The company reporting season rolls on and HP's Q4 and Full Year results are a mixed bag but overall, promising. Commercial Print performed well in Q4, both unit sales and profit margin (up 9% and 19.6% respectively), with overall print revenues up 1% to USD$4.5 billion. Total HP FY revenues were USD$53.6 billion (AUD83.5 bn), down a tiny 0.3%).
HP shareholders must love print as, although the sales dollars are lower than Personal Systems (computers, software), the operating margin is around 19.6% versus 5.7%. HP divides its print activities into Consumer and Commercial, with both on a par for unit installation increases, which generate recurring revenues in ink, toner, printheads and service.
HP Inc. and its subsidiaries have announced fiscal 2024 net revenue of USD$53.6 billion, down 0.3% (down 0.2% in constant currency) from the prior-year period.
Fiscal 2024 Q4 segment results
Personal Systems net revenue was $9.6 billion, up 2% year over year (up 3% in constant currency) with a 5.7% operating margin. Consumer PS net revenue was down 4% and Commercial PS net revenue was up 5%. Total units were up 1% with Consumer PS units down 3% and Commercial PS units up 4%.
Printing net revenue was USD$4.5 billion, up 1% y-o-y (up 2% in constant currency) with a 19.6% operating margin. Consumer Printing net revenue was up 3% and Commercial Printing net revenue was down 1%. Supplies net revenue was up 2% (up 3% in constant currency). Total hardware units were up 9.5%, with Consumer Printing units up 10% and Commercial Printing units up 9%.
Q4 net revenue was USD$14.1 billion, up 1.7% (up 2.3% in constant currency) from the prior-year period.
Fourth quarter GAAP diluted net EPS was $0.93, down from $0.97 in the prior-year period and above the previously provided outlook of $0.74 to $0.84. Fourth quarter non-GAAP diluted net EPS was $0.93, up from $0.90 in the prior-year period and within the previously provided outlook of $0.89 to $0.99. Fourth quarter non-GAAP net earnings and non-GAAP diluted net EPS excludes after-tax adjustments of $6 million, or nil per diluted share, related to restructuring and other charges, acquisition and divestiture charges, amortization of intangible assets, debt extinguishment costs, non-operating retirement-related credits, tax adjustments, and the related tax impact on these items.
Fiscal 2024 GAAP diluted net EPS was $2.81, down from $3.26 in the prior-year and above the previously provided outlook of $2.62 to $2.72. Fiscal 2024 non-GAAP diluted net EPS was $3.38, up from $3.28 in the prior-year period and within the previously provided outlook of $3.35 to $3.45. Fiscal 2024 non-GAAP net earnings and non-GAAP diluted net EPS exclude after-tax adjustments of $564 million, or $0.57 per diluted share, related to restructuring and other charges, acquisition and divestiture charges, amortization of intangible assets, debt extinguishment costs, non-operating retirement-related credits, tax adjustments, and the related tax impact on these items.
HP CEO Enrique Lores
Enrique Lores, HP President and CEO says: “We are pleased with our Q4 performance where we saw revenue growth for the second consecutive quarter, driven by steady progress in Personal Systems and Print. With momentum heading into FY25, we are well-positioned to capitalize on the commercial opportunity and lead the future of work.”
Karen Parkhill, HP CFO adds: “In FY24 we drove non-GAAP EPS and free cash flow growth which allowed us to return approximately $3.2 billion to shareholders. As we look ahead, we are well positioned to deliver solid growth across revenue, non-GAAP net earnings, EPS and free cash flow in FY25. And given our confidence in the future, we are raising our annual dividend by 5 percent.”
Asset management
HP generated $3.7 billion in net cash provided by operating activities and $3.3 billion of free cash flow in fiscal 2024. Free cash flow includes net cash provided by operating activities of $3.7 billion adjusted for net investments in leases from integrated financing of $165 million and net investments in property, plant and equipment of $592 million. HP utilized $2.1 billion of cash during fiscal 2024 to repurchase approximately 62.7 million shares of common stock in the open market. When combined with the $1.1 billion of cash used to pay dividends, HP returned 96% of its free cash flow to shareholders in fiscal 2024.
HP's net cash provided by operating activities in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024 was $1.6 billion. Accounts receivable ended the quarter at $5.1 billion, up 2 days quarter over quarter at 33 days. Inventory ended the quarter at $7.7 billion, down 4 days quarter over quarter to 63 days. Accounts payable ended the quarter at $16.9 billion, up 7 days quarter over quarter to 138 days.
HP generated $1.5 billion of free cash flow in the fourth quarter. Free cash flow includes net cash provided by operating activities of $1.6 billion adjusted for net investments in leases from integrated financing of $42 million and net investments in property, plant and equipment of $153 million.
HP’s dividend payment of $0.2756 per share in the fourth quarter resulted in cash usage of $263 million. HP also utilized $900 million of cash during the quarter to repurchase approximately 25.4 million shares of common stock in the open market. HP exited the quarter with $3.3 billion in gross cash, which includes cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash and short-term investments of $3 million included in other current assets. Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash includes $15 million of restricted cash related to amounts collected and held on behalf of a third party for trade receivables previously sold.
The HP board of directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.2894 per share on the company’s common stock, payable on January 2, 2025 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on December 11, 2024. This is the first dividend of HP's 2025 fiscal year and represents an increase of 5% from the prior dividend.
Outlook
For the fiscal 2025 first quarter, HP estimates GAAP diluted net EPS to be in the range of $0.57 to $0.63 and non-GAAP diluted net EPS to be in the range of $0.70 to $0.76. Fiscal 2025 first quarter non-GAAP diluted net EPS estimates exclude $0.13 per diluted share, primarily related to restructuring and other charges, acquisition and divestiture charges, amortization of intangible assets, non-operating retirement-related credits, tax adjustments, and the related tax impact on these items.
For fiscal 2025, HP estimates GAAP diluted net EPS to be in the range of $3.06 to $3.36 and non-GAAP diluted net EPS to be in the range of $3.45 to $3.75. Fiscal 2025 non-GAAP diluted net EPS estimates exclude $0.39 per diluted share, primarily related to restructuring and other charges, acquisition and divestiture charges, amortization of intangible assets, non-operating retirement-related credits, tax adjustments, and the related tax impact on these items.
For fiscal 2025, HP anticipates generating free cash flow in the range of $3.2 to $3.6 billion.
