from BlackBerry QNX (NASDAQ:BB)
BlackBerry Reports Third Quarter Fiscal Year 2025 Results
Beats top end of revenue guidance range for both Cybersecurity1 and IoT divisions; raises bottom end of full-year guidance range for IoT
Delivers positive adjusted EBITDA1 and adjusted EPS1 above guidance range; GAAP basic EPS improves both sequentially and year-over-year
Achieves milestone of positive operating and free cash flow ahead of schedule
BlackBerry Limited (NYSE:BB)(TSX:BB) today reported financial results for the three months ended November 30, 2024 (all figures in U.S. dollars and U.S. GAAP, except where otherwise indicated).
"BlackBerry achieved a significant inflection in its results this past quarter. Driven by a combination of strong revenue performance for both our Cybersecurity and IoT divisions, and continued focus on costs and efficiency, the Company delivered stronger than expected profitability and a return to positive cash flow ahead of schedule," said John J. Giamatteo, CEO, BlackBerry. "The announcement of a definitive agreement for the sale of Cylance to Arctic Wolf is a further transformational step for the Company, placing BlackBerry on a path to accelerating profitability post-close."
Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Highlights
Total company revenue 1 was $162 million.
Total company gross margin 1 and non-GAAP gross margin 1 was 74%.
IoT revenue grew 13% sequentially and exceeded previously-provided guidance at $62 million; IoT gross margin increased by 3 percentage points from the prior quarter to 85%.
IoT adjusted EBITDA increased 38% sequentially to $18 million.
Cybersecurity revenue 1 grew 7% sequentially and exceeded previously-provided guidance at $93 million; Cybersecurity gross margin 1 increased by 12 percentage points sequentially to 67%.
Cybersecurity ARR 1 increased by 1% sequentially to $281 million; Cybersecurity DBNRR 1 increased by 2 percentage points sequentially, increasing for the fifth consecutive quarter, to 90%.
Cybersecurity 1 adjusted EBITDA increased $14 million sequentially to $8 million.
Licensing revenue exceeded guidance at $7 million, and Licensing adjusted EBITDA was $6 million.
Non-GAAP net income was $12 million and GAAP net loss was $11 million.
Non-GAAP basic earnings per share increased by $0.02 sequentially to $0.02, beating the previously-provided guidance. GAAP basic loss per share improved by $0.01 sequentially to $0.02.
Total company adjusted EBITDA 1 exceeded previously-provided guidance at $23 million.
Total cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments increased by $1 million sequentially to $266 million; Operating cash flow beat expectations and improved by $34 million year-over-year to $3 million.
1 Includes discontinued operations from Cylance business, reclassified as held for sale as at November 30, 2024.
Business Highlights & Strategic Announcements
BlackBerry and Arctic Wolf announce that they have entered into a definitive agreement for Arctic Wolf to acquire BlackBerry's Cylance® endpoint security assets
BlackBerry announces that QNX® embedded technology powers more than 255 million vehicles
Hyundai Mobis selects BlackBerry QNX to power its next-generation digital cockpit platform
BlackBerry QNX introduces software-defined functional safety platform in collaboration with Intel for industrial automation
BlackBerry® AtHoc® is "in process" for achieving FedRAMP high authorization. Once confirmed, AtHoc will be the first critical events management solution to be authorized to secure the US government's most sensitive, unclassified data
BlackBerry welcomes the Government of Canada's investment in the Malaysia Cybersecurity Center of Excellence to enhance cyber resilience in Southeast Asia
BlackBerry appointed Lisa Bahash, an automotive OEM and Tier 1 supplier veteran, to its Board of Directors
Financial Outlook
BlackBerry is providing the following guidance for the fourth quarter and the full fiscal year 2025 (ending February 28, 2025). As the sale of the Company's Cylance business is expected to close during the fourth quarter of 2024, that business is reported this quarter as discontinued operations, and the following guidance, except for non-GAAP basic EPS, is reflective solely of the expected results of the Company's continuing operations.
Q4 FY25 | Full fiscal year FY25 | |
Total BlackBerry revenue: | $126 - $135 million | $517 - $526 million |
IoT revenue: | $60 - $65 million | $230 - $235 million |
Secure Communications revenue: | $62 - $66 million | $267 - $271 million |
Licensing revenue: | Approximately $4 million | Approximately $20 million |
IoT segment EBITDA: | $8 - $10 million | $48 - $50 million |
Secure Communications segment | ||
EBITDA: | $4 - $6 million | $43 - $45 million |
Licensing segment EBITDA: | Approximately $3 million | Approximately $16 million |
Total Company adjusted EBITDA: | $10 - $20 million | $60 - $70 million |
Non-GAAP basic EPS: | ($0.01) - +$0.01 | ($0.02) - Breakeven |
Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
The tables at the end of this press release include a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measures and non-GAAP financial ratios used by the Company to comparable U.S. GAAP measures and an explanation of why the
Company uses them. The Company does not provide a reconciliation of expected Adjusted EBITDA and expected
Non-GAAP basic EPS for the fourth quarter and full fiscal year 2025 to the most directly comparable expected GAAP measures because it is unable to predict with reasonable certainty, among other things, restructuring charges and impairment charges and, accordingly, a reconciliation is not available without unreasonable effort. These items are uncertain, depend on various factors, and could have a material impact on GAAP reported results for the guidance period. For more information on the non-GAAP financial measures, please refer to the tables at the end of this press release.
