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8-K - 8-K - Arista Networks, Inc.a8-kq419earningsrelease.htm
Exhibit 99.1
Arista Networks, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Year End 2019 Financial Results
Acquires Big Switch Networks for Cloud Networking & Monitoring
SANTA CLARA, Calif.- February 13, 2020 -- Arista Networks, Inc. (NYSE: ANET), an industry leader in software-driven cloud networking solutions for large datacenter and campus environments, today announced financial results for its fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2019.
Fourth Quarter Financial Highlights
Revenue of $552.5 million, a decrease of 15.6% compared to the third quarter of 2019, and a decrease of 7.2% from the fourth quarter of 2018.
GAAP gross margin of 64.5%, compared to GAAP gross margin of 63.8% in the third quarter of 2019 and 62.9% in the fourth quarter of 2018.
Non-GAAP gross margin of 65.2%, compared to non-GAAP gross margin of 64.4% in the third quarter of 2019 and 64.1% in the fourth quarter of 2018.
GAAP net income of $260.7 million, or $3.25 per diluted share, compared to GAAP net income of $170.3 million, or $2.10 per diluted share in the fourth quarter of 2018.
Non-GAAP net income of $183.4 million, or $2.29 per diluted share, compared to non-GAAP net income of $182.2 million, or $2.25 per diluted share in the fourth quarter of 2018.
Full Year Financial Highlights
Revenue of $2.41 billion, an increase of 12.1% compared to fiscal year 2018.
GAAP gross margin of 64.1%, compared to GAAP gross margin of 63.8% in fiscal year 2018.
Non-GAAP gross margin of 64.7%, compared to non-GAAP gross margin of 64.4% in fiscal year 2018.
GAAP net income of $859.9 million, or $10.63 per diluted share, compared to GAAP net income of $328.1 million, or $4.06 per diluted share, in fiscal year 2018.
Non-GAAP net income of $786.8 million or $9.73 per diluted share, compared to non-GAAP net income of $643.3 million, or $7.96 per diluted share, in fiscal year 2018.
"Despite the volatility of cloud spend, 2019 marked the entry of Arista in the campus and mainstream enterprise. Our cloud networking technology is being accepted in thousands of diverse enterprise customers. We are excited by our prospects in 2020 and committed to a multi-year foundation of growth, innovation and profitability,” stated Jayshree Ullal, Arista's President and CEO.
Commenting on the company's financial results, Ita Brennan, Arista’s CFO, said, “We were pleased with the solid execution on earnings and cash flow in the quarter.”
Arista today also announced that it has acquired Big Switch Networks, a network monitoring and SDN (Software Defined Networking) pioneer for the past decade.
Fourth Quarter Company Highlights
Arista Enhances Cloud Networking with CloudEOS - Arista introduced Arista CloudEOS™, delivering two new offerings that solve critical networking challenges in multi cloud and cloud native environments: enabling an enterprise-class networking experience with consistent segmentation, telemetry, monitoring, provisioning and troubleshooting from campus to data center to cloud.

