GAAP Gross Margin %12.5% 13.9% 14.7%
Industrial/Energy/Medical/Defense/Aerospace/Auto ($USD Billions)$1.269 $1.251 $1.256
Communications Networks & Cloud Infrastructure ($USD Billions)$0.737 $0.733 $0.786

Selected KPIs

KPIQ1 2025Q2 2025Q3 2025
Cash & Equivalents ($USD Millions)$642 $647 $798
Inventory Turns (net of customer advances)N/A5.9x 6.3x
Pretax ROIC (Non-GAAP)23.5% 23% 24.8%
Gross Leverage Ratio0.9x 0.48x 0.38x
Top 10 Customers (% of Revenue)50.1% 51% 52.8%
Book-to-Bill~1:1 ~1:1 ~1:1
Share Repurchases (Quarter)$16M $84M $13M
Remaining Buyback Authorization$37M pre-expansion $253M $239M

Guidance Changes

MetricPeriodPrevious GuidanceCurrent GuidanceChange
Revenue ($USD Billions)Q3 2025$1.925–$2.025 Actual: $2.042 Beat vs. outlook
Non-GAAP Diluted EPS ($)Q3 2025$1.35–$1.45 Actual: $1.53 Beat vs. outlook
Revenue ($USD Billions)Q4 2025N/A$2.0–$2.1 New guidance
Non-GAAP Gross Margin %Q4 2025N/A8.7–9.2 New guidance
Non-GAAP Operating Margin %Q4 2025N/A5.5–6.0 New guidance
OpEx ($USD Millions)Q4 2025$62–$66 (Q3 outlook) $64–$68 Slightly higher vs. prior quarter outlook
OI&E (Net Expense, $USD Millions)Q4 2025~$6 (Q3 outlook) ~$4 Lower expense
Effective Tax RateQ4 202520–22% (Q3 outlook) 20–22% Maintained
India JV Net Income Adjustment ($USD Millions)Q4 2025~$4.5 (Q3 outlook) ~$4 Slightly lower
CapEx ($USD Millions)Q4 2025~$50 (Q3 outlook) ~$65 Higher
Depreciation ($USD Millions)Q4 2025~$30 (Q3 outlook) ~$30 Maintained
Full-Year Revenue GrowthFY20256–8% ~6.8% implied Maintained trajectory

Earnings Call Themes & Trends

TopicPrevious Mentions (Q1 & Q2)Current Period (Q3)Trend
AI/Data Center & ZT SystemsBuilding end-to-end capabilities (PCBs, racks, liquid cooling, ODM storage/servers); expanding integration; targeted investments Strategic acquisition of AMD’s ZT Systems manufacturing; expected $5–$6B net revenue run-rate; accretive EPS; double net revenue in 3 years; strengthens hyperscaler relationships Accelerating and de-risking AI infrastructure strategy
Supply Chain/TariffsTariff uncertainty; costs pass-through; agile regional footprint; customer programs largely unchanged; evaluation for new programs Tariffs/geopolitical remain dynamic; regionalization continues; costs borne by customers; flexibility with single ERP/42Q; no material program shifts; ongoing evaluation Stable stance; continued customer engagement
Segment Mix & MarginsIMS gross margin stable; CPS in 12–13% range; aim for higher CPS margins IMS margin -10 bps YoY; CPS margin +320 bps YoY to 14.7%; management targets >15% CPS Improving CPS margin profile
Regional Capacity/InvestmentsCapEx 1–2% of revenue; expansions in US, India, Mexico; high-tech PCBs; mechanical capacity Continued targeted investments; FY25 capex ~1.8% of revenue; capacity/technology investments in U.S., India, Mexico Sustained strategic capex
India JVPositive JV performance; guidance for net income adjustment; expanding end markets JV doing well; ~$4M noncash net income reduction guided for Q4; expanding with Reliance partnership Scaling with local market growth
End-Market DemandComms & cloud strong; inventory correction nearing end; diversified industrial/medical/defense base Comms/cloud +19.1% YoY; diversified end-markets; automotive softness short-term; pipeline strong into FY2026 Strength in core growth vectors; some auto softness