Conference Call and Webcast
A conference call and live webcast will be held today beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET, which can be accessed using the following link ( here ) or through the Company's investor webpage (BlackBerry.com/Investors ) or by dialing toll free +1 (844) 763-8275 and entering Elite Entry Number 51677.
A replay of the conference call will be available at approximately 8:30 p.m. ET today, using the same webcast link (here ) or by dialing toll free +1 (877) 481-4010 and entering Replay Access Code 51677.
About BlackBerry
BlackBerry (NYSE: BB; TSX: BB) provides enterprises and governments the intelligent software and services that power the world around us. Based in Waterloo, Ontario, the company's high-performance foundational software enables major automakers and industrial giants alike to unlock transformative applications, drive new revenue streams and launch innovative business models, all without sacrificing safety, security, and reliability. With a deep heritage in Secure Communications, BlackBerry delivers operational resiliency with a comprehensive, highly secure, and extensively certified portfolio for mobile fortification, mission-critical communications, and critical events management. The company is also a pioneer in leveraging Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to deliver advanced cybersecurity solutions to its customers.
BlackBerry. Intelligent Security. Everywhere.
For more information, visit BlackBerry.com and follow @BlackBerry.
Investor Contact:
BlackBerry Investor Relations
+1 (519) 888-7465
investorrelations@blackberry.com
Media Contact:
BlackBerry Media Relations
+1 (519) 597-7273
mediarelations@blackberry.com
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This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of certain securities laws, including under the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws, including statements regarding BlackBerry's plans, strategies and objectives and BlackBerry's expectations regarding the anticipated completion, timing and impacts of the proposed transaction between BlackBerry and Arctic Wolf.
The words "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "should", "could", "intend", "believe", "target", "plan" and similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by BlackBerry in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that BlackBerry believes are appropriate in the circumstances, including but not limited to, BlackBerry's expectations regarding its business, financial performance, strategy, opportunities and prospects, the launch of new products and services, general economic conditions, and competition. Many factors could cause BlackBerry's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, risks related to the following factors: uncertainty associated with BlackBerry's ability to complete the proposed transaction with Arctic Wolf on the proposed terms or on the anticipated timeline, or at all, and the ability to realize the expected benefits of the proposed transaction; BlackBerry's ability to maintain or expand its customer base for its software and services offerings to grow revenue or achieve sustained profitability; BlackBerry's sales cycles and the time and expense of its sales efforts; the intense competition faced by BlackBerry; BlackBerry's ability to enhance, develop, introduce or monetize products and services for the enterprise market in a timely manner with competitive pricing, features and performance; the occurrence or perception of a breach of BlackBerry's network cybersecurity measures, or an inappropriate disclosure of confidential or personal information; potential impacts of BlackBerry's ongoing cost reduction initiatives; BlackBerry's continuing ability to attract new personnel, retain existing key personnel and manage its staffing effectively; risks arising from a failure or perceived failure of BlackBerry's solutions to detect or prevent security vulnerabilities; BlackBerry's dependence on its relationships with resellers and channel partners; litigation against BlackBerry; adverse macroeconomic and geopolitical conditions; network disruptions or other business interruptions; BlackBerry's ability to foster an ecosystem of third-party application developers; BlackBerry's products and services being dependent upon interoperability with rapidly changing systems provided by third parties; failure to protect BlackBerry's intellectual property and to earn expected revenues from intellectual property rights; BlackBerry's ability to obtain rights to use third-party software and its use of open source software; BlackBerry potentially being found to have infringed on the intellectual property rights of others; BlackBerry's indebtedness, which could impact its operating flexibility and financial condition; the substantial asset risk faced by BlackBerry, including the potential for charges related to its long-lived assets and goodwill; tax provision changes, the adoption of new tax legislation or exposure to additional tax liabilities; the use and management of user data and personal information; government regulations applicable to BlackBerry's products and services, including products containing encryption capabilities; environmental, social and governance expectations and standards; the failure of BlackBerry's suppliers, subcontractors, channel partners and representatives to use acceptable ethical business practices or comply with applicable laws; potential impacts of acquisitions, divestitures and other business initiatives; risks associated with foreign operations, including fluctuations in foreign currencies; environmental events; the fluctuation of BlackBerry's quarterly revenue and operating results; and the volatility of the market price of BlackBerry's common shares.
