F5 guides to 8% to 9% growth and adds $1.5 billion buyback

F5 guided to 8% to 9% revenue growth for fiscal 2027 and authorized an additional $1.5 billion for share buybacks after fiscal fourth-quarter revenue rose 13%, according to its earnings release filed with an 8-K.

The application security and delivery company reported fourth-quarter revenue of $917 million, with product revenue up 23% to $510 million. GAAP net income was $186 million, or $3.23 per diluted share, compared with $3.26 a year earlier. Non-GAAP net income was $255 million, or $4.42 per share, compared with $4.39.

Full-year results

For fiscal 2026, F5's revenue grew 11% to $3.417 billion, the release said.

Outlook

F5 expects fiscal 2027 revenue growth of 8% to 9% and non-GAAP earnings of $18.00 to $18.30 per share. For the first quarter, it guided to revenue of $875 million to $895 million and non-GAAP earnings of $4.25 to $4.37 per share.

The board authorized an additional $1.5 billion for the company's share repurchase program. François Locoh-Donou is president and chief executive.

Why it matters

F5 sells hardware and software that help companies run, scale and secure their applications. Strong product revenue growth indicates customers are spending on infrastructure upgrades. Locoh-Donou said in the release that frontier AI is "rewriting the rules of enterprise security," expanding the attack surface through APIs and AI agents.

Guidance for high single-digit growth in the coming year, paired with a large buyback addition, suggests management expects demand to stay healthy and plans to keep returning cash to shareholders.

Sources

1. F5, Inc. Form 8-K with fiscal fourth-quarter 2026 results, filed Oct. 27, 2026 (accession 0001048695-26-000074)

This article is for informational and educational purposes only and is not investment advice. It is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security.

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