10-QPeriod: Q1 FY2023

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co Quarterly Report for Q1 Ended Jan 31, 2023

Filed March 7, 2023For Securities:HPEHPE-PC

Summary

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) reported solid revenue growth in the first quarter of fiscal year 2023, with total net revenue reaching $7.8 billion, a 12.2% increase year-over-year (17.7% on a constant currency basis). This growth was primarily driven by an elevated order backlog, improvements in the supply chain, and effective pricing strategies, particularly in server products. The company saw increased revenue across most segments, with notable strength in HPC & AI and Intelligent Edge. Despite revenue growth, net earnings saw a slight decrease of 2.3% to $501 million, translating to $0.38 per diluted share. This was impacted by increased operating expenses, including higher variable compensation and R&D investments, as well as unfavorable foreign exchange rates. The company is navigating ongoing macroeconomic challenges such as supply chain constraints and inflationary pressures, but remains focused on its transformation programs and cost optimization efforts to mitigate these impacts. HPE also continues to return capital to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases, with $1.3 billion remaining authorization for future buybacks.

Financial Statements
Beta
Revenue$7.81B
R&D Expenses$623.00M
SG&A Expenses$1.26B
Operating Expenses$7.22B
Operating Income$591.00M
Net Income$501.00M
EPS (Basic)$0.39
EPS (Diluted)$0.38
Shares Outstanding (Basic)1.30B
Shares Outstanding (Diluted)1.31B

Key Highlights

  • 1Total net revenue increased by 12.2% to $7.8 billion, with a strong 17.7% growth on a constant currency basis, driven by backlog and supply chain improvements.
  • 2Operating profit margin improved to 7.6%, up from 6.4% in the prior year, indicating effective expense management.
  • 3Annualized Revenue Run-rate (ARR) for HPE GreenLake platform services grew by 26% year-over-year, highlighting the company's growing as-a-service business.
  • 4Net earnings decreased slightly by 2.3% to $501 million, with diluted EPS at $0.38, impacted by increased operating expenses and foreign exchange headwinds.
  • 5The company is progressing with its transformation programs, with costs decreasing year-over-year as these plans approach completion.
  • 6Free cash flow was negative at $(1,326) million, a significant decrease from the prior year, primarily due to unfavorable working capital movements and higher capital expenditures.
  • 7HPE announced two strategic acquisitions, Athonet and Axis Security, for approximately $490 million to expand its private cellular network and edge-to-cloud security capabilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Revenue growth was primarily driven by a high order backlog from previous periods, improvements in the supply chain environment allowing for more product delivery, and effective pricing management, especially in server products. Growth was also supported by strong performance in segments like HPC & AI and Intelligent Edge.

Net earnings saw a slight decrease primarily due to increased operating expenses. This includes higher employee costs related to variable compensation, increased investments in research and development, and unfavorable foreign exchange rate fluctuations which impacted overall profitability. Higher cost of sales and a shift in revenue mix also played a role.

HPE is employing several strategies including guiding customer demand to specific products, enhancing component engineering, multi-sourcing supplies, and focusing on pricing discipline. The company is also continuing its transformation and cost optimization programs, which are expected to help moderate the impact of these challenges.

The 26% year-over-year increase in Annualized Revenue Run-rate (ARR) for the HPE GreenLake edge-to-cloud platform is a key indicator of the company's growing 'as-a-service' business. It reflects growing customer adoption of subscription-based offerings and provides insight into the potential future performance of this strategic segment.