Management Commentary

  • CEO: “Revenue, non-GAAP gross margin, and non-GAAP EPS exceeded our outlook” .
  • CFO: “Our revenue of $2.04 billion, non-GAAP gross margin of 9.1%, and our non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $1.53 all exceeded our outlook” .
  • CEO on AI strategy: “This acquisition advances Sanmina Strategic Data Center AI strategy…we expect to expand our relationship with hyperscalers and OEM customers…provide end-to-end solution for data center AI” .
  • CFO on balance sheet: “Cash and cash equivalents were $798 million…no outstanding borrowings on our $800 million revolver…substantial liquidity of approximately $1.7 billion” .
  • CFO on ZT Systems acquisition: “We expect it will add $5 billion–$6 billion of annual net revenue on a run rate basis and anticipate it will double Sanmina's net revenue within the next three years…accretive to non-GAAP diluted EPS in the first year after closing” .

Q&A Highlights

  • ZT Systems revenue run-rate and stabilization: Management reaffirmed $5–$6B net revenue run-rate at close; stable GP compute/storage foundation; accelerated compute transitioning; accretive EPS expected; expanding engineering/sales support including Viking and new hires .
  • CPS margin sustainability: No one-offs; mix/investments driving expansion; management expects CPS above 15% over time .
  • Inventory/working capital risk in acquisition: ~$2B working capital target (primarily inventory) with thorough evaluation and customer-supported forecasts; commitment from AMD/ZT to manage risk .
  • Tariffs: Costs borne by customers; regionalization trend; flexibility via global footprint and IT systems; no material shifts in current programs; evaluation for new programs ongoing .
  • India JV: JV performing well; continued investment; net income adjustment guided (~$4M Q4); long-term growth opportunities across multiple end-markets .

Estimates Context

  • Q3 2025 revenue beat: $2.042B actual vs. $1.980B consensus*; EPS beat: $1.53 actual vs. $1.415 consensus* . Values retrieved from S&P Global.
  • EBITDA miss: ~$133.2M actual vs. ~$144.6M consensus*, indicating margin/mix effects despite EPS beat. Values retrieved from S&P Global.
  • Coverage breadth: 2 estimates for revenue and EPS*, suggesting limited sell-side coverage and potentially higher revision sensitivity. Values retrieved from S&P Global.
  • Implications: Street likely to revise EPS and revenue upward for near term; EBITDA estimates may reflect cautious margin trajectory given ongoing investment and mix dynamics. Values retrieved from S&P Global.

Key Takeaways for Investors

  • Execution remains strong: Both revenue and EPS beat guidance and consensus, with sustained non-GAAP operating margin within the 5–6% target range—supportive of near-term estimate upgrades . Values retrieved from S&P Global.
  • Mix-driven margin expansion: CPS margin reached 14.7% with management targeting >15%, a lever for consolidated margin improvement into FY2026 .
  • AI/data center catalyst: ZT Systems acquisition should materially expand scale and hyperscaler exposure, with accretive EPS and potential to double net revenue over three years; financing/leveraging plan remains within target 1–2x net leverage, temporarily above post-close .
  • Cash generation and flexibility: Strong CFFO/FCF and liquidity underpin investments (U.S., India, Mexico) while enabling ongoing repurchases ($239M authorization remaining) .
  • Guidance steady: Q4 outlook supports full-year growth ~6–8% with maintained tax rate and lower OI&E versus prior quarter outlook; watch OpEx uptick tied to growth initiatives .
  • Watch items: Automotive softness, tariff/geopolitical dynamics, and acquisition integration (inventory/wcap build) are monitored risks; management’s regional footprint and pass-through model mitigate tariff cost impacts .
  • Trading and thesis: Near-term—stock should be supported by beats and AI catalyst narrative; medium-term—margin trajectory hinges on CPS >15% and successful ZT Systems integration, increasing exposure to cloud/AI spend cycles .

Non-GAAP adjustments in Q3 included stock-based comp ($16.1M), acquisition/integration costs ($7.1M), and restructuring/other (gain on sale offset, -$3.3M); these drove non-GAAP operating margin to 5.7% vs. GAAP 4.7% .

Values retrieved from S&P Global.