NetApp (NTAP)


Market Price (9/6/2026): $185.54 | Market Cap: $36.4 BilInvestor Relations Sector: Information Technology | Industry: Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals

NetApp (NTAP)


Market Price (9/6/2026): $185.54
Market Cap: $36.4 Bil
Sector: Information Technology
Industry: Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals

Investment Highlights Why It Matters Detailed financial logic regarding cash flow yields vs trend-riding momentum.

0

Attractive yield
Total YieldTotal Yield = Earnings Yield + Dividend Yield, Earnings Yield = Net Income / Market Cap Dividend Yield = Total Dividends / Market Cap is 5.0%

Attractive operating margins
Op Mgn LTMOperating Margin = Operating Income / Revenue Reflects profitability before taxes and before impact of capital structure (interest payments). is 26%

Attractive cash flow generation
CFO/Rev LTMCash Flow from Operations / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 26%, FCF/Rev LTMFree Cash Flow / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 22%

Stock buyback support
Stock Buyback 3Y Total is 2.8 Bil

Low stock price volatility
Vol 12M is 43%

Megatrend and thematic drivers
Megatrends include Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence, and Cybersecurity. Themes include Hybrid Cloud Solutions, Show more.

Valuation getting more expensive
P/S 6M Chg %Price/Sales change over 6 months. Declining P/S indicates valuation has become less expensive. is 67%

Key risks
NTAP key risks include [1] intense competition from both established technology giants and specialized rivals, Show more.

0 Attractive yield
Total YieldTotal Yield = Earnings Yield + Dividend Yield, Earnings Yield = Net Income / Market Cap Dividend Yield = Total Dividends / Market Cap is 5.0%
1 Attractive operating margins
Op Mgn LTMOperating Margin = Operating Income / Revenue Reflects profitability before taxes and before impact of capital structure (interest payments). is 26%
2 Attractive cash flow generation
CFO/Rev LTMCash Flow from Operations / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 26%, FCF/Rev LTMFree Cash Flow / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 22%
3 Stock buyback support
Stock Buyback 3Y Total is 2.8 Bil
4 Low stock price volatility
Vol 12M is 43%
5 Megatrend and thematic drivers
Megatrends include Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence, and Cybersecurity. Themes include Hybrid Cloud Solutions, Show more.
6 Valuation getting more expensive
P/S 6M Chg %Price/Sales change over 6 months. Declining P/S indicates valuation has become less expensive. is 67%
7 Key risks
NTAP key risks include [1] intense competition from both established technology giants and specialized rivals, Show more.

NTAP in ETFs

Weight = NTAP's share of each fund

SPY0.06%
VOO0.05%
IVV0.05%
VTI0.05%
ITOT0.05%
IWB0.05%
RSP0.22%
VTV0.13%
+32 more covered ETFs

Valuation & Metrics

Price Chart

Why The Stock Moved

Qualitative Assessment

AI Analysis | Feedback

Updated on 9/2/2026

NetApp (NTAP) stock has gained about 5% since 5/31/2026 because of the following key factors:

1. Exceptional Fiscal Q1 2027 Performance Exceeded Expectations.

NetApp reported record-setting financial results for its fiscal Q1 2027, which ended July 31, 2026. The company announced net revenue of $2.03 billion, representing a 30% year-over-year increase and surpassing analyst estimates of $1.84 billion. Non-GAAP earnings per share (EPS) reached $2.58, significantly beating the consensus estimate of $2.12. This strong performance, released on September 2, 2026, instilled confidence in investors regarding the company's growth trajectory.

2. Raised Fiscal Year 2027 Guidance Signals Strong Future Outlook.

Alongside its impressive Q1 2027 results, NetApp significantly increased its full fiscal year 2027 guidance. The company raised its revenue outlook to a range of $7.98 billion to $8.23 billion, up from the previous range of $7.33 billion to $7.58 billion, and above the $7.55 billion consensus estimate. Adjusted EPS guidance was also boosted to $9.73 to $10.03, from the prior $8.70 to $9.00 range, exceeding the $8.92 estimate. This upward revision in guidance indicated robust demand and strong prospects for the remainder of the fiscal year, contributing to positive investor sentiment.

Show more
Updated on 9/2/2026

NetApp (NTAP) stock has gained about 5% since 5/31/2026 because of the following key factors:

1. Exceptional Fiscal Q1 2027 Performance Exceeded Expectations.

NetApp reported record-setting financial results for its fiscal Q1 2027, which ended July 31, 2026. The company announced net revenue of $2.03 billion, representing a 30% year-over-year increase and surpassing analyst estimates of $1.84 billion. Non-GAAP earnings per share (EPS) reached $2.58, significantly beating the consensus estimate of $2.12. This strong performance, released on September 2, 2026, instilled confidence in investors regarding the company's growth trajectory.

2. Raised Fiscal Year 2027 Guidance Signals Strong Future Outlook.

Alongside its impressive Q1 2027 results, NetApp significantly increased its full fiscal year 2027 guidance. The company raised its revenue outlook to a range of $7.98 billion to $8.23 billion, up from the previous range of $7.33 billion to $7.58 billion, and above the $7.55 billion consensus estimate. Adjusted EPS guidance was also boosted to $9.73 to $10.03, from the prior $8.70 to $9.00 range, exceeding the $8.92 estimate. This upward revision in guidance indicated robust demand and strong prospects for the remainder of the fiscal year, contributing to positive investor sentiment.

