10-KPeriod: FY2018

Arista Networks, Inc. Annual Report, Year Ended Dec 31, 2018

Filed February 15, 2019For Securities:ANET

Summary

Arista Networks, Inc. (ANET) in its 2018 10-K filing, reported robust growth driven by its cloud networking solutions, characterized by its Extensible Operating System (EOS). The company solidified its position as a leading supplier for cloud service providers and large internet companies, also expanding into enterprise campus solutions with strategic acquisitions. A significant event during the year was a substantial legal settlement with Cisco, which impacted operating expenses but resolved ongoing litigation. The company's financial performance showed continued revenue growth, though with a slight decrease in gross margin primarily due to customer mix and pricing pressures. Investments in research and development remained high, reflecting a commitment to innovation. Arista ended the year with a strong cash position, underscoring its financial health and ability to fund future growth initiatives. For investors, Arista's core strengths lie in its purpose-built, highly scalable cloud networking platform powered by its proprietary EOS software. The company's strategic focus on open standards, programmability, and automation continues to resonate with its target market, positioning it well for future expansion in both data center and enterprise campus networking segments.

Financial Highlights

53 data points
Beta

Revenue

$2.15B

63.8% Gross Margin

Net Income

$328.12M

15.3% Net Margin

EPS (Diluted)

$0.25

Total Assets

$3.08B

Cash & Equivalents

$654.16M

Free Cash Flow

$479.29M

Financial Statements
Beta
Revenue$2.15B
Cost of Revenue$777.99M
Gross Profit$1.37B
R&D Expenses$442.47M
Operating Expenses$1.10B
Operating Income$273.35M
Interest Expense$2.70M
Net Income$328.12M
EPS (Basic)$0.27
EPS (Diluted)$0.25
Shares Outstanding (Basic)1.20B
Shares Outstanding (Diluted)1.29B

Key Highlights

  • 1Arista reported significant year-over-year revenue growth, showcasing strong demand for its cloud networking solutions.
  • 2The company continued its expansion into enterprise campus networks with the acquisitions of Mojo Networks and Metamako.
  • 3A major legal settlement was reached with Cisco, resolving ongoing litigation for a payment of $400 million plus legal fees.
  • 4Arista maintained a strong financial position, ending the year with substantial cash and cash equivalents.
  • 5Research and development expenses remained a significant investment area, emphasizing Arista's focus on innovation and software development.
  • 6Gross margin saw a slight decrease, attributed to customer mix and competitive pricing pressures, though overall profitability remained strong.
  • 7The company highlighted its proprietary Extensible Operating System (EOS) as a key competitive advantage, emphasizing its programmability and modularity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Arista Networks is a leading supplier of cloud networking solutions, including Ethernet switching and routing platforms powered by its proprietary Extensible Operating System (EOS). Its core competitive advantages lie in EOS's programmability, modularity, and automation capabilities, which enable customers to build scalable, high-performance, and reliable cloud networks. The company also focuses on open standards and integrates well with third-party applications, differentiating it from legacy network architectures.

Arista reached a significant settlement with Cisco for $400 million, plus legal fees, resolving multiple ongoing litigation matters. This settlement was recorded as a legal settlement expense of $405 million in the operating expenses for the year ended December 31, 2018. While impacting short-term profitability, the settlement resolved significant legal uncertainties and allowed Arista to re-incorporate certain features into its products.

Arista Networks demonstrated strong revenue growth in 2018, increasing by 30.7% compared to 2017, reaching $2.15 billion. The company reported a net income of $328 million. However, gross margin slightly decreased from 64.5% to 63.8% due to factors like customer mix and pricing pressures, though operating expenses also saw a significant increase, primarily due to the Cisco settlement.

Arista is expanding its market reach through organic growth and strategic acquisitions. In 2018, the company acquired Mojo Networks to enhance its cloud-managed wireless networking offerings and Metamako to strengthen its low-latency solutions. These moves indicate a strategy to broaden its portfolio beyond data center networking and into enterprise campus and wireless solutions, leveraging its core cloud networking principles.