Release Date: May 01, 2025
For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.
Positive Points
- Open Text Corp (OTEX, Financial) reported strong operational performance with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 31.5%, exceeding their target range.
- The company achieved record free cash flow of $374 million, marking a 7% increase year over year.
- Open Text Corp (OTEX) is leading with an AI-first strategy, integrating AI into their operations and product offerings, which is expected to drive future growth.
- The company has a robust capital allocation strategy, focusing on reinvestment in business, dividends, and share repurchases.
- Open Text Corp (OTEX) has a strong customer base with notable wins in Q3, including contracts with ABN AMRO, Japan Tobacco, and the US Air Force.
Negative Points
- Open Text Corp (OTEX) experienced a revenue shortfall, ending up 50 basis points below their target range due to demand disruptions caused by tariffs.
- The company reported an 8% decline in new cloud bookings, attributed to macroeconomic disruptions.
- There was a 6.4% organic decline in the customer support business, impacted by the DXC contract and other factors.
- Open Text Corp (OTEX) announced a significant restructuring plan, including a net reduction of 2,000 employees, which may indicate operational challenges.
- The company adjusted its fiscal 2025 revenue target downwards, reflecting the ongoing market volatility and unpredictability.
Q & A Highlights
Q: Can you explain the impact of tariffs on OpenText's performance this quarter compared to other companies in the sector?
A: Mark Barrenechea, CEO, explained that the auto tariffs and related uncertainties significantly disrupted demand, particularly affecting sectors like auto, materials, US government, and energy. This disruption led to a $40 million to $50 million impact, with two-thirds affecting bookings and one-third impacting revenue. Despite these challenges, OpenText managed its expenses, margins, and cash flow effectively.
Q: What are your priorities as the new CFO, especially regarding capital structure and product portfolio?
A: Chadwick Westlake, CFO, emphasized three priorities: optimizing capital allocation, simplifying and providing more transparency in guidance, and engaging with investors and stakeholders. He aims to ensure that OpenText's capital is deployed in the most strategic and beneficial ways.
Q: Can you elaborate on the restructuring plan and the expected savings?
A: Chadwick Westlake noted that the restructuring plan aims for $400 million in annualized savings by fiscal 2026, with benefits realized equally over fiscal 2026 and 2027. Mark Barrenechea added that the plan is aligned with OpenText's AI-first strategy, focusing on roles that can be automated through AI, such as customer support and administrative tasks.
Q: How is OpenText addressing the decline in customer support revenue?
A: Mark Barrenechea explained that the decline is primarily due to factors like the DXC contract and currency effects. However, excluding DXC, the renewal rate for off-cloud services is improving, and the company expects to enhance this business segment in fiscal 2026.
Q: What are the expectations for fiscal 2026, particularly regarding organic growth and free cash flow?
A: Mark Barrenechea expressed confidence in returning to organic growth in fiscal 2026, driven by AI-first initiatives and a new product cycle. The company also aims to achieve a milestone of $1 billion in free cash flow, supported by the transformative business optimization plan and strategic capital allocation.
For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.