3. Strategic Acquisitions and Partnerships in AI and Cloud Driving Growth.

NetApp strengthened its position in key growth markets through strategic initiatives. The company acquired DataPelago, an AI data infrastructure company, in July 2026 to simplify and accelerate AI deployments. This was followed by the acquisition of JetStream Software in August 2026, enhancing cyber resilience and data protection for VMware environments. Additionally, NetApp expanded its collaboration with Cisco on new AI solutions and with Splunk on ransomware defense in June 2026, demonstrating its commitment to innovation in high-demand sectors.

4. Industry Recognition Reinforced Market Leadership.

In August 2026, NetApp was named a Leader in the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Storage Platforms. The company also secured the top ranking for the Hybrid Cloud Storage Use Case in the 2026 Gartner Critical Capabilities for Enterprise Storage Platforms report. This recognition validated NetApp's strong competitive position and its ability to provide intelligent data infrastructure and hybrid cloud storage solutions, bolstering market confidence.

5. Positive Analyst Upgrades and Price Target Revisions.

Throughout the period, several financial analysts expressed increased optimism about NetApp's prospects. For example, Barclays raised its price objective to $199.00 in late May 2026, while Argus increased its target to $200.00 with a "buy" rating in early June 2026. Citigroup also lifted its price objective to $209.00 in August 2026. This series of favorable analyst revisions and price target increases reflected growing confidence in NetApp's business strategy and future performance.

Show less
Holding a concentrated position? Know your true downside before the momentum shifts.
Protect Your Wealth →

Stock Movement Drivers

Fundamental Drivers

The 6.8% change in NTAP stock from 5/31/2026 to 9/5/2026 was primarily driven by a 10.2% change in the company's Total Revenues ($ Mil).
(LTM values as of)53120269052026Change
Stock Price ($)173.76185.596.8%
Change Contribution By: 
Total Revenues ($ Mil)6,7097,39110.2%
Net Income Margin (%)18.1%19.2%6.2%
P/E Multiple28.425.7-9.6%
Shares Outstanding (Mil)1981961.0%
Cumulative Contribution6.8%

LTM = Last Twelve Months as of date shown

Market Drivers

5/31/2026 to 9/5/2026
ReturnCorrelation
NTAP6.8% 
Market (SPY)1.8%43.2%
Sector (XLK)-2.0%42.7%

Fundamental Drivers

The 88.9% change in NTAP stock from 2/28/2026 to 9/5/2026 was primarily driven by a 59.9% change in the company's P/E Multiple.
(LTM values as of)22820269052026Change
Stock Price ($)98.23185.5988.9%
Change Contribution By: 
Total Revenues ($ Mil)6,7097,39110.2%
Net Income Margin (%)18.1%19.2%6.2%
P/E Multiple16.025.759.9%
Shares Outstanding (Mil)1981961.0%
Cumulative Contribution88.9%

LTM = Last Twelve Months as of date shown

Market Drivers

2/28/2026 to 9/5/2026
ReturnCorrelation
NTAP88.9% 
Market (SPY)12.6%26.9%
Sector (XLK)35.1%35.9%

Fundamental Drivers

The 67.4% change in NTAP stock from 8/31/2025 to 9/5/2026 was primarily driven by a 34.8% change in the company's P/E Multiple.
(LTM values as of)83120259052026Change
Stock Price ($)110.85185.5967.4%
Change Contribution By: 
Total Revenues ($ Mil)6,5907,39112.2%
Net Income Margin (%)17.8%19.2%8.0%
P/E Multiple19.025.734.8%
Shares Outstanding (Mil)2011962.6%
Cumulative Contribution67.4%

LTM = Last Twelve Months as of date shown

Market Drivers

8/31/2025 to 9/5/2026
ReturnCorrelation
NTAP67.4% 
Market (SPY)20.4%38.4%
Sector (XLK)43.3%41.6%

Fundamental Drivers

The 156.5% change in NTAP stock from 8/31/2023 to 9/5/2026 was primarily driven by a 102.2% change in the company's P/E Multiple.
(LTM values as of)83120239052026Change
Stock Price ($)72.34185.59156.5%
Change Contribution By: 
Total Revenues ($ Mil)6,2027,39119.2%
Net Income Margin (%)19.5%19.2%-1.6%
P/E Multiple12.725.7102.2%
Shares Outstanding (Mil)2121968.2%
Cumulative Contribution156.5%

LTM = Last Twelve Months as of date shown

Market Drivers

8/31/2023 to 9/5/2026
ReturnCorrelation
NTAP156.5% 
Market (SPY)77.1%50.1%
Sector (XLK)117.2%52.9%

Return vs. Risk

Price Returns Compared

 202120222023202420252026Total [1]
Returns
NTAP Return42%-33%51%34%-6%75%220%
Peers Return32%-18%53%36%17%88%399%
S&P 500 Return27%-19%24%23%16%13%106%

