Latest news with #Kreps
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
CFLT Q1 Earnings Call: Confluent Raises Profit Outlook, Lowers Revenue Guidance Amid Cloud Optimization Trends
Data infrastructure software company, Confluent (NASDAQ:CFLT) reported revenue ahead of Wall Street's expectations in Q1 CY2025, with sales up 24.8% year on year to $271.1 million. On the other hand, next quarter's revenue guidance of $267.5 million was less impressive, coming in 3.8% below analysts' estimates. Its non-GAAP profit of $0.08 per share was 16.5% above analysts' consensus estimates. Is now the time to buy CFLT? Find out in our full research report (it's free). Revenue: $271.1 million vs analyst estimates of $264.3 million (24.8% year-on-year growth, 2.6% beat) Adjusted EPS: $0.08 vs analyst estimates of $0.07 (16.5% beat) Adjusted Operating Income: $11.59 million vs analyst estimates of $8.01 million (4.3% margin, 44.6% beat) The company dropped its revenue guidance for the full year to $1.11 billion at the midpoint from $1.12 billion, a 1.3% decrease Management raised its full-year Adjusted EPS guidance to $0.36 at the midpoint, a 2.9% increase Operating Margin: -37.3%, up from -51.3% in the same quarter last year Free Cash Flow was -$32.99 million, down from $29.12 million in the previous quarter Net Revenue Retention Rate: 117%, in line with the previous quarter Billings: $267.3 million at quarter end, up 26.1% year on year Market Capitalization: $7.87 billion Confluent's first quarter results were shaped by continued demand for its data streaming platform, with management pointing to strong customer adoption across both cloud and on-premise solutions. CEO Jay Kreps emphasized the critical role Confluent plays in mission-critical applications, citing real-time workloads in sectors like financial services and retail. Kreps highlighted that the addition of 340 net new customers, the highest in three years, was driven by both product-led initiatives and the ongoing shift from open-source Kafka to Confluent's managed offerings. The company also noted that new products such as Flink and Tableflow are gaining traction, particularly among enterprise customers looking to support generative AI initiatives. Looking ahead, Confluent's leadership adopted a cautious approach to guidance, lowering full-year revenue projections while raising profit expectations. CFO Rohan Sivaram attributed this to slower consumption growth among larger cloud customers, who are prioritizing cost optimization over expanding new use cases. Sivaram stated, 'We are not assuming an immediate near-term rebound in consumption patterns,' reflecting a more prudent outlook amid macroeconomic uncertainty. Management expects expansion in hybrid and on-premise deployments to help offset cloud headwinds, while ongoing investments in product innovation and go-to-market execution remain central to Confluent's long-term growth strategy. Management attributed the quarter's outperformance to a mix of product differentiation, customer expansion, and the ability to meet diverse deployment needs. The following points capture significant drivers discussed during the call: Mission-critical use cases: Confluent's platform is increasingly powering core business processes, such as fraud detection in banking and real-time inventory in retail. Gross retention rates above 90% reflect the dependence customers have on these workloads. Open-source conversion momentum: The company highlighted continued success in converting organizations from open-source Kafka to its managed platform, referencing recent wins with and Audacy. This conversion is seen as a long-term engine for growth. Hybrid and multi-cloud flexibility: With customers looking for both on-premise and cloud-based solutions, Confluent's ability to support hybrid deployments has become a competitive advantage. The Confluent Platform business posted its strongest first-quarter growth in three years, buoyed by international OEM partnerships. Product expansion and AI integration: New offerings such as Flink (for real-time data processing) and Tableflow (for data pipeline management) are seeing early adoption. Management cited growing demand from enterprises integrating generative AI, with Confluent acting as the connective tissue for real-time data flows. Leadership update: Ryan Mac Ban was promoted to Chief Revenue Officer, consolidating global sales and customer-facing functions. His experience at UiPath and other enterprise software firms is expected to drive further go-to-market execution. Management expects a more measured growth trajectory in the coming quarters, shaped by macroeconomic factors and evolving customer behavior. Cloud consumption headwinds: Larger enterprise customers are slowing the addition of new use cases and focusing on optimizing existing cloud workloads, which is expected to temper revenue growth in the near term. Expansion of on-premise and hybrid deployments: The company anticipates that growth in on-premise and hybrid solutions, supported by OEM and international partners, will help balance softer cloud trends and provide resilience. Product innovation and AI demand: Management views new product launches—especially those supporting