First Quarter Fiscal Year 2027
Filed Jul 29, 2026Flex reported first-quarter fiscal 2027 net sales of $7.9 billion, up 21% versus the prior year, with GAAP EPS of $0.76 and record adjusted EPS of $1.00.
Net sales grew 21% year over year, GAAP operating margin expanded to 4.9% from 4.7%, adjusted operating margin expanded to 6.7% from 6.0%, and the company raised its fiscal 2027 net-sales and adjusted-EPS guidance ranges.
Key metrics
as reported| Metric | Value | q/q | y/y |
|---|---|---|---|
| Net salesGAAP | $7,928 million | – | 21% |
| Cost of salesGAAP | $7,177 million | – | – |
| Restructuring chargesGAAP | $4 million | – | – |
| Gross profitGAAP | $747 million | – | – |
| Selling, general and administrative expensesGAAP | $334 million | – | – |
| Restructuring and impairment charges (reversal)GAAP | $(2) million | – | – |
| Intangible amortizationGAAP | $23 million | – | – |
| Operating incomeGAAP | $392 million | – | – |
| GAAP operating marginGAAP | 4.9% | – | – |
| Interest expenseGAAP | $60 million | – | – |
| Interest incomeGAAP | $13 million | – | – |
| Other charges (income), netGAAP | $(37) million | – | – |
| Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated affiliatesGAAP | $(5) million | – | – |
| Income before income taxesGAAP | $377 million | – | – |
| Provision for income taxesGAAP | $92 million | – | – |
| Net incomeGAAP | $285 million | – | – |
| Diluted earnings per shareGAAP | $0.76 | – | – |
| Diluted shares used in computing per share amountsGAAP | 374 million | – | – |
| Stock-based compensationnon-GAAP | $51 million | – | – |
| Restructuring and impairment chargesnon-GAAP | $1 million | – | – |
| Legal and othernon-GAAP | $67 million | – | – |
| Adjusted operating incomenon-GAAP | $534 million | – | – |
| Adjusted operating marginnon-GAAP | 6.7% | – | – |
| Adjusted provision for income taxesnon-GAAP | $99 million | – | – |
| Adjusted net incomenon-GAAP | $374 million | – | – |
| Adjusted diluted earnings per sharenon-GAAP | $1.00 | – | – |
| Net cash provided by operating activitiesGAAP | $276 million | – | – |
| Purchases of property and equipmentother | $(236) million | – | – |
| Proceeds from the disposition of property and equipmentother | $1 million | – | – |
| Free Cash Flownon-GAAP | $41 million | – | – |
Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2027; Updated Fiscal Year 2027 outlook
- RevenueSecond Quarter Fiscal Year 2027 Net Sales: $7.95 billion to $8.25 billion, growth of 19% at the midpoint; Updated Fiscal Year 2027 Net Sales: $33.7 billion to $35.2 billion, growth of 23% at the midpoint
- Tax rateSecond Quarter Fiscal Year 2027 adjusted income tax rate: 21%; Updated Fiscal Year 2027 adjusted income tax rate: 21%
- NoteSecond Quarter Fiscal Year 2027 Adjusted Operating Income: $535 million to $565 million
- NoteSecond Quarter Fiscal Year 2027 Adjusted EPS: $1.00 to $1.07, growth of 32% at the midpoint
- NoteSecond Quarter Fiscal Year 2027 Interest & Other: approximately $58 million
- NoteSecond Quarter Fiscal Year 2027 weighted average shares outstanding: approximately 375 million
- NoteUpdated Fiscal Year 2027 Adjusted Operating Margin: 7.0% to 7.2%
- NoteUpdated Fiscal Year 2027 Adjusted EPS: $4.42 to $4.74, growth of 39% at the midpoint
- NotePrior Fiscal Year 2027 Net Sales: $32.3 - $33.8 billion
- NotePrior Fiscal Year 2027 Adjusted Operating Margin: 7.0% - 7.1%
- NotePrior Fiscal Year 2027 Adjusted EPS: $4.21 - $4.51
- NoteUpdated Fiscal Year 2027 guidance reflects expected results for the full fiscal year and does not give effect to the planned spin-off of the Cloud and Power Infrastructure segment
What drove it
- Net sales were reported as up 21% versus the prior year.
- The CEO cited the company's expanding role in AI infrastructure and attractive growth markets.
- Flex stated that it helps customers accelerate data center deployment through power and cooling technology and scalable IT infrastructure solutions.