Monthly Win Rates [3]
NTAP Win Rate75%33%42%50%50%78% 
Peers Win Rate63%37%72%67%48%62% 
S&P 500 Win Rate75%42%67%75%67%56% 

Max Drawdowns [4]
NTAP Max Drawdown-15%-38%-12%-15%-39%-16% 
Peers Max Drawdown-15%-36%-16%-26%-32%-26% 
S&P 500 Max Drawdown-5%-25%-10%-8%-19%-9% 


[1] Cumulative total returns since the beginning of 2021
[2] Peers: DELL, HPE, IBM, AMZN, MSFT. See NTAP Returns vs. Peers.
[3] Win Rate = % of calendar months in which monthly returns were positive
[4] Max drawdown represents maximum peak-to-trough decline within a year
[5] 2026 data is for the year up to 9/4/2026 (YTD)

How Low Can It Go

EventNTAPS&P 500
2025 US Tariff Shock
  % Loss-38.5%-18.8%
  % Gain to Breakeven62.6%23.1%
  Time to Breakeven159 days79 days
2024 Yen Carry Trade Unwind
  % Loss-14.1%-7.8%
  % Gain to Breakeven16.4%8.5%
  Time to Breakeven655 days18 days
2023 SVB Regional Banking Crisis
  % Loss-10.2%-6.7%
  % Gain to Breakeven11.4%7.1%
  Time to Breakeven20 days31 days
2022 Inflation Shock & Fed Tightening
  % Loss-31.7%-24.5%
  % Gain to Breakeven46.5%32.4%
  Time to Breakeven425 days427 days
2020 COVID-19 Crash
  % Loss-33.6%-33.7%
  % Gain to Breakeven50.5%50.9%
  Time to Breakeven238 days140 days
Q4 2018 Fed Policy Error / Growth Scare
  % Loss-35.8%-19.2%
  % Gain to Breakeven55.7%23.8%
  Time to Breakeven865 days105 days

Compare to DELL, HPE, IBM, AMZN, MSFT

In The Past

NetApp's stock fell -38.5% during the 2025 US Tariff Shock. Such a loss loss requires a 62.6% gain to breakeven.

Preserve Wealth

Limiting losses and compounding gains is essential to preserving wealth.

Asset Allocation

Actively managed asset allocation strategies protect wealth. Learn more.

EventNTAPS&P 500
2025 US Tariff Shock
  % Loss-38.5%-18.8%
  % Gain to Breakeven62.6%23.1%
  Time to Breakeven159 days79 days
2022 Inflation Shock & Fed Tightening
  % Loss-31.7%-24.5%
  % Gain to Breakeven46.5%32.4%
  Time to Breakeven425 days427 days
2020 COVID-19 Crash
  % Loss-33.6%-33.7%
  % Gain to Breakeven50.5%50.9%
  Time to Breakeven238 days140 days
Q4 2018 Fed Policy Error / Growth Scare
  % Loss-35.8%-19.2%
  % Gain to Breakeven55.7%23.8%
  Time to Breakeven865 days105 days
2015-2016 China Devaluation / Global Growth Scare
  % Loss-29.6%-12.2%
  % Gain to Breakeven42.1%13.9%
  Time to Breakeven206 days62 days
2014-2016 Oil Price Collapse
  % Loss-48.1%-6.8%
  % Gain to Breakeven92.5%7.3%
  Time to Breakeven388 days15 days
2011 US Debt Ceiling Crisis & European Contagion
  % Loss-34.1%-17.9%
  % Gain to Breakeven51.8%21.8%
  Time to Breakeven2236 days123 days
2008-2009 Global Financial Crisis
  % Loss-59.6%-53.4%
  % Gain to Breakeven147.3%114.4%
  Time to Breakeven314 days1085 days
Summer 2007 Credit Crunch
  % Loss-23.4%-8.6%
  % Gain to Breakeven30.6%9.5%
  Time to Breakeven80 days47 days

Compare to DELL, HPE, IBM, AMZN, MSFT

In The Past

NetApp's stock fell -38.5% during the 2025 US Tariff Shock. Such a loss loss requires a 62.6% gain to breakeven.

Preserve Wealth

Limiting losses and compounding gains is essential to preserving wealth.

Asset Allocation

Actively managed asset allocation strategies protect wealth. Learn more.

About NetApp (NTAP)

NetApp, Inc. (NTAP) is a global provider of data management and storage solutions, offering software, systems, and cloud services. The company's primary function is to help organizations efficiently store, manage, share, and protect their data across various environments, including on-premises infrastructure, private clouds, and public clouds worldwide. Essentially, NetApp enables businesses to build, run, and optimize their data infrastructure, ensuring data accessibility and security wherever it resides.

The company's extensive product portfolio can be categorized into several key areas. Its cloud services provide solutions for cloud storage, data control, analytics, and optimization, featuring offerings like NetApp Cloud Volumes, Cloud Manager, and the "Spot by NetApp" suite for cloud cost and resource management. For traditional on-premises data centers, NetApp delivers high-performance data storage systems such as the All-Flash FAS and Fabric Attached Storage series, complemented by powerful data protection and management software like ONTAP, SnapMirror, and Active IQ. NetApp also offers application-aware data management under the Astra brand and flexible storage-as-a-service through NetApp Keystone.