generative AI and real-time analytics—as potential long-term catalysts, though their near-term revenue contributions are expected to be modest as adoption ramps. Pinjalim Bora (JPMorgan): Asked about the impact of cost optimization among large cloud customers on existing versus new use cases; management said optimization cycles are ongoing, with smaller customers showing steadier consumption. Matthew Hedberg (RBC): Inquired about the sequential progress of DSP (Data Streaming Platform) products like Flink and Tableflow; CEO Jay Kreps said these products are outpacing core cloud growth but are still in early adoption phases. Michael Turrin (Wells Fargo): Questioned the timeline for new product ramp and go-to-market productivity; Kreps noted that Tableflow is priced separately, with broader adoption expected as it is launched across more cloud providers. Sanjit Singh (Morgan Stanley): Sought comparison between current optimization trends and prior cycles; Kreps observed that the current base is tighter, with less unoptimized usage than in previous years, limiting downside risk. Brad Zelnick (Deutsche Bank): Asked about the durability of free cash flow goals after compensation-related changes; CFO Rohan Sivaram affirmed that no further adjustments are anticipated beyond the one-time impact already disclosed. In the quarters ahead, the StockStory team will be tracking (1) the rate of new customer additions and whether top-of-funnel momentum sustains, (2) adoption and revenue impact from recently launched products like Flink and Tableflow, and (3) the degree to which on-premise and hybrid solutions can offset moderation in cloud consumption among larger customers. The ability of management to achieve expanded profitability targets while balancing investment in product and go-to-market will also serve as a critical benchmark. Confluent currently trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 6.5×. At this valuation, is it a buy or sell post earnings? See for yourself in our free research report. Market indices reached historic highs following Donald Trump's presidential victory in November 2024, but the outlook for 2025 is clouded by new trade policies that could impact business confidence and growth. While this has caused many investors to adopt a "fearful" wait-and-see approach, we're leaning into our best ideas that can grow regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate. Take advantage of Mr. Market by checking out our Top 6 Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 176% over the last five years. Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Exlservice (+354% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Miami Herald
06-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
20XP Collaborative Paint Cobot
Press Releases 20XP Collaborative Paint Cobot A.I. Automation has just released the first Universal Robot that is certified to meet Class 1 Div 2 standards in the USA and pass all NFPA/FM requirements for use in paint booth applications. With 1750mm reach and a 25kg payload, this unit will compete with the general industrial paint robots but is way more advanced, less expensive, user friendly to program and can be installed in 14-16 weeks. Engineering an Easy-to-Use, Explosion-Proof Cobot for Painting The 20XP incorporates a UR20 cobot that's modified to be explosion-proof and an innovative programming system to create a safe, easy-to-use method for automating painting processes. Using robots to automate painting processes isn't a new concept, but only recently has the industry been able to take advantage of collaborative robot (cobot) technology. Not only are cobots smaller and easier to install than traditional industrial robots, they're also easier to program and re-deploy. But cobots have faced a barrier to integration in painting and coating applications. These processes release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air, which could cause explosions if they get into a robot or other piece of equipment and are ignited by a spark from the electrical systems. Any equipment that works in these environments needs to be explosion-proof, and most cobots are not. Michael Kreps, president of AI Automation, wanted to bring the benefits of cobots to the painting and finishing industries by adapting cobots from Universal Robots to meet the needs of these industries. "They've really come up with a user-friendly interface for programming, use and installation," he says. Universal Robots' cobots aren't explosion-proof, but when the company released its UR20 model, Kreps and his team took notice of its re-designed joints. "We looked at it and said, "This lends itself to creating the environment that would allow us to get approval for being explosion proof," he explains. Reverse Engineering an Explosion-Proof Cobot Joints on previous UR models had openings that were covered with plastic caps, enabling maintenance workers access to service the servomotors. Kreps says these thin plastic caps weren't compatible with the stable, pressurized environment needed for an explosion-proof cobot. The UR 20 eliminates this issue. "They actually made it out of cast aluminum, and it became a solid unit, which allowed that air