NICE Reports 27% Year-Over-Year Cloud Revenue Growth for the First Quarter 2024
May 16, 2024
Total revenue growth of 15% year over year
Double-digit growth in gross profit, operating income and net income
Non-GAAP EPS exceeds high end of guidance range
Record high operating cash flow of $254 million increased 30% year over year
Hoboken, New Jersey, May 16, 2024 - NICE (NASDAQ: NICE) today announced results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2024, as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.
First Quarter 2024 Financial Highlights
“We are pleased to start the year with positive momentum, evidenced by a robust performance across the board, while continuing to outpace the industry,” said Barak Eilam, CEO, NICE. “Our total revenue growth of 15% was once again driven by excellent execution in the cloud with 27% revenue growth, propelled by demand for our digital and AI offerings. We also delivered another quarter of expanding profitability as demonstrated by a 170 basis point increase in our Non-GAAP operating margin to 30.3%, leading to a 27% year over year increase in non-GAAP EPS, and generated record operating cash flow of $254 million. Our ongoing healthy cash generation coupled with a best-in-class balance sheet provides us with unparalleled growth opportunities.”
Mr. Eilam continued, “Our continued strong performance over the past several years as well as the outstanding first quarter results are attributed to our unmatched platform strategy coupled with consistent execution. This is now further driving our market leadership with the ultimate trifecta: highest industry cloud win rate, trailblazing the digital market through convergence and fully leveraging the tremendous CX AI opportunity.”
GAAP Financial Highlights for the First Quarter Ended March 31:
Revenues: First quarter 2024 total revenues increased 15% to $659.3 million compared to $571.9 million for the first quarter of 2023.
Gross Profit: First quarter 2024 gross profit was $436.6 million compared to $385.3 million for the first quarter of 2023. First quarter 2024 gross margin was 66.2% compared to 67.4% for the first quarter of 2023.
Operating Income: First quarter 2024 operating income increased 30% to $121.4 million compared to $93.5 million for the first quarter of 2023. First quarter 2024 operating margin was 18.4% compared to 16.4% for the first quarter of 2023.
Net Income: First quarter 2024 net income increased 38% to $106.4 million compared to $76.9 million for the first quarter of 2023. First quarter 2024 net income margin was 16.1% compared to 13.5% for the first quarter of 2023.
Fully Diluted Earnings Per Share: Fully diluted earnings per share for the first quarter of 2024 increased 39% to $1.60 compared to $1.15 in the first quarter of 2023.
Cash Flow and Cash Balance: First quarter 2024 operating cash flow was $254.5 million. In the first quarter 2024, $41.5 million was used for share repurchases and $87.4 million was used for repayment of debt. As of March 31, 2024, total cash and cash equivalents, and short-term investments were $1,502.8 million. Our debt was $457.5 million, resulting in net cash and investments of $1,045.3 million.
Non-GAAP Financial Highlights for the First Quarter Ended March 31:
Revenues: First quarter 2024 total revenues increased 15% to $659.3 million compared to $571.9 million for the first quarter of 2023.
Gross Profit: First quarter 2024 gross profit was $467.7 million compared to $409.9 million for the first quarter of 2023. First quarter 2024 gross margin was 70.9% compared to 71.7% for the first quarter of 2023.
Operating Income: First quarter 2024 operating income increased 22% to $199.8 million compared to $163.4 million for the first quarter of 2023. First quarter 2024 operating margin was 30.3% compared to 28.6% for the first quarter of 2023.
Net Income: First quarter 2024 net income increased 26% to $171.6 million compared to $135.6 million for the first quarter of 2023. First quarter 2024 net income margin was 26.0% compared to 23.7% for the first quarter of 2023.
Fully Diluted Earnings Per Share: Fully diluted earnings per share for the first quarter of 2024 increased 27% to $2.58 compared to $2.03 in the first quarter of 2023.
Second Quarter and Full Year 2024 Guidance:
Second-Quarter 2024: Second-quarter 2024 Non-GAAP total revenues are expected to be in a range of $657 million to $667 million, representing 14% growth year over year at the midpoint.
Second-quarter 2024 Non-GAAP fully diluted earnings per share are expected to be in a range of $2.53 to $2.63, representing 21% growth year over year at the midpoint.
Full-Year 2024: Full-year 2024 Non-GAAP total revenues are expected to be in a range of $2,715 million to $2,735 million, representing 15% growth at the midpoint compared to full-year 2023.