NetApp serves a broad and diverse global clientele, addressing the data infrastructure needs of enterprises across numerous industries. Its solutions are adopted by organizations in critical sectors including energy, financial services, government, technology, internet, life sciences, healthcare, manufacturing, media, entertainment, and telecommunications. The company reaches these varied markets through a combination of its direct sales force and a robust ecosystem of partners.

AI Analysis | Feedback

Here are a couple of analogies for NetApp (NTAP):

  • NetApp is like **Dell EMC for the multi-cloud data era.**
  • NetApp is like **VMware for enterprise data management.**

AI Analysis | Feedback

  • Cloud Services: Provides a comprehensive suite of cloud offerings including storage (NetApp Cloud Volumes), control (NetApp Cloud Manager), analytics (NetApp Cloud Insights), and optimization (Spot by NetApp).
  • Data Storage Systems: Offers various hardware and software-defined storage solutions such as All-Flash FAS, Fabric Attached Storage, FlexPod, and StorageGRID.
  • Data Management Software: Includes NetApp ONTAP Storage Management System, NetApp ElementOS, NetApp SANtricity, and NetApp Astra for efficient data organization and optimization.
  • Data Protection Solutions: Features tools like NetApp SnapCenter, SnapMirror, and SnapLock for backup management, data replication, and compliance.
  • NetApp Keystone: A portfolio of payment solutions and storage-as-a-service offerings for flexible consumption.
  • Professional Services: Provides assessment, design, consulting, and implementation services to support NetApp solutions.

AI Analysis | Feedback

NetApp (NTAP) sells primarily to other companies and organizations, operating in a business-to-business (B2B) model. Due to the nature of its enterprise software, systems, and cloud services business, NetApp does not typically disclose the names of its individual major customer companies.

However, NetApp serves a wide range of markets globally, which represent its customer base:

  • Energy
  • Financial Services
  • Government
  • Technology
  • Internet
  • Life Science
  • Healthcare Service
  • Manufacturing
  • Media
  • Entertainment
  • Animation
  • Video Postproduction
  • Telecommunication

AI Analysis | Feedback

  • Flex (FLEX)
  • Jabil (JBL)

AI Analysis | Feedback

George Kurian, Chief Executive Officer, Director

George Kurian became Chief Executive Officer of NetApp in June 2015, having joined the company in 2011. Prior to his time at NetApp, he held significant leadership roles including Vice President and General Manager of the Application Networking and Switching Technology Group at Cisco Systems, Vice President at Akamai Technologies, a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, and led software engineering and product management teams at Oracle Corporation. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Princeton University and an MBA from Stanford University.

Mike Berry, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

Mike Berry joined NetApp as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer on March 16, 2020. Before his role at NetApp, he served as EVP and CFO at McAfee. His extensive background in finance and operations also includes positions as EVP, CFO, and COO at FireEye, and EVP and CFO for Informatica. He has also held finance and operations leadership roles at other technology companies such as SolarWinds and i2 Technologies. Mr. Berry earned a bachelor's degree in finance from Augsburg University and an MBA in finance from the University of St. Thomas. He serves on the boards of directors for Rapid7, Inc. and FinancialForce.com, Inc.

César Cernuda, President

César Cernuda has served as President of NetApp since July 2020, overseeing the company's go-to-market strategy. Before joining NetApp, he was President of Microsoft Asia Pacific and Latin America. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from ESIC Business & Marketing School.

Syam Nair, Executive Vice President and Chief Product Officer

Syam Nair is the Chief Product Officer at NetApp, leading the company's product and engineering teams with over 25 years of experience in scaling cloud platforms. He is recognized for his disruptive innovation, incubating new technologies, and leading large teams through transformations. Previously at Microsoft, he played a key role in the growth of Office 365, launched Windows 10, and led the Microsoft 365 Security business.

Elizabeth (Beth) O'Callahan, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer

Elizabeth (Beth) O'Callahan serves as NetApp's Chief Administrative Officer, responsible for Legal, Compliance, Government Relations, Sustainability, Human Resources, Workplace Experience, and Corporate Communications. She also holds the position of NetApp's Corporate Secretary.

AI Analysis | Feedback

Key Risks for NetApp (NTAP)

  1. Intense and Evolving Competition in Data Management and Storage Markets: NetApp operates in a highly competitive environment against both traditional enterprise storage vendors (such as Dell EMC, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and IBM) and hyperscale cloud providers (including Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud). This diverse competitive landscape puts significant pressure on pricing, product differentiation, and market share, particularly as customers increasingly adopt hybrid and multi-cloud strategies.

  2. Rapid Technological Change and the Need for Continuous Innovation: The data storage and management industry is characterized by swift technological advancements, including the rise of new storage technologies (e.g., all-flash arrays, object storage), software-defined infrastructure, artificial intelligence for data insights, and evolving cloud architectures. NetApp must consistently invest heavily in research and development and successfully bring innovative products and services to market to meet changing customer demands and avoid technological obsolescence.