flow to go through there," Kreps explains. "The inherent design of it has a sweeping curve on the inside so that there's no pockets or anything to hold any type of volatiles if any actually got in there." Kreps and his team purchased a UR20 and took it apart to confirm the cobot was workable. Then it met with representatives from loss prevention specialist Factory Mutual and the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association to determine what specifications it would need to meet to create a certified explosion-proof cobot "And we started to reverse engineer from there," Kreps says. Two engineers spent more than a year testing different ways to make the cobot explosion proof. "We must have rebuilt the robot several dozen times, trialing different ways of sealing it off," Kreps recalls. The team also faced the challenge of finding materials that could hold the needed pressure without degrading or possibly sparking. "We had a whole team working on it, including a bunch of polymer chemists and scientists that made sure that we made the right call on the materials," he says. In the end, the team devised a patented method to modify a UR20 so it's pressurized to meet the specifications to be certified as explosion-proof. This includes requirements for how much air needs to be within the system, how many air exchanges need to occur and continuous monitoring of the air pressure. If the system detects a loss of air pressure, it sends a signal to a purging unit to purge the system, as well as a signal to the controller to shut off power. Not only is the resulting system, called the 20XP, certified in America, it's also ATEX-compliant for European users. According to Kreps, before every modified cobot leaves its facility, it goes through a barrage of tests to validate that it's working correctly, including in cases of pressure failure. The organizations that issue these certifications track the serial number of every modified cobot to ensure it's only operating in the region in which it is certified. Programming for Painting In addition to the explosion-proof cobot, the 20XP comes with two stands: one to mount the robot inside the paint booth, and one for the controller and other elements outside the booth. Users can mount the robot stand to the ground or paint booth or leave it on the leveling pad the 20XP provides. Kreps says that, although most paint robots don't need to be moved once installed, the company has mounted the 20XP on a track so it could be moved out of the way to enable users to hand-coat parts if needed. Cobots are known for their easy programming processes, but the 20XP uses motion-based Mimic technology from Danish company Nordbo Robotics to make programming the cobot for finishing processes even simpler. 20XP includes a 3D printed replica of a paint gun. The user pulls the trigger on the replica and goes through the motions of painting the part. "While you're going through those motions, the system is recording every single attribute that your hand does. When you're done painting that particular part and you stop, you walk out of the paint booth, go to the computer screen and hit save. You would call it whatever you wanted to name it, and you just programmed the robot," Kreps explains. In addition to being easier to program than using a teach pendant or hand guidance, the Mimic system enables users to program sophisticated motions, such as hand rotation, that are used when coating complex parts. "Once you have that program, you just hit play and let the robot spray the very next part. If you don't like it, you just go in and do it again," he adds. This programming system makes the transition from painter to robot programmer seamless. "If you've got an employee that you would say is your best painter, that painter becomes your programmer," Kreps says. Users can edit programs using a click-and-drag system on the computer if necessary. And for simple parts, users can program the system using traditional programming techniques, such as hand guidance or a teach pendant. The 20XP works with standard spray guns and fluid delivery systems (though the company has a partnership with Graco). Kreps says that for single-component materials, users input attributes such as fluid flows and air atomization pressure, and the system has software that runs in the background to control them. For multi-component materials, the robot and fluid delivery system can communicate with each other to properly apply the coating as the robot goes through its programmed path. Applications The UR20's 1750-mm reach enables a wide range of painting applications, from large parts such as automotive bumpers to larger batches of smaller parts, such as automotive mirrors. "In the painting industry, you really want to maximize the amount of pieces that you can put in a square foot as it runs through your system because it costs you a lot of money to run that system," Kreps notes. While slower speed of movement is traditionally considered a disadvantage of cobots when compared to industrial robots, Kreps notes that speed isn't the most important factor when automating a painting process. "You don't necessarily need it to be a fast robot," Kreps says. "You need it to be