The Company increased full year 2024 Non-GAAP fully diluted earnings per share which are expected to be in a range of $10.53 to $10.73, representing 21% growth at the midpoint compared to full-year 2023.
Quarterly Results Conference Call
NICE management will host its earnings conference call today May 16, 2024, at 8:30 AM ET, 13:30 GMT, 15:30 Israel, to discuss the results and the company's outlook. To participate in the call, please dial into the following numbers: United States 1-877-407-4018 or +1-201-689-8471, United Kingdom 0-800-756-3429, Israel 1-809-406-247. The call will be webcast live on the Company’s website at https://www.nice.com/investor-relations/upcoming-event.
Explanation of Non-GAAP measures Non-GAAP financial measures are included in this press release. Non-GAAP financial measures consist of GAAP financial measures adjusted to exclude share-based compensation, amortization of acquired intangible assets, acquisition related and other expenses, amortization of discount on debt and loss from extinguishment of debt and the tax effect of the Non-GAAP adjustments.
The Company believes that these Non-GAAP financial measures, used in conjunction with the corresponding GAAP measures, provide investors with useful supplemental information about the financial performance of our business. We believe Non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors as a measure of the ongoing performance of our business. Our management regularly uses our supplemental Non-GAAP financial measures internally to understand, manage and evaluate our business and to make financial, strategic and operating decisions. These Non-GAAP measures are among the primary factors management uses in planning for and forecasting future periods. Our Non-GAAP financial measures are not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for comparable GAAP measures and should be read only in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. These Non-GAAP financial measures may differ materially from the Non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. Reconciliation between results on a GAAP and Non-GAAP basis is provided in a table immediately following the Consolidated Statements of Income. The Company provides guidance only on a Non-GAAP basis. A reconciliation of guidance from a GAAP to Non-GAAP basis is not available due to the unpredictability and uncertainty associated with future events that would be reported in GAAP results and would require adjustments between GAAP and Non-GAAP financial measures, including the impact of future possible business acquisitions. Accordingly, a reconciliation of the guidance based on Non-GAAP financial measures to corresponding GAAP financial measures for future periods is not available without unreasonable effort.
About NICE With NICE (Nasdaq: NICE), it’s never been easier for organizations of all sizes around the globe to create extraordinary customer experiences while meeting key business metrics. Featuring the world’s #1 cloud native customer experience platform, CXone, NICE is a worldwide leader in AI-powered self-service and agent-assisted CX software for the contact center – and beyond. Over 25,000 organizations in more than 150 countries, including over 85 of the Fortune 100 companies, partner with NICE to transform - and elevate - every customer interaction. www.nice.com
Investor Relations Contact Marty Cohen, +1 551 256 5354, ir@nice.com, ET Omri Arens, +972 3 763-0127, ir@nice.com, CET
Corporate Media Contact Christopher Irwin-Dudek, +1 201 561 4442, media@nice.com, ET
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Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as “believe,” “expect,” “seek,” “may,” “will,” “intend,” “should,” “project,” “anticipate,” “plan,” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions of the Company’s management regarding the future of the Company’s business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Examples of forward-looking statements include guidance regarding the Company’s revenue and earnings and the growth of our cloud, analytics and artificial intelligence business. Forward looking statements are inherently subject to significant economic, competitive and other uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the control of management. The Company cautions that these statements are not guarantees of future performance, and investors should not place undue reliance on them. There are or will be important known and unknown factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These factors, include, but are not limited to, risks associated with changes in economic and business conditions, competition, successful execution of the Company’s growth strategy, success and growth of the Company’s cloud Software-as-a-Service business, difficulties in making additional acquisitions or effectively integrating acquired operations, products, technologies and personnel, the Company’s dependency on third-party cloud computing platform providers, hosting facilities and service partners, rapidly changing technology, cyber security attacks or other security breaches against the Company, privacy concerns and legislation impacting the Company’s business, changes in currency exchange rates and interest rates, the effects of additional tax liabilities resulting from our global operations, the effect of unexpected events or geo-political conditions, such as the impact of conflicts in the Middle East, that may disrupt our business and the global economy and various other factors and uncertainties discussed in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).
You are encouraged to carefully review the section entitled “Risk Factors” in our latest Annual Report on Form 20-F and our other filings with the SEC for additional information regarding these and other factors and uncertainties that could affect our future performance. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise them, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law.