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Arista Networks Provides SK Telecom With High-Speed Platforms for 5G-Based Data Transmission Service - Arista announced that it is providing network platforms for SK Telecom’s 5G network. SK Telecom will be building a high capacity leaf-spine based data center network environment leveraging VXLAN/EVPN for virtualization, scalability and availability, providing customers with reliable high-speed network services.
Vocus Group, Australia’s specialist fibre and network solutions provider announced Arista Networks has been appointed the supplier of Vocus’ Layer 2 and Layer 3 network equipment.
2019 Company Highlights
This is the fifth consecutive year Arista Networks has been recognized in the Leaders Quadrant of the 2019 Magic Quadrant for Data Center Networking, published on 15 July 2019.
Arista Introduced Open Cloud-Scale Platform - The Arista 7360X Series is a radically new and disruptive platform that doubles system density while reducing power consumption and cost; codeveloped with Facebook.
Arista Delivers Universal 400G Platforms for Cloud Network Transformation - The new Arista 7800R family addresses the needs of the most demanding 400G cloud networks together with the next generation of the Arista 7500R and 7280R Series. The new platforms support 100G and 400G Ethernet with compelling throughput, density and price-performance and offer new telemetry and intelligence.
Arista Cognitive Cloud Networking Redefines the Campus - Arista Networks announced an expansion of the cognitive campus portfolio with unified wired and wireless campus edge products designed to address transitional changes as the enterprise moves to an IoT (Internet of Things)-ready campus.
Arista Networks announced CloudVision 2019, building upon Arista’s cognitive management plane. The CloudVision 2019 release brings new capabilities and integrations, helping customers with operational cost reduction, risk management, and agility in network operations.
Arista Introduced Enhanced Ultra-low Latency, High-precision Network Application Platforms - the Arista 7130L Series is the next-generation ultra-low latency, high-precision network application platform, with deterministic 5 nanosecond switching and virtually undetectable jitter.
Financial Outlook
For the first quarter of 2020, we expect:
Revenue between $522 million to $532 million;
Non-GAAP gross margin of approximately 63%, and
Non-GAAP operating margin of approximately 34%.
Guidance for non-GAAP financial measures excludes stock-based compensation expense, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, and other non-recurring items. A reconciliation of non-GAAP guidance measures to corresponding GAAP measures is not available on a forward-looking basis (see further explanation below under "Non-GAAP Financial Measures").
Prepared Materials and Conference Call Information
Arista executives will discuss the fourth quarter and year end 2019 financial results on a conference call at 1:30 p.m. Pacific time today. To listen to the call via telephone, dial (833) 287-7905 in the United States or (647) 689-4469 from outside the US. The Conference ID is 1579521.
The financial results conference call will also be available via live webcast on our investor relations website at https://investors.arista.com/. Shortly after the conclusion of the conference call, a replay of the audio webcast will be available on Arista’s investor relations website.

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Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” regarding our future performance, including quotations from management, statements in the section entitled “Financial Outlook,” such as estimates regarding revenue, non-GAAP gross margin and non-GAAP operating margin for the first quarter of fiscal year 2020, and statements regarding the introduction of new products and our leadership in cloud networking. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those anticipated in or implied by the forward-looking statements including risks associated with: the evolution and growth of the cloud networking market and the adoption by end customers of Arista's cloud networking solutions; rapid technological and market change; Arista’s customer concentration; our ability to attract new large end customers or sell additional products and services to existing customers; competition in our products and services markets; changes in Arista's customers’ demand for our products and services; changes in customer order patterns or customer mix; requests by large end customers for more favorable terms and conditions; general market, political, economic and business conditions such as the recent U.S. trade wars with China and the impact of public health epidemics like the coronavirus currently affecting China; dependence on the introduction and market acceptance of new product offerings and standards including our 400G products as well as our campus and WiFi products; declines in the sales prices of our products and services; the timing of orders and manufacturing and customer lead times; and the benefits and impact of acquisitions; and other future events. Additional risks and uncertainties that could affect Arista can be found in our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 1, 2019, and other filings that the company makes to the SEC from time to time. You can locate these reports through our website at https://investors.arista.com/ and on the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov/. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to the company as of the date hereof and Arista disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

Source: Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Data Center Networking, Andrew Lerner, Mike Toussaint, Jonathan Forest, 15 July 2019. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This press release and accompanying table contain certain non-GAAP financial measures including non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP income from operations, non-GAAP operating margins, non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP diluted net income per share. These non-GAAP financial measures exclude stock-based compensation expense, litigation-related expenses, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, other non-recurring charges or benefits, and the income tax effect of these non-GAAP exclusions. In addition, non-GAAP financial measures exclude net tax benefits associated with stock-based awards, which include excess tax benefits, and other discrete indirect effects of such awards. The company uses these non-GAAP financial measures internally in analyzing its financial results and believes that these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors as an additional tool to evaluate ongoing operating results and trends. In addition, these measures are the primary indicators management uses as a basis for its planning and forecasting for future periods.
Non-GAAP financial measures are not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the comparable GAAP financial measures. Non-GAAP financial measures are subject to limitations, and should be read only in conjunction with the company's consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. Non-GAAP financial measures do not have any standardized meaning and are therefore unlikely to be comparable to similarly titled measures