  3. Vulnerability to Macroeconomic Conditions and Enterprise IT Spending Fluctuations: NetApp's financial performance is closely tied to overall enterprise IT spending, which can be significantly impacted by global economic conditions, geopolitical events, and business confidence. Economic downturns or uncertainty can lead to reduced capital expenditures by businesses, delayed purchasing decisions for new storage systems and data management solutions, and extended product refresh cycles, thereby negatively affecting NetApp's revenue and profitability.

AI Analysis | Feedback

The clear emerging threat for NetApp is the increasing maturity and comprehensive nature of native data storage, management, and optimization services offered directly by hyperscale public cloud providers (such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform). As enterprises continue to accelerate their adoption of cloud-native strategies and consolidate workloads within these public cloud environments, they may increasingly opt for the integrated, native services provided by the cloud vendors themselves, potentially diminishing the need for third-party hybrid cloud data management solutions like those offered by NetApp. While NetApp strategically partners and integrates with these cloud providers, the hyperscalers are also direct competitors aiming to capture the full stack of enterprise IT spending, including data services that NetApp traditionally provides.

AI Analysis | Feedback

NetApp (NTAP) participates in several large and growing addressable markets globally, spanning data storage, cloud services, and data management.

Here are the estimated market sizes for their main products and services:

  • Global Data Storage Market: The global data storage market size was valued at approximately USD 255.29 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 984.56 billion by 2034. Within this, the global next-generation data storage market was estimated at USD 65.12 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to USD 90.03 billion by 2029. The global data center storage market revenue reached USD 63.72 billion in 2024 and is predicted to attain around USD 185.56 billion by 2033.
  • Global Cloud Storage Market: The global cloud storage market was valued at USD 161.28 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow to USD 809.99 billion by 2034. Another estimate places the global cloud storage market at USD 179.26 billion in 2026, expected to reach USD 513.86 billion by 2031.
  • Global Hybrid Cloud Market: The global hybrid cloud market size was valued at approximately USD 196.04 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow to USD 611.33 billion by 2034. North America accounted for approximately 35% of the global hybrid cloud market in 2023.
  • Global Data Protection Market: The global data protection market size was valued at over USD 179.02 billion in 2025 and is poised to exceed USD 817.39 billion by 2035. North America is projected to hold a 35% share of this market by 2035.
  • Global Enterprise Data Management Market: The global enterprise data management market size is estimated at USD 124.93 billion in 2025 and is predicted to increase to approximately USD 349.52 billion by 2034. North America dominated this market with a 37% share in 2024.
  • Global Storage-as-a-Service (STaaS) Market: The global Storage as a Service market size was valued at USD 55.94 billion in 2024 and is poised to grow to USD 549.56 billion by 2033. North America held the second-largest market share in 2024. Other reports estimate the global STaaS market at USD 53.6 billion in 2025, reaching USD 323.9 billion by 2032.
  • Global Cloud Cost Management and Optimization Market: The global cloud cost management and optimization market size is projected at USD 11.01 billion in 2026 and is anticipated to reach USD 38.4 billion by 2035. North America leads this global market.

AI Analysis | Feedback

NetApp (NASDAQ: NTAP) is expected to drive future revenue growth over the next 2-3 years through several key areas:

  • Growth in All-Flash Array Revenue: NetApp has demonstrated strong performance in its all-flash array portfolio, which recorded a revenue of $1 billion in Q3 FY2026, marking an 11% year-over-year increase. This segment is a significant contributor to its Hybrid Cloud offerings.
  • Expansion of Public Cloud Services: The company's Public Cloud revenue, excluding the divested Spot business, saw an 18% increase in Q2 FY2026 and a 17% rise in Q3 FY2026, primarily driven by its first-party and marketplace storage services. Approximately half of this revenue growth is attributed to new customer acquisition.
  • Increasing Adoption of AI-focused Solutions: NetApp is experiencing strong momentum with its Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions, including AFX, a disaggregated storage system for AI, and the AI Data Engine (AIDE). Around 300 customers have already selected NetApp for their AI data preparation and storage needs, indicating a growing opportunity in this sector.
  • Growth of Keystone (Storage-as-a-Service): Revenue from NetApp's storage-as-a-service offering, Keystone, grew by 76% year-over-year in Q2 FY2026 and approximately 65% in Q3 FY2026, highlighting its increasing adoption and contribution to the company's top line.

AI Analysis | Feedback

Share Repurchases

  • NetApp consistently returned capital to shareholders through share repurchases, with $1.57 billion returned in fiscal year 2025 through dividends and buybacks.
  • In fiscal year 2023, NetApp repurchased $850 million in stock.
  • At the end of fiscal year 2023, the company authorized an additional $1 billion for share repurchases, with approximately $400 million remaining from prior authorizations.

Share Issuance

  • No significant dollar amounts for share issuance for capital raising purposes were explicitly detailed. However, the diluted share count decreased year-over-year, for example, by 5% in Q4 fiscal year 2023, reflecting the impact of share repurchases.

Inbound Investments

  • No information available regarding large investments made in NetApp by third parties.