an accurate robot." He adds that the UR20's speed is sufficient to handle painting large volumes of parts. "We've had people that have conveying systems that travel at different speeds, and the robots can keep up with them," he says. At the same time, the ease of programming makes it suited to lower volumes as well. "It can be very good for one-offs and two offs-as well, because of how easy it is to program with the Mimic system," he adds. Beyond Painting Painting isn't the only application for explosion-proof cobots - they can be used for powder coating and other potentially hazardous applications. The company is working with a boat manufacturer on an application that involves applying gel coat and fiberglass to the bottoms of boats. Kreps also says that bakeries would be a good application for explosion-proof cobots, as flour is a flammable substance that can become airborne and potentially ignite. Kreps says another 20XP user is a company in Texas that handles hazardous, flammable waste. Previously, workers in full hazmat suits would move 45-pound bags of waste onto a conveyor that moves the waste into a kiln to be burned. The Texas heat, kiln and suits create a difficult working environment, and the 20XP offers a safe way to automate these processes. In the case of the hazardous materials application, the UR20's payload capacity and reach are necessary. But not all applications require these capabilities. For now, the 20XP conversion process is only compatible with UR20 models. But Universal Robots has announced plans to redesign all of its cobot models using the same structure as the UR20. "The conversion process that we have patented will work on all of those," Kreps says. This will enable 20XP to release a whole family of explosion-proof cobots in different sizes for an even wider range of applications. Kreps says its partnership Universal Robots and other companies including Nordbo, Graco and more make the 20XP possible. "We can offer the customer a truly full, turnkey solution," he says. Contact: Michael Kreps, mkreps@ 260-437-1009 Web Site: SOURCE: A.I. Automation LLC
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Beneficient to Present at the Emerging Growth Conference on April 17, 2025
DALLAS, April 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Beneficient (NASDAQ: BENF) ('Ben' or the 'Company'), a technology-enabled platform providing exit opportunities and primary capital solutions and related trust and custody services to holders of alternative assets through its proprietary online platform AltAccess, is pleased to announce that it will present a brief corporate update at the Emerging Growth Conference on Thursday, April 17, 2025. The Company will host a webcast group presentation at 4:10 PM Eastern Time. Investors can register in advance to attend the conference and receive any updates at: If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available after the event on and on the Emerging Growth YouTube Channel, About BeneficientBeneficient (Nasdaq: BENF) – Ben, for short – is on a mission to democratize the global alternative asset investment market by providing traditionally underserved investors − mid-to-high net worth individuals, small-to-midsized institutions and General Partners seeking exit options, anchor commitments and valued-added services for their funds− with solutions that could help them unlock the value in their alternative assets. Ben's AltQuote® tool provides customers with a range of potential exit options within minutes, while customers can log on to the AltAccess® portal to explore opportunities and receive proposals in a secure online environment. Its subsidiary, Beneficient Fiduciary Financial, L.L.C., received its charter under the State of Kansas' Technology-Enabled Fiduciary Financial Institution (TEFFI) Act and is subject to regulatory oversight by the Office of the State Bank Commissioner. For more information, visit or follow us on LinkedIn. ContactsMatt Kreps: 214-597-8200, mkreps@ Michael Wetherington: 214-284-1199, mwetherington@ Investor Relations: investors@ Disclaimer and Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking StatementsExcept for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the 'safe harbor' provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Transactions, including receipt of required approvals and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions and excepted timing of closing of the Transactions, and expectations of future plans, strategies, and benefits of the Transactions. The words 'anticipate,' "believe,' 'continue,' 'could,' 'estimate,' 'expect,' 'intends,' 'may,' 'might,' 'plan,' 'possible,' 'potential,' 'predict,' 'project,' 'should,' 'would' and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are based on our management's beliefs, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, them. Because such statements are based on expectations as to future financial and operating results and are not statements of fact, actual results may differ materially from those projected. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements include, among others: the ultimate outcome of the transaction, including obtaining the requisite vote of securityholders; the Company's ability to meet expectations regarding the timing and completion of the transaction; and the risks, uncertainties, and factors set forth under 'Risk Factors' in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and its subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, subsequent events, or circumstances or other changes affecting such statements except to the extent required by applicable law. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and, except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why Confluent Stock Is Sinking Today