Concerns
- Free Cash Flow was $41 million, compared with $268 million in the prior-year period, while purchases of property and equipment were $(236) million compared with $(133) million.
- The company cited risks from macroeconomic conditions, currency volatility, trade conflicts, tariffs, supply chain disruption, raw-material, component, labor and energy availability and pricing, and rapidly changing customer demand.
- Fiscal 2027 guidance does not give effect to the planned spin-off of the Cloud and Power Infrastructure segment, and the company identified execution, timing, relationship and cost risks related to the spin-off.
What to watch
- Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2027 net sales guidance of $7.95 billion to $8.25 billion and adjusted operating income guidance of $535 million to $565 million.
- Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2027 adjusted EPS guidance of $1.00 to $1.07 and adjusted income tax rate guidance of 21%.
- Updated Fiscal Year 2027 net sales guidance of $33.7 billion to $35.2 billion, adjusted operating margin guidance of 7.0% to 7.2%, and adjusted EPS guidance of $4.42 to $4.74.
- Progress on the planned spin-off of the Cloud and Power Infrastructure segment.
- Investor Day on November 10th, 2026.
Balance sheet and cash flow
- Cash provided by operating activities: $276 million
- Free Cash Flow: $41 million
- Purchases of property and equipment: $(236) million
- Proceeds from the disposition of property and equipment: $1 million
Analysis
Flex delivered $7,928 million of first-quarter fiscal 2027 net sales, compared with $6,575 million in the prior-year period, and described sales growth as 21% versus the prior year. GAAP operating income was $392 million compared with $311 million, while GAAP operating margin was 4.9% compared with 4.7%. GAAP net income was $285 million compared with $192 million, and diluted GAAP EPS was $0.76 compared with $0.50.
Adjusted operating income was $534 million compared with $395 million, and adjusted operating margin was 6.7% compared with 6.0%. Adjusted net income was $374 million compared with $274 million, and adjusted EPS was $1.00 compared with $0.72. The release characterized $1.00 of adjusted EPS as a record. Legal and other adjustments were $67 million, compared with $6 million in the prior-year period, and stock-based compensation was $51 million compared with $34 million.
Cash provided by operating activities was $276 million compared with $399 million. Purchases of property and equipment were $(236) million compared with $(133) million, and free cash flow was $41 million compared with $268 million. The gap between operating cash flow and free cash flow, alongside the higher reported property-and-equipment purchases, is a key cash-flow item in the period. No share repurchases, dividends, cash balance, or debt balance were included in the provided filing text.
For the second quarter, Flex guided net sales to $7.95 billion to $8.25 billion, adjusted operating income to $535 million to $565 million, and adjusted EPS to $1.00 to $1.07. The company updated fiscal 2027 net-sales guidance to $33.7 billion to $35.2 billion from $32.3 - $33.8 billion, adjusted operating-margin guidance to 7.0% to 7.2% from 7.0% - 7.1%, and adjusted-EPS guidance to $4.42 to $4.74 from $4.21 - $4.51. The updated full-year guide does not give effect to the planned spin-off of the Cloud and Power Infrastructure segment.
Management, verbatim
This quarter reflects the continued execution of the strategy we've advanced over the last several years. From joining the S&P 500 to expanding our role in AI infrastructure, we've strengthened our position in attractive growth markets. Looking ahead, we're confident both Flex and SpinCo have the leadership, capabilities, and focus to capitalize on the significant opportunities in front of them.
Revathi Advaithi, CEO of Flex
Not in the filing
stated, not guessed- Segment revenue, segment profitability, and segment growth metrics were not included in the provided filing text.
- GAAP gross margin was not reported.
- Prior-quarter comparisons for reported financial metrics were not included in the provided filing text.
- Cash balance, debt balance, and other balance-sheet metrics were not included in the provided filing text.
- Share repurchases, dividends, and other capital-return activity were not included in the provided filing text.
- GAAP operating-income, GAAP EPS, and free-cash-flow guidance were not provided.
- Gross-margin guidance and operating-expense guidance were not provided.
- A previous earnings release outlook was not provided, so reported results cannot be assessed against prior-release guidance.
AlphaAI analysis generated from the company’s SEC earnings filing (Form 8-K Item 2.02, or Form 6-K for a foreign private issuer). Every figure was cross-checked against the filing text; consensus estimates, price targets and share-price reactions are not shown because they are not in the filing. AI-generated research, not investment advice.