Outbound Investments

  • NetApp completed the acquisition of CloudCheckr, a cloud optimization platform, in February 2022.

Capital Expenditures

  • NetApp reported cash flow from operations of $1.51 billion in fiscal year 2025 and $1.69 billion in fiscal year 2024.
  • The company consistently directs investments towards product innovation, focusing on its all-flash array portfolio and cloud storage services, with new system launches and enhanced capabilities occurring in Q3 fiscal year 2025.
  • Capital expenditures are primarily focused on strategic growth areas such as AI, hybrid cloud, and data security, aligning with customers' digital transformation priorities.

Better Bets vs. NetApp (NTAP)

Peer Outperformance in Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals

NTAP has outperformed 70% of its 20 Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals peers over 5Y. Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals ranks 7th of 12 industries in Information Technology by median 5Y return. The sector’s gains have largely come from elsewhere.
Share of Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals constituents that NTAP has outperformed, by holding period. Peers without a full price history over a given window are excluded from that window.
1Y
60%
of 25 industry peers · 59.0% return
3Y
64%
of 22 industry peers · 146.2% return
5Y
70%
of 20 industry peers · 127.6% return
No Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals peer with a comparable growth profile has beaten NTAP by more than 20pp over 5Y.
Median price return by industry across the Information Technology sector, ranked by 5Y. Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals is NTAP's own industry. Use this to see which corners of the sector have carried the returns.
Industry Names 1Y med3Y med5Y med Top 3 by 5Y
Electronic Manufacturing Services 9 56.1%179.7%288.0% TTMI 806% · FLEX 677% · JBL 408%
Semiconductor Materials & Equipment 27 130.8%66.9%100.2% AEHR 928% · AXTI 528% · KLAC 470%
Technology Distributors 9 30.2%66.3%83.9% CLMB 351% · AVT 164% · SNX 119%
Communications Equipment 36 19.3%79.7%67.7% AAOI 1267% · LITE 890% · ANET 754%
Electronic Components 26 49.9%62.7%60.4% CLS 3241% · BELFA 1279% · COHR 358%
Semiconductors 55 21.1%20.9%18.4% POET 1845% · MU 1312% · NVDA 912%
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals ← 21 37.2%77.3%16.9% DELL 1079% · STX 992% · SMCI 942%
Internet Services & Infrastructure 6 19.8%40.5%13.7% DOCN 53% · GDDY 35% · VRSN 35%
Electronic Equipment & Instruments 27 -7.3%8.8%-8.2% PI 197% · OSIS 108% · ACFN 98%
IT Consulting & Other Services 28 -23.8%-11.8%-28.6% CHRN 533058% · APLD 1150% · TSSI 665%
Application Software 123 -23.9%-14.3%-46.5% VIDA 199900% · INLX 4861% · PLTR 554%
Systems Software 68 -9.9%0.1%-57.6% PAYS 447% · QNC 392% · PANW 327%
Median of constituents with a full price history over each window. Top names are unfiltered by size in this render.

Latest Trefis Analyses

Recent Active Movers

Peer Comparisons

Peers to compare with:

Financials

NTAPDELLHPEIBMAMZNMSFTMedian
NameNetApp Dell Tec.Hewlett .Internat.Amazon.c.Microsoft 
Mkt Price185.59524.1452.00234.89258.51499.70246.70
Mkt Cap36.4340.269.5221.12,783.93,710.8280.6
Rev LTM7,391134,00241,87169,097775,680331,839101,550
Op Inc LTM1,92410,8483,28412,70593,712155,23711,776
FCF LTM1,6509,4424,15613,144-11,62566,9876,799
FCF 3Y Avg1,5736,1282,36712,29516,73270,8909,211
CFO LTM1,89712,4706,69414,888161,403182,93513,679
CFO 3Y Avg1,7698,8954,77713,974130,164145,88211,435

Growth & Margins

NTAPDELLHPEIBMAMZNMSFTMedian
NameNetApp Dell Tec.Hewlett .Internat.Amazon.c.Microsoft 
Rev Chg LTM12.2%38.6%26.6%7.9%15.8%17.8%16.8%
Rev Chg 3Y Avg6.1%12.9%12.8%4.5%13.0%16.1%12.9%
Rev Chg Q29.9%87.5%33.7%1.1%19.6%17.7%24.8%
QoQ Delta Rev Chg LTM6.7%18.0%7.9%0.3%4.4%4.3%5.6%
Op Inc Chg LTM34.0%63.1%61.4%16.3%23.0%20.8%28.5%
Op Inc Chg 3Y Avg21.5%29.1%12.7%13.3%90.0%20.6%21.0%
Op Mgn LTM26.0%8.1%7.8%18.4%12.1%46.8%15.2%
Op Mgn 3Y Avg23.1%7.2%7.3%17.0%10.8%45.7%13.9%
QoQ Delta Op Mgn LTM1.6%0.8%2.0%-0.4%0.6%-0.0%0.7%
CFO/Rev LTM25.7%9.3%16.0%21.5%20.8%55.1%21.2%
CFO/Rev 3Y Avg26.1%8.2%13.8%21.4%18.9%50.6%20.2%
FCF/Rev LTM22.3%7.0%9.9%19.0%-1.5%20.2%14.5%
FCF/Rev 3Y Avg23.2%5.6%6.7%18.9%2.8%25.3%12.8%