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presented by other companies. A description of these non-GAAP financial measures and a reconciliation of the company’s non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP measures has been provided in the financial statement tables included in this press release, and investors are encouraged to review the reconciliation.
The company’s guidance for non-GAAP financial measures excludes stock-based compensation expense, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, and other non-recurring items. The company does not provide guidance on GAAP gross margin or GAAP operating margin or the various reconciling items between GAAP gross margin and GAAP operating margin and non-GAAP gross margin and non-GAAP operating margin. A reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measures guidance to the corresponding GAAP measures on a forward-looking basis is not available because stock-based compensation expense is impacted by the company’s future hiring and retention needs and the future fair market value of the company’s common stock, all of which are difficult to predict and subject to constant change. The actual amount of stock-based compensation expense will have a significant impact on the company’s GAAP gross margin and GAAP operating margin.
About Arista Networks
Arista Networks pioneered software-driven, cognitive cloud networking for large-scale datacenter and campus environments. Arista’s award-winning platforms redefine and deliver availability, agility, automation, analytics, and security. Arista has shipped more than twenty million cloud networking ports worldwide with CloudVision and EOS, an advanced network operating system. Committed to open standards across private, public and hybrid cloud solutions, Arista products are supported worldwide directly and through partners.
ARISTA, EOS, CloudEOS and CloudVision are among the registered and unregistered trademarks of Arista Networks, Inc. in jurisdictions around the world. Other company names or product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Additional information and resources can be found at https://www.arista.com.
Investor Contacts
Curtis McKee
Corporate and Investor Development
(408) 547-5701
curtism@arista.com
Charles Yager
Product and Investor Advocacy
(408) 547-5892
cyager@arista.com

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ARISTA NETWORKS, INC.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
(Unaudited in thousands, except per share amounts)
 
 
Three Months Ended December 31,
 
Twelve Months Ended December 31,
 
 
2019
 
2018
 
2019
 
2018
Revenue:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Product
 
$
447,498

 
$
503,235

 
$
2,021,150

 
$
1,841,100

Service
 
105,048

 
92,491

 
389,556

 
310,269

Total revenue
 
552,546

 
595,726

 
2,410,706

 
2,151,369

Cost of revenue:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Product
 
175,476

 
204,507

 
792,382

 
720,584

Service
 
20,767

 
16,227

 
73,986

 
57,408

Total cost of revenue
 
196,243

 
220,734

 
866,368

 
777,992

Total gross profit
 
356,303

 
374,992

 
1,544,338

 
1,373,377

Operating expenses:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Research and development
 
110,063

 
118,439

 
462,759

 
442,468

Sales and marketing
 
54,535

 
50,911

 
213,907

 
187,142

General and administrative
 
15,716

 
12,000

 
61,898

 
65,420

Legal settlement
 

 

 

 
405,000

Total operating expenses
 
180,314

 
181,350

 
738,564

 
1,100,030

Income from operations
 
175,989

 
193,642

 
805,774

 
273,347

Other income (expense), net
 
11,183

 
4,848

 
56,496

 
15,454

Income before income taxes
 
187,172

 
198,490

 
862,270

 
288,801

Provision for (benefit from) income taxes
 
(73,520
)
 
28,168

 
2,403

 
(39,314
)
Net income
 
$
260,692

 
$
170,322

 
$
859,867

 
$
328,115

Net income attributable to common stockholders:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Basic
 
$
260,589

 
$
170,211

 
$
859,444

 
$
327,926

Diluted
 
$
260,594

 
$
170,218

 
$
859,468

 
$
327,941

Net income per share attributable to common stockholders:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Basic
 
$
3.41

 
$
2.26

 
$
11.26

 
$
4.39

Diluted
 
$
3.25

 
$
2.10

 
$
10.63

 
$
4.06

Weighted-average shares used in computing net income per share attributable to common stockholders:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Basic
 
76,345

 
75,473

 
76,312

 
74,750

Diluted
 
80,261

 
80,928

 
80,879

 
80,844



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ARISTA NETWORKS, INC.
Reconciliation of Selected GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures
(Unaudited, in thousands, except percentages and per share amounts)
 
 
Three Months Ended
December 31,
 
Twelve Months Ended
December 31,
 
 
2019
 
2018
 
2019
 
2018
GAAP gross profit
 
$
356,303

 
$
374,992

 
$
1,544,338

 
$
1,373,377

GAAP gross margin
 
64.5
%
 
62.9
%
 
64.1
%
 
63.8
%
Stock-based compensation expense
 
1,253

 
1,381

 
4,637

 
5,087

Intangible asset amortization
 
2,626

 
2,626

 
10,503

 
3,824

Acquisition-related costs
 

 
3,138

 

