STM — STMicroelectronics N.V.
NYSE
Q2 2026 Earnings Call Summary
July 23, 2026
STM Q2 2026 Earnings Call Summary
1. Key Financial Results and Metrics
- Net Revenues: $3.49 billion, exceeding the midpoint of guidance.
- Gross Margin: 34.8% (non-U.S. GAAP: 35.2%), consistent with expectations.
- Diluted Earnings Per Share: $0.31 (non-U.S. GAAP).
- Operating Income: $187 million (non-U.S. GAAP operating income: $269 million).
- Net Income: $222 million, compared to a net loss of $97 million in Q2 2025.
- Free Cash Flow: Positive at $75 million, compared to a negative $152 million in Q2 2025.
- Inventory: $3.19 billion, slightly up from $3.17 billion in Q1 2026, with days sales of inventory at 126 days.
- Net Financial Position: Solid at $2.01 billion, with total liquidity of $6.03 billion and total financial debt of $4.02 billion.
2. Strategic Updates and Business Highlights
- Demand Growth: Strong bookings across all end markets, particularly in Communication Equipment and Automotive, with a book-to-bill ratio close to 2.
- Automotive Sector: Revenues increased 14% sequentially and 16% year-over-year, driven by design wins in electric and conventional vehicles.
- Industrial Sector: Grew 20% sequentially and 34% year-over-year, supported by microcontrollers and application-specific analog products.
- Personal Electronics: Revenues up 3% sequentially and 20% year-over-year, with new secure chips introduced for quantum-ready security.
- Data Center Revenue Ambitions: Raised expectations for 2026 revenues to above $1 billion, with potential to exceed $2 billion in 2027.
- Low Earth Orbit Satellite Communication: Anticipated addressable market to reach $3 billion by 2030, with significant revenue expected from 2026 to 2028.
- Collaboration with NVIDIA: Expanded partnership to enhance capabilities in physical AI.
3. Forward Guidance and Outlook
- Q3 2026 Revenue Guidance: Expected at $3.7 billion (±350 basis points), representing a 6.2% sequential increase and 16.2% year-over-year growth.
- Gross Margin Forecast: Anticipated to be around 37% (±200 basis points) in Q3, with further improvements expected in Q4.
- Q4 2026 Revenue Projection: Expected to exceed $4 billion, driven by AI data centers and satellite communication engagements.
4. Bad News, Challenges, or Points of Concern
- Gross Margin Headwinds: Temporary costs related to the manufacturing reshaping program and unused capacity charges are expected to impact margins.
- Personal Electronics Decline: Anticipated to show mid-single-digit negative growth in Q3 and Q4, contrasting with earlier positive performance.
- Capacity Constraints: Some tightness in supply for general-purpose microcontrollers and legacy technologies due to ongoing transitions in manufacturing.
- Market Volatility: Potential impacts from global trade tariffs and fluctuating input costs could affect future performance.
5. Notable Q&A Insights
- Gross Margin Trends: Analysts inquired about the trajectory of gross margins into Q4, with management confirming improvements but cautioning about ongoing headwinds.
- Data Center Revenue Drivers: Growth in data center revenues will be driven by optical connectivity and power solutions, with a strong demand outlook.
- Pricing Dynamics: The company is experiencing input cost increases but is offsetting these with selective price increases on products.
- Capacity Expansion Plans: Management indicated confidence in meeting demand for AI data centers and highlighted ongoing investments in capacity, particularly in advanced technologies.
- Silicon Carbide Growth: Positive dynamics in silicon carbide revenues were confirmed, with expectations for double-digit growth in 2026.
This summary encapsulates STM's financial performance, strategic initiatives, and outlook while addressing potential challenges and insights from the Q&A session.