Valuation

NTAPDELLHPEIBMAMZNMSFTMedian
NameNetApp Dell Tec.Hewlett .Internat.Amazon.c.Microsoft 
Mkt Cap36.4340.269.5221.12,783.93,710.8280.6
P/S4.92.51.73.23.611.23.4
P/Op Inc18.931.421.217.429.723.922.5
P/EBIT18.829.021.217.915.622.020.0
P/E25.740.524.920.620.627.725.3
P/CFO19.227.310.414.817.220.318.2
Total Yield5.0%2.9%5.1%7.7%4.9%4.3%4.9%
Dividend Yield1.1%0.4%1.1%2.9%0.0%0.7%0.9%
FCF Yield 3Y Avg6.2%4.4%5.8%5.6%0.8%2.2%5.0%
D/E0.10.10.30.30.10.00.1
Net D/E-0.00.10.20.30.0-0.00.0

Returns

NTAPDELLHPEIBMAMZNMSFTMedian
NameNetApp Dell Tec.Hewlett .Internat.Amazon.c.Microsoft 
1M Rtn-3.1%19.8%-0.8%1.3%-5.1%0.2%-0.3%
3M Rtn11.4%33.1%6.0%-16.9%5.1%20.2%8.7%
6M Rtn85.1%259.5%148.4%-7.9%21.2%22.7%53.9%
12M Rtn59.0%325.2%125.7%-3.0%11.3%1.8%35.1%
3Y Rtn146.2%680.4%216.6%74.0%91.0%53.6%118.6%
1M Excs Rtn-3.2%19.7%-0.9%1.2%-5.2%0.0%-0.4%
3M Excs Rtn6.9%28.6%1.5%-21.5%0.5%15.6%4.2%
6M Excs Rtn70.6%245.0%133.9%-22.5%6.7%8.2%39.4%
12M Excs Rtn40.2%300.3%110.5%-21.2%-9.0%-19.5%15.6%
3Y Excs Rtn86.5%816.6%152.7%4.5%20.4%-15.4%53.5%

Financials

Segment Financials

Revenue by Segment
$ Mil20262025202420232022
Hybrid Cloud6,2375,9075,6575,7875,922
Public Cloud688665611575396
Total6,9256,5726,2686,3626,318


Price Behavior

Price Behavior
Market Price$185.59 
Market Cap ($ Bil)36.9 
First Trading Date11/21/1995 
Distance from 52W High-10.4% 
   50 Days200 Days
DMA Price$178.61$130.01
DMA Trendupup
Distance from DMA3.9%42.8%
 3M1YR
Volatility39.7%43.1%
Downside Capture120.47121.66
Upside Capture146.48150.10
Correlation (SPY)46.4%38.4%
NTAP Betas & Captures as of 8/31/2026

 1M2M3M6M1Y3Y
Beta1.381.301.330.971.271.23
Up Beta2.151.480.85-0.130.391.02
Down Beta3.510.681.741.491.881.37
Up Capture83%199%150%214%198%259%
Bmk +ve Days10213268138427
Stock +ve Days10223065123393
Down Capture42%69%118%61%111%105%
Bmk -ve Days11213259113324
Stock -ve Days11203461127357

[1] Upside and downside betas calculated using positive and negative benchmark daily returns respectively
Based On 1-Year Data
Annualized
Return
Annualized
Volatility
Sharpe
Ratio
Correlation
with NTAP
NTAP59.2%43.1%1.18-
Sector ETF (XLK)43.4%26.2%1.3441.5%
Equity (SPY)19.7%12.8%1.1338.2%
Gold (GLD)24.6%29.2%0.755.7%
Commodities (DBC)43.8%20.3%1.671.4%
Real Estate (VNQ)9.1%13.6%0.392.2%
Bitcoin (BTCUSD)-28.1%43.8%-0.6319.0%

Smart multi-asset allocation framework can stack odds in your favor. Learn How
Based On 5-Year Data
Annualized
Return
Annualized
Volatility
Sharpe
Ratio
Correlation
with NTAP
NTAP19.0%34.6%0.57-
Sector ETF (XLK)19.7%25.9%0.6856.4%
Equity (SPY)12.8%17.2%0.5755.1%
Gold (GLD)19.1%18.8%0.826.2%
Commodities (DBC)10.7%19.5%0.4312.9%
Real Estate (VNQ)1.7%18.9%-0.0131.9%
Bitcoin (BTCUSD)10.2%52.6%0.3822.0%

Smart multi-asset allocation framework can stack odds in your favor. Learn How
Based On 10-Year Data
Annualized
Return
Annualized
Volatility
Sharpe
Ratio
Correlation
with NTAP
NTAP21.1%35.7%0.63-
Sector ETF (XLK)24.4%25.0%0.8857.4%
Equity (SPY)15.3%17.9%0.7258.5%
Gold (GLD)12.4%16.3%0.622.6%
Commodities (DBC)7.9%18.1%0.3517.7%
Real Estate (VNQ)4.8%20.7%0.1937.0%
Bitcoin (BTCUSD)63.7%66.2%1.0314.2%