 
3,138

Non-GAAP gross profit

$
360,182

 
$
382,137

 
$
1,559,478

 
$
1,385,426

Non-GAAP gross margin
 
65.2
%
 
64.1
%
 
64.7
%
 
64.4
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
GAAP income from operations
 
$
175,989

 
$
193,642

 
$
805,774

 
$
273,347

Stock-based compensation expense
 
26,435

 
24,619

 
101,280

 
91,202

Litigation expense (benefit)
 
333

 
(3,988
)
 
2,295

 
6,566

Legal settlement (1)
 

 

 

 
405,000

Intangible asset amortization
 
3,084

 
3,500

 
13,375

 
5,110

Acquisition-related costs
 

 
4,313

 

 
7,745

Non-GAAP income from operations
 
$
205,841

 
$
222,086

 
$
922,724

 
$
788,970

Non-GAAP operating margin
 
37.3
%
 
37.3
%
 
38.3
%
 
36.7
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
GAAP net income
 
$
260,692

 
$
170,322

 
$
859,867

 
$
328,115

Stock-based compensation expense
 
26,435

 
24,619

 
101,280

 
91,202

Litigation expense (benefit)
 
333

 
(3,988
)
 
2,295

 
6,566

Legal settlement (1)
 

 

 

 
405,000

Intangible asset amortization
 
3,084

 
3,500

 
13,375

 
5,110

Acquisition-related costs
 

 
4,313

 

 
7,745

(Gain) loss on investment in privately-held companies
 

 
4,700

 
(5,427
)
 
13,800

Acquisition-related tax expense
 

 

 

 
5,853

Altera stock-based tax charge (2)
 

 

 
9,781

 

Tax benefit on intra-entity IP transfer (3)
 
(85,819
)
 

 
(85,819
)
 

Tax benefit on stock-based awards
 
(16,232
)
 
(8,227
)
 
(89,415
)
 
(92,675
)
Impact of the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
 

 
(12,632
)
 

 
(12,632
)
Income tax effect on non-GAAP exclusions
 
(5,045
)
 
(429
)
 
(19,093
)
 
(114,769
)
Non-GAAP net income
 
$
183,448

 
$
182,178

 
$
786,844


$
643,315

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
GAAP diluted net income per share attributable to common stockholders
 
$
3.25

 
$
2.10

 
$
10.63

 
$
4.06

Non-GAAP adjustments to net income
 
(0.96
)
 
0.15

 
(0.90
)
 
3.90

Non-GAAP diluted net income per share
 
$
2.29

 
$
2.25

 
$
9.73

 
$
7.96

Weighted-average shares used in computing GAAP and Non-GAAP diluted net income per share attributable to common stockholders
 
80,261

 
80,928

 
80,879

 
80,844

Summary of Stock-Based Compensation Expense:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cost of revenue
 
$
1,253

 
$
1,381

 
$
4,637

 
$
5,087

Research and development
 
13,897

 
13,505

 
53,068

 
48,205

Sales and marketing
 
7,705

 
6,224

 
29,168

 
24,995

General and administrative
 
3,580

 
3,509

 
14,407

 
12,915

Total
 
$
26,435

 
$
24,619

 
$
101,280

 
$
91,202


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___________________
(1) Represents one-time charges associated with the settlement of our lawsuit with Cisco on August 6, 2018.
(2) Represents a discrete income tax expense related to stock-based compensation as a result of an opinion on Altera Corporation and Subsidiaries vs. Commissioner on Internal Revenue issued by the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on June 7, 2019.
(3) Represents a one-time tax benefit of $85.8 million upon completion of an intra-entity transaction to sell our non-Americas economic and beneficial intellectual property rights in the current quarter.



