Red Hat Delivers Strong Operating Performance in Second Quarter

Strong growth in Red Hat Enterprise Linux sales drives first quarterly operating profit and $10.4 million in operating cash flow

RALEIGH, N.C -

Red Hat, Inc. (Nasdaq:RHAT), the world's premier open source and Linux provider, today reported financial results for its second quarter of fiscal year 2004. These results are provided in full GAAP format.

In the second quarter of fiscal 2004, Red Hat reported revenue of $28.8 million, a sequential increase of 6% compared to $27.2 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2004, and a year-over-year increase of 36%.

The company also reported net income of $3.3 million, or $0.02 per share. This compares to a net income of $1.5 million, or $0.01 per share, in the prior quarter, and a net loss of $1.9 million, or $0.01 per share, in the same quarter a year ago.

The company generated $10.4 million, or $0.06 per share, in positive cash flow from operations during the second quarter, which represents a 89% sequential increase from the first quarter and its fifth consecutive quarter of positive cash flow from operations. The company ended the second quarter with a cash and investments balance of $307 million, a sequential increase of $7 million and a year-over-year increase of $18 million.

The company reported a net operating profit of $240,000, compared to a net operating loss of $1.1 million in the prior quarter and a net operating loss of $4.7 million in the second quarter of the prior year.

Highlights for the second quarter include:

  • Second quarter sales of annual subscriptions for the Red Hat Enterprise Linux family of technologies increased sequentially by 2,300, or 10%, to approximately 26,000 subscriptions.
  • Subscription revenues from Enterprise Technologies grew 21% sequentially and 123% year-over-year. The strong sales growth reflects accelerating market interest by enterprise customers in flexible, high-value open source solutions delivered and supported by Red Hat.
  • Gross margins increased to record levels, with blended gross margins at 72%, and gross margins of Enterprise subscription technologies and services at 74%.

"Our strong quarterly operating results reflect the strong demand for standards-based Red Hat Enterprise Linux Solutions in the enterprise," said Kevin Thomspon, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Red Hat. "The consistent improvement in our gross margins over the last three quarters to 72% for the second quarter shows the significant scalability of our subscription business model."

About Red Hat, Inc.

Red Hat, the world's leading open source and Linux provider, is headquartered in Raleigh, NC with satellite offices spanning the globe. Red Hat is leading Linux and open source solutions into the mainstream by making high quality, low cost technology accessible. Red Hat provides operating system software along with middleware, applications and management solutions. Red Hat also offers support, training and consulting services to its customers worldwide and through top-tier partnerships. Red Hat's open source strategy offers customers a long term plan for building infrastructures that are based on and leverage open source technologies with focus on security and ease of management. Learn more: http://www.redhat.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward-looking statements in this press release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Investors are cautioned that statements in this press release that are not strictly historical statements, including, without limitation, management's plans and objectives for future operations, and management's assessment of market factors, constitute forward-looking statements which involve risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, reliance upon strategic relationships, management of growth, the possibility of undetected software errors, the risks of economic downturns generally, and in Red Hat's industry specifically, the risks associated with competition and competitive pricing pressures, the viability of the Internet, and other risks detailed in Red Hat's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which may be accessed through the SEC's Web site at http://www.sec.gov.

LINUX is a trademark of Linus Torvalds. RED HAT is a registered trademark of Red Hat, Inc. All other names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

  • About Red Hat
  • Red Hat is the world’s leading provider of open source software solutions, using a community-powered approach to reliable and high-performing cloud, Linux, middleware, storage and virtualization technologies. Red Hat also offers award-winning support, training, and consulting services. As the connective hub in a global network of enterprises, partners, and open source communities, Red Hat helps create relevant, innovative technologies that liberate resources for growth and prepare customers for the future of IT. Learn more at http://www.redhat.com.



  • Forward-Looking Statements
  • Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: risks related to delays or reductions in information technology spending; the effects of industry consolidation; the ability of the Company to compete effectively; the integration of acquisitions and the ability to market successfully acquired technologies and products; uncertainty and adverse results in litigation and related settlements; the inability to adequately protect Company intellectual property and the potential for infringement or breach of license claims of or relating to third party intellectual property; the ability to deliver and stimulate demand for new products and technological innovations on a timely basis; risks related to data and information security vulnerabilities; ineffective management of, and control over, the Company’s growth and international operations; fluctuations in exchange rates; and changes in and a dependence on key personnel, as well as other factors contained in our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (copies of which may be accessed through the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at http://www.sec.gov), including those found therein under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations". In addition to these factors, actual future performance, outcomes, and results may differ materially because of more general factors including (without limitation) general industry and market conditions and growth rates, economic and political conditions, governmental and public policy changes and the impact of natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company’s views as of the date of this press release and these views could change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.