These risk factors and others relating to BlackBerry are discussed in greater detail in BlackBerry's Annual Report on Form 10-K and the "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" section of BlackBerry's MD&A (copies of which filings may be obtained at www.sedarplus.ca or www.sec.gov). All of these factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on BlackBerry's forward-looking statements. Any statements that are forward-looking statements are intended to enable BlackBerry's shareholders to view the anticipated performance and prospects of BlackBerry from management's perspective at the time such statements are made, and they are subject to the risks that are inherent in all forward-looking statements, as described above, as well as difficulties in forecasting BlackBerry's financial results and performance for future periods, particularly over longer periods, given changes in technology and BlackBerry's business strategy, evolving industry standards, intense competition and short product life cycles that characterize the industries in which BlackBerry operates. Any forward-looking statements are made only as of today and BlackBerry has no intention and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any of them, except as required by law.
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BlackBerry Limited
Incorporated under the Laws of Ontario
(United States dollars, in millions except share and per share amounts) (unaudited)
Consolidated Statements of Operations
Three Months Ended | Nine Months Ended | |||||||||||||||||||
November 30, 2024 | August 31, 2024 | November 30, 2023 | November 30, 2024 | November 30, 2023 | ||||||||||||||||
Revenue | $ | 143 | $ | 125 | $ | 152 | $ | 391 | $ | 606 | ||||||||||
Cost of sales | 31 | 38 | 33 | 102 | 239 | |||||||||||||||
Gross margin | 112 | 87 | 119 | 289 | 367 | |||||||||||||||
Gross margin % | 78.3 | % | 69.6 | % | 78.3 | % | 73.9 | % | 60.6 | % | ||||||||||
Operating expenses | ||||||||||||||||||||
Research and development | 27 | 28 | 29 | 85 | 98 | |||||||||||||||
Sales and marketing | 23 | 22 | 25 | 68 | 77 | |||||||||||||||
General and administrative | 38 | 30 | 45 | 111 | 133 | |||||||||||||||
Amortization | 4 | 5 | 6 | 14 | 22 | |||||||||||||||
Impairment of long-lived assets | 1 | - | 9 | 4 | 9 | |||||||||||||||
Prior Debentures fair value adjustment | - | - | (13 | ) | - | 3 | ||||||||||||||
93 | 85 | 101 | 282 | 342 | ||||||||||||||||
Operating income | 19 | 2 | 18 | 7 | 25 | |||||||||||||||
Investment income, net | - | 3 | 5 | 8 | 15 | |||||||||||||||
Income before income taxes | 19 | 5 | 23 | 15 | 40 | |||||||||||||||
Provision for income taxes | 7 | 1 | 15 | 16 | 20 | |||||||||||||||
Income (loss) from continuing operations | 12 | 4 | 8 | (1 | ) | 20 | ||||||||||||||
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax | (23 | ) | (23 | ) | (29 | ) | (71 | ) | (94 | ) | ||||||||||
Net loss | $ | (11 | ) | $ | (19 | ) | $ | (21 | ) | $ | (72 | ) | $ | (74 | ) | |||||
Earnings (loss) per share | ||||||||||||||||||||
Basic earnings per share from continuing operations | $ | 0.02 | $ | 0.01 | $ | 0.01 | $ | - | $ | 0.03 | ||||||||||
Total basic loss per share | $ | (0.02 | ) | $ | (0.03 | ) | $ | (0.04 | ) | $ | (0.12 | ) | $ | (0.13 | ) | |||||
Diluted earnings (loss) per share from continuing operations | $ | 0.02 | $ | 0.01 | $ | (0.01 | ) | $ | - | $ | 0.03 | |||||||||
Total diluted loss per share | $ | (0.02 | ) | $ | (0.03 | ) | $ | (0.05 | ) | $ | (0.12 | ) | $ | (0.13 | ) | |||||
Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding (000s) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Basic | 591,240 | 590,549 | 584,331 | 590,537 | 583,559 | |||||||||||||||
Diluted | 593,530 | 591,610 | 638,470 | 590,537 | 590,013 | |||||||||||||||
Total common shares outstanding (000s) | 591,583 | 590,728 | 585,340 | 591,583 | 585,340 |
BlackBerry Limited
Incorporated under the Laws of Ontario
(United States dollars, in millions) (unaudited)
Consolidated Balance Sheets
As at | ||||||||
November 30, 2024 | February 29, 2024 | |||||||
Assets | ||||||||
Current | ||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 189 | $ | 175 | ||||
Short-term investments | 31 | 62 | ||||||