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ARISTA NETWORKS, INC.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Unaudited, in thousands)
 
 
December 31, 2019
 
December 31, 2018
ASSETS
 
 
 
 
CURRENT ASSETS:
 
 
 
 
Cash and cash equivalents
 
$
1,111,286

 
$
649,950

Marketable securities
 
1,613,082

 
1,306,197

Accounts receivable
 
391,987

 
331,777

Inventories
 
243,825

 
264,557

Prepaid expenses and other current assets
 
111,456

 
162,321

Total current assets
 
3,471,636

 
2,714,802

Property and equipment, net
 
39,273

 
75,355

Acquisition-related intangible assets, net
 
45,235

 
58,610

Goodwill
 
54,855

 
53,684

Investments
 
4,150

 
30,336

Operating lease right-of-use assets
 
87,770

 

Deferred tax assets
 
452,025

 
126,492

Other assets
 
30,346

 
22,704

TOTAL ASSETS
 
$
4,185,290

 
$
3,081,983

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
 
 
 
 
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
 
 
 
 
Accounts payable
 
$
92,105

 
$
93,757

Accrued liabilities
 
140,249

 
123,254

Deferred revenue
 
312,668

 
358,586

Other current liabilities
 
52,052

 
30,907

Total current liabilities
 
597,074

 
606,504

Income taxes payable
 
55,485

 
36,167

Operating lease liabilities, non-current
 
83,022

 

Finance lease liabilities, non-current
 

 
35,431

Deferred revenue, non-current
 
262,620

 
228,641

Deferred tax liabilities, non-current
 
254,710

 
3,753

Other long-term liabilities
 
37,693

 
28,098

TOTAL LIABILITIES
 
1,290,604

 
938,594

STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
 
 
 
 
Common stock
 
8

 
8

Additional paid-in capital
 
1,106,305

 
956,572

Retained earnings (1)
 
1,788,230

 
1,190,803

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
 
143

 
(3,994
)
TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
 
2,894,686

 
2,143,389

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
 
$
4,185,290

 
$
3,081,983

______________________
 
 
 
 
(1) We adopted new lease accounting guidance under Accounting Standard Codification Topic 842 - Leases (“ASC 842”), which resulted in a cumulative-effect adjustment of $3.7 million to retained earnings as of January 1, 2019.


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ARISTA NETWORKS, INC.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Unaudited, in thousands)
 
 
Twelve Months Ended December 31,
 
 
2019
 
2018
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
 
 
 
 
Net income
 
$
859,867

 
$
328,115

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
 
 
 
 
Depreciation, amortization and other
 
32,849

 
27,671

Noncash lease expense
 
16,179

 

Stock-based compensation
 
101,280

 
91,202

Deferred income taxes
 
(75,741
)
 
(57,896
)
(Gain) loss on investments in privately-held companies, net
 
(5,427
)
 
13,800

Amortization (accretion) of investment premiums (discounts)
 
(6,771
)
 
(3,360
)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
 
 
 
 
Accounts receivable, net
 
(60,210
)
 
(77,916
)
Inventories
 
20,927

 
51,054

Prepaid expenses and other current assets
 
54,259

 
21,411

Other assets
 
(8,112
)
 
(3,389
)
Accounts payable
 
(1,937
)
 
39,337

Accrued liabilities
 
16,366

 
(14,786
)
Deferred revenue
 
(11,939
)
 
70,533

Income taxes payable
 
23,523

 
(112
)
Other liabilities
 
7,921

 
17,455

Net cash provided by operating activities
 
963,034

 
503,119

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
 
 
 
 
Proceeds from maturities of marketable securities
 
1,208,717

 
547,797

Purchases of marketable securities
 
(1,503,893
)
 
(1,174,259
)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired
 
(1,365
)
 
(96,821
)
Purchases of property and equipment
 
(15,751
)
 
(23,830
)
Investments in privately-held companies
 
28,220

 
(8,000
)
Net cash used in investing activities
 
(284,072
)
 
(755,113
)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
 
 
 
 
Principal payments of lease financing obligations
 

 
(1,929
)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock under equity plans
 
57,378

 
53,658

Tax withholding paid on behalf of employees for net share settlement
 
(9,200
)
 
(8,878
)
Repurchase of common stock
 
(266,142
)
 

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
 
(217,964
)
 
42,851

Effect of exchange rate changes
 
353

 
(1,390
)
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH
 
461,351

 
(210,533
)
CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH —Beginning of period
 
654,164

 
864,697

CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH —End of period
 
$
1,115,515

 
$
654,164


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