Confluent (NASDAQ: CFLT) stock is seeing a big valuation pullback Friday. The company's share price was down 7.9% as of 2:30 p.m. ET, and had been down as much as 11% earlier in trading. Confluent is moving lower today following a significant insider selling disclosure. The company submitted a filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) revealing that co-founder and CEO Jay Kreps planned to sell a substantial amount of company stock. In a filing with the SEC yesterday, Confluent disclosed that CEO Jay Kreps planned to sell 465,000 shares of company common stock. The value of the stock to be sold was put at roughly $14.97 million in the filing, and yesterday was listed as the approximate date on which the shares would be sold. Prior to the new stock sale, Kreps had sold 232,500 shares over the preceding three months. While there are many reasons that an executive may move to sell company stock, stock sales by principal company leadership are often viewed as a bearish indicator by investors. On the heels of today's pullback, Confluent stock is now down roughly 4% across 2025's trading. Confluent is guiding for sales to come in between $1.117 billion and $1.121 billion this year -- representing annual growth of approximately 16% at the midpoint of the target. The company also guided for non-GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) adjusted earnings per share of roughly $0.35 -- suggesting growth of roughly 21%. Despite recent valuation volatility, Confluent's business looks poised for solid momentum this year -- and the company's recently announced partnership and software integration with Databricks could open up significant long-term growth opportunities. Before you buy stock in Confluent, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Confluent wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $677,631!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 822% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 166% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of March 3, 2025 Keith Noonan has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Confluent. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Why Confluent Stock Is Sinking Today was originally published by The Motley Fool Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why Confluent, Inc. (CFLT) Went Down on Friday
We recently compiled a list of the . In this article, we are going to take a look at where Confluent, Inc. (NASDAQ:CFLT) stands against the other stocks. Wall Street finished the trading week on a strong note, with all major indices recording gains as investors digested the latest US jobs data, which fell short of expectations. The tech-heavy Nasdaq posted the largest gain with 0.70 percent, followed by the S&P 500 with 0.55 percent, and the Dow Jones by 0.52 percent. Ten companies across mixed sectors bucked a wider market optimism, ending Friday in the red territory. In this article, we have listed the 10 worst-performing names and detailed the reasons behind their performance. To come up with the list, we considered only the stocks with at least $2 billion in market capitalization and $5 million in daily trading volume. A team of consultants in suits, discussing the importance of stream governance for real-time data. Confluent, Inc. (NASDAQ:CFLT) saw its share prices drop by 7.12 percent on Friday, a second consecutive day, to end at $26.61 each as investors sold off following the company's co-founder and CEO's disposition of shares. In a regulatory filing, Confluent, Inc. (NASDAQ:CFLT) said its CEO Jay Kreps planned to dispose of 465,000 shares in the company for a total amount of $14.97 million. Over the past three months, Kreps has already sold 232,500 shares. In other news, Confluent, Inc. (NASDAQ:CFLT) announced its partnership with sccc by stc, a leading cloud services provider in Saudi Arabia, to join the CFLT OEM Program as a managed service provider (MSP) to make data streaming more accessible in Saudi Arabia. The new partnership aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, an initiative that prioritizes technical innovation by helping accelerate digital transformations across key industries, including finance, retail, healthcare, and public services. Overall CFLT ranks 5th on our list of Friday's worst performers. While we acknowledge the potential of CFLT as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than CFLT but trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and Complete List of 59 AI Companies Under $2 Billion in Market Cap Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Sign in to access your portfolio
