Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE:HPE) saw its shares tumble over 15% intra-day today after delivering a mixed fiscal first-quarter report and issuing weaker-than-expected guidance. The company also announced job cuts, adding to investor concerns.
For the quarter, HPE posted adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.49, narrowly missing Wall Street estimates of $0.50. However, revenue came in at $7.85 billion, slightly surpassing the consensus estimate of $7.81 billion and marking a 16% year-over-year increase.
CEO Antonio Neri highlighted that the company achieved its fourth consecutive quarter of year-over-year revenue growth, with double-digit gains in Q1. Despite this, profitability took a hit, as non-GAAP gross margin fell 680 basis points year-over-year to 29.4%.
HPE’s outlook significantly dampened investor sentiment. The company expects second-quarter adjusted EPS in the range of $0.28-$0.34, far below the analyst consensus of $0.50. Revenue guidance of $7.2-$7.6 billion also missed expectations of $7.93 billion.
For the full fiscal year 2025, HPE forecasted adjusted EPS of $1.70-$1.90, trailing Wall Street’s projection of $2.13. Revenue is projected to grow by 7-11% in constant currency, while non-GAAP operating profit growth is expected to range between -10% and 0%.
Adding to the disappointment, HPE provided an operating margin forecast of around 9% at the midpoint, falling short of the 10.7% consensus estimate. With weaker earnings projections and ongoing margin compression, the market reacted sharply, leading to a steep sell-off in HPE shares.