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Tenable Holdings, Inc. (TENB)·Q1 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q1 2025 delivered clean beats on revenue and non-GAAP EPS, driven by Tenable One platform expansions and a record quarter for seven-figure wins; revenue grew 11% YoY to $239.1M vs. S&P Global consensus $234.0M*, and non-GAAP EPS was $0.36 vs. $0.28* .
- Margins remained strong: non-GAAP gross margin 82% and non-GAAP operating margin 20%; operating leverage and seasonality also supported a record $86.8M in unlevered FCF .
- FY25 guidance was reset lower (notably billings, EPS, and UFFCF) primarily on incremental U.S. public sector uncertainty and broader macro-policy visibility; Q2 guide is essentially in line with Street on revenue and EPS .
- Potential stock reaction catalysts: ongoing Tenable One momentum (larger deal sizes, upsell/consolidation), expanding AI/third-party data ingest via Vulcan, and FedRAMP authorization vs. near-term overhang from cautious pub-sec outlook and billings guide reset .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
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What Went Well
- Record large deals and Tenable One as the growth engine: “best quarter ever for 7‑figure wins,” with momentum from cloud security and platform consolidation .
- Strong profitability and cash generation: non-GAAP op margin 20%; unlevered FCF $86.8M (36% margin), aided by collections seasonality and operating leverage .
- Product/market progress: FedRAMP Moderate for Tenable One and Cloud Security; identity risk capabilities (Identity 360) and Exposure Center launched; narrative strengthening around AI and third‑party data ingestion (Vulcan) .
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What Went Wrong
- FY25 outlook reduced: management extended cautious stance on U.S. public sector given leadership disruptions and procurement uncertainty; also applied some caution to enterprise amid policy/geopolitical risks .
- GAAP results impacted by higher G&A, including $14.6M accelerated vesting expense tied to the late CEO; GAAP operating margin −7% and GAAP net loss per share $(0.19) .
- Call transcript discrepancy on FY25 billings (“$1.25–$1.45B” spoken) vs. 8‑K guidance ($1.025–$1.045B); investors should anchor to 8‑K figures .
Financial Results
Quarterly progression (oldest → newest) and Q1 2025 consensus comparison:
Q1 2025 revenue and EPS beat S&P Global consensus by ~$5.1M and ~$0.08, respectively .
Revenue components and mix:
Key KPIs and cash metrics:
Guidance Changes
Management attributes the more cautious FY outlook largely to extended uncertainty and procurement timing in U.S. public sector and some macro/policy/geopolitical visibility, while maintaining emphasis on profitable growth and reiterating UFFCF range on the Q1 call; note the 8-K contains the authoritative ranges .
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- Strategic focus: “Our outperformance…reflects the continued momentum of our exposure management platform…best quarter ever for 7‑figure wins, and Tenable One was certainly the catalyst” .
- AI/data moat: “No vendor…can match the depth and breadth of our exposure [data]…This gives us a real competitive moat with a uniquely comprehensive view of risk” .
- Platform evolution: “Tenable One is evolving from a system of record to a system of action…not just identifying risks, but also helping customers act in real time” .
- Cloud and consolidation: Examples include federal modernization managing >1M assets and multi‑cloud displacement wins; customers consolidating onto Tenable One .
- Fiscal discipline: “We’re very pleased with our ability to drive continued leverage…Operating margin…20%…EPS…$0.36” and record unlevered FCF .
- Caution on outlook: Extending cautious stance in U.S. public sector and acknowledging policy/geopolitical uncertainty, while maintaining profit focus .
Q&A Highlights
- Guidance conservatism: About two‑thirds of the FY25 CCB guide reduction tied to U.S. public sector; remaining third to enterprise caution; visibility challenges from leadership changes and procurement cycles .
- Competitive landscape: Historically high win rates vs. Qualys/Rapid7; limited encounters with endpoint incumbents (CrowdStrike/Microsoft); several seven‑figure rip‑and‑replace wins .
- Wiz/Google impact: Viewed as a net positive—customers reopening evaluations to avoid lock‑in; benefits multi‑cloud positioning and Tenable One’s holistic view .
- Vulcan integration:
0.5pt growth ($5M) in FY25 weighted to 2H; third‑party ingest and remediation already a differentiator in a seven‑figure VM displacement . - Pricing: No significant pricing shifts or aggressive discounting observed; margins stable .
Estimates Context
- Q1 2025 beats: Revenue $239.1M vs. $234.0M*; non‑GAAP EPS $0.36 vs. $0.28* .
- Q2 2025 guide vs. Street: Revenue guide $241–$243M vs. $242.1M* consensus; EPS guide $0.29–$0.31 vs. $0.303*—essentially in-line .
- Implications: Street models for FY25 likely move lower on billings, EPS, and UFFCF following guidance reset; near-term revisions may center on public sector timing and enterprise macro sensitivity .
Values marked with * retrieved from S&P Global.
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Tenable One is driving larger deals and consolidation, delivering durable growth and mix benefits; sustained high win rates support share gains in VM/EM and cloud .
- Profitability remains a core pillar: 20% non‑GAAP op margin and robust unlevered FCF provide downside protection amid macro and public sector uncertainty .
- FY25 guidance reset de‑risks execution, particularly around U.S. public sector timing; watch for order timing improvements as leadership positions fill and FedRAMP tailwinds materialize .
- AI/data moat + Vulcan integration should enhance third‑party ingest and remediation automation—key to evolving from “record” to “action” and sustaining platform ARPU uplift .
- Near-term trading: Results beat/inline guide could be overshadowed by FY billings/FCF reset; pullbacks may be opportunities if Tenable One momentum and cloud wins persist .
- Medium-term thesis: Exposure management leadership, multi‑cloud strength, AI‑enabled analytics, and consolidation narrative position TENB for steady high-teens non‑GAAP margin with consistent FCF conversion .
- Monitor: Public sector bookings cadence, cloud/Tenable One deal velocity, progress on Vulcan-enabled capabilities, and any changes in competitive intensity or pricing .