Fourth quarter GAAP diluted net EPS was $0.73, up from $0.70 in the prior-year period and above the previously provided outlook of $0.12 to $0.18 per share. Fourth quarter non-GAAP diluted net EPS was $0.93, down from $1.06 in the prior-year period and within the previously provided outlook of $0.92 to $0.98. Fourth quarter non-GAAP net earnings and non-GAAP diluted net EPS exclude (i) net income tax benefits of $0.8 billion and $0.45 per diluted share, respectively, related to one-time, non-cash entries comprised of a number of different tax items, including the reversal of a previously recorded US tax valuation allowance and (ii) after-tax costs of $1.2 billion and $0.65 per diluted share, respectively, related primarily to separation costs, restructuring charges and the amortization of intangible assets.
Asset management
HP generated $2.6 billion in cash flow from operations in the fourth quarter, down 3% from the prior-year period. Inventory ended the quarter at $6.5 billion, up 3 days year over year to 30 days. Accounts receivable ended the quarter at $13.4 billion, up 3 days year over year to 47 days. Accounts payable ended the quarter at $16.0 billion, up 7 days year over year to 74 days.
HP's dividend payment of $0.176 per share in the fourth quarter resulted in cash usage of $337 million. HP also utilized $301 million of cash during the quarter to repurchase approximately 10.8 million shares of common stock in the open market. HP ended the quarter with $17.7 billion in gross cash.
HP generated $6.5 billion in cash flow from operations in fiscal 2015. HP utilized almost $2.9 billion of cash during fiscal 2015 to repurchase approximately 82 million shares of common stock in the open market. When combined with the $1.2 billion of cash used to pay dividends in fiscal 2015, HP returned over 100% of its free cash flow to shareholders in fiscal 2015.
Fiscal 2015 fourth quarter segment results (Segment results related to Hewlett Packard Enterprise will not be included going forward)
- Personal Systems revenue was down 14% year over year with a 3.8% operating margin. Commercial revenue decreased 15% and Consumer revenue decreased 12%. Total units were down 12% with Desktops units down 17% and Notebooks units down 5%.
- Printing revenue was down 14% year over year with a 17.4% operating margin. Total hardware units were down 17% with Commercial hardware units down 23% and Consumer hardware units down 14%. Supplies revenue was down 10%.
- Enterprise Group revenue was up 2% year over year with a 14.0% operating margin. Industry Standard Servers revenue was up 5%, Storage revenue was down 7%, Business Critical Systems revenue was down 8%, Networking revenue was up 35% and Technology Services revenue was down 11%.
- Enterprise Services revenue was down 9% year over year with an 8.2% operating margin. Application and Business Services revenue was down 5% and Infrastructure Technology Outsourcing revenue declined 11%.
- Software revenue was down 7% year over year with a 30.1% operating margin. License revenue was down 6%, support revenue was down 9%, professional services revenue was down 3% and software-as-a-service (SaaS) revenue was down 2%.
- HP Financial Services revenue was down 11% year over year with a 2% increase in net portfolio assets and a 4% decrease in financing volume. The business delivered an operating margin of 10.8%.
Outlook for HP Inc.
Beginning in the first fiscal quarter of 2016, HP Inc. will make a reporting change related to non-operational pension and post-retirement items. Specifically, the change relates to the expected market-driven performance of the plan assets and interest rate movements and infrequent events in determining pension and post-retirement benefit income or expense. These items include interest cost, expected return on plan assets, amortized actuarial losses or gains, and curtailments and settlements. The company considers these market-related items to be outside the operational performance of the business and will exclude them from the non-GAAP financial presentation.
Accordingly, for fiscal 2016, HP estimates non-GAAP diluted net EPS to be in the range of $1.59 to $1.69 and GAAP diluted net EPS to be in the range of $1.50 to $1.60. Fiscal 2016 non-GAAP diluted net EPS estimates exclude after-tax costs estimated to be approximately $0.09 per share, related primarily to the exclusion of non-operating pension and post-retirement benefit income, as well as restructuring charges, separation costs and the amortization of intangible assets.
For the fiscal 2016 first quarter, HP estimates non-GAAP diluted net EPS to be in the range of $0.33 to $0.38 and GAAP diluted net EPS to be in the range of $0.27 to $0.32. Fiscal 2016 first quarter non-GAAP diluted net EPS estimates exclude after-tax costs estimated to be approximately $0.06 per share, related primarily to the exclusion of non-operating pension and post-retirement benefit income, as well as the restructuring charges, separation costs, and the amortization of intangible assets.
The free cash flow outlook is updated to be $2.4 billion to $2.7 billion for fiscal 2016, down $100 million due to the payment of separation costs that moved from fiscal 2015 to fiscal 2016.
"In these challenging markets, we are taking decisive actions that will protect our core business which generates the majority of our cash flows," said Dion Weisler, president and chief executive officer, HP Inc. "We firmly believe in our strategy and, given our scale, innovation, channel reach and brand, we are well positioned to gain profitable share in the markets where we choose to play."
More information on HP Inc.'s earnings, including additional financial analysis and an earnings overview presentation, is available on HP Inc.'s Investor Relations website at www.hp.com/investor/home.
HP Inc.'s fourth quarter 2015 earnings conference call is accessible via an audio webcast at www.hp.com/investor/2015Q4Webcast.
About HP Inc.
HP Inc. creates technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere. Through our portfolio of printers, PCs, mobile devices, solutions, and services, we engineer experiences that amaze. More information about HP Inc. (
Use of non-GAAP financial information
To supplement HP's consolidated condensed financial statements presented on a generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) basis, HP provides net revenue on a constant currency basis, as well as non-GAAP operating profit, non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP net earnings, non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share, gross cash, free cash flow, net capital expenditures, net debt, net cash, operating company net debt and operating company net cash financial measures. HP also provides forecasts of non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share. A reconciliation of the adjustments to GAAP results for this quarter and prior periods is included in the tables below or elsewhere in the materials accompanying this news release. In addition, an explanation of the ways in which HP's management uses these non-GAAP measures to evaluate its business, the substance behind HP's decision to use these non-GAAP measures, the material limitations associated with the use of these non-GAAP measures, the manner in which HP's management compensates for those limitations, and the substantive reasons why HP's management believes that these non-GAAP measures provide useful information to investors is included under "Use of non-GAAP financial measures" after the tables below. This additional non-GAAP financial information is not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for net revenue, operating profit, operating margin, net earnings, diluted net earnings per share, cash and cash equivalents, cash flow from operations, investment in property, plant and equipment, or total company debt prepared in accordance with GAAP.
Forward-looking statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If the risks or uncertainties ever materialize or the assumptions prove incorrect, the results of HP may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions.
All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including but not limited to any projections of net revenue, margins, expenses, effective tax rates, net earnings, net earnings per share, cash flows, benefit plan funding, share repurchases, currency exchange rates or other financial items; any projections of the amount, timing or impact of cost savings or restructuring charges; any statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations, as well as the execution of restructuring plans and any resulting cost savings or net revenue or profitability improvements; the future performances of the post-separation companies; any statements concerning the expected development, performance, market share or competitive performance relating to products or services; any statements regarding current or future macroeconomic trends or events and the impact of those trends and events on HP and its financial performance; any statements regarding pending investigations, claims or disputes; any statements of expectation or belief; and any statements or assumptions underlying any of the foregoing.