Smart multi-asset allocation framework can stack odds in your favor. Learn How

Short Interest

Short Interest: As Of Date8142026
Short Interest: Shares Quantity10.7 Mil
Short Interest: % Change Since 7312026-18.8%
Average Daily Volume2.6 Mil
Days-to-Cover Short Interest4.0 days
Basic Shares Quantity196.0 Mil
Short % of Basic Shares5.5%

Earnings Returns History

Updated 9/6/2026
Expand for More
 Forward Returns
Earnings Date1D Returns5D Returns21D Returns
9/2/20262.6%  
5/28/202622.4%25.6%8.9%
2/26/2026-0.1%3.0%3.2%
11/25/2025-2.0%4.0%-2.7%
8/27/20254.5%6.0%6.9%
5/29/2025-0.1%5.4%7.4%
2/27/2025-15.6%-22.3%-25.2%
11/21/2024-3.4%-3.2%-6.8%
...
SUMMARY STATS   
# Positive141313
# Negative101010
Median Positive4.6%6.4%8.9%
Median Negative-4.6%-3.5%-7.4%
Max Positive22.4%25.6%22.3%
Max Negative-15.6%-22.3%-25.2%
Collapse to Preview
 Forward Returns
Earnings Date1D Returns5D Returns21D Returns
9/2/20262.6%  
5/28/202622.4%25.6%8.9%
2/26/2026-0.1%3.0%3.2%
11/25/2025-2.0%4.0%-2.7%
8/27/20254.5%6.0%6.9%
5/29/2025-0.1%5.4%7.4%
2/27/2025-15.6%-22.3%-25.2%
11/21/2024-3.4%-3.2%-6.8%
8/28/2024-9.6%-11.4%-8.1%
5/30/20243.4%4.3%11.8%
2/29/202418.2%17.0%17.9%
11/28/202314.6%16.0%12.9%
8/23/2023-1.3%-0.1%-0.7%
5/31/20238.5%7.0%15.1%
2/22/20230.6%-1.9%-6.5%
11/29/2022-5.8%-12.1%-16.3%
8/24/20227.9%-0.9%-12.8%
6/1/20220.5%-3.4%-13.4%
2/23/2022-5.7%-3.6%2.6%
11/30/20210.7%2.0%3.2%
8/25/20214.7%8.6%13.8%
6/2/20212.1%6.4%6.4%
2/24/2021-14.5%-10.9%-1.8%
12/1/20209.4%11.8%22.3%
SUMMARY STATS   
# Positive141313
# Negative101010
Median Positive4.6%6.4%8.9%
Median Negative-4.6%-3.5%-7.4%
Max Positive22.4%25.6%22.3%
Max Negative-15.6%-22.3%-25.2%

SEC Filings

Expand for More
Report DateFiling DateFiling
07/31/202609/02/202610-Q
04/30/202606/05/202610-K
01/31/202602/26/202610-Q
10/31/202511/25/202510-Q
07/31/202508/27/202510-Q
04/30/202506/09/202510-K
01/31/202502/27/202510-Q
10/31/202411/25/202410-Q
07/31/202408/28/202410-Q
04/30/202406/10/202410-K
01/31/202402/29/202410-Q
10/31/202311/30/202310-Q
07/31/202308/29/202310-Q
04/30/202306/14/202310-K
01/31/202303/01/202310-Q
10/31/202212/01/202210-Q
Collapse to Preview
Report DateFiling DateFiling
07/31/202609/02/202610-Q
04/30/202606/05/202610-K
01/31/202602/26/202610-Q
10/31/202511/25/202510-Q
07/31/202508/27/202510-Q
04/30/202506/09/202510-K
01/31/202502/27/202510-Q
10/31/202411/25/202410-Q
07/31/202408/28/202410-Q
04/30/202406/10/202410-K
01/31/202402/29/202410-Q
10/31/202311/30/202310-Q
07/31/202308/29/202310-Q
04/30/202306/14/202310-K
01/31/202303/01/202310-Q
10/31/202212/01/202210-Q
07/31/202208/30/202210-Q
04/30/202206/16/202210-K
01/31/202203/02/202210-Q
10/31/202112/02/202110-Q
07/31/202109/02/202110-Q
04/30/202106/21/202110-K
01/31/202103/01/202110-Q
10/31/202012/03/202010-Q
07/31/202008/28/202010-Q
04/30/202006/15/202010-K
01/31/202002/18/202010-Q
10/31/201911/18/201910-Q

Recent Forward Guidance

Updated 9/3/2026

Latest: Q1 2027 Earnings Reported 9/2/2026

Forward GuidanceGuidance Change
MetricSourceLowMidHigh% Chg% DeltaChangePrior
Q2 2027 RevenueReported2.02 Bil2.10 Bil2.17 Bil15.1% Higher NewGuidance: 1.82 Bil for Q1 2027
Q2 2027 EPSReported1.972.022.0744.3% Higher NewGuidance: 1.4 for Q1 2027
2027 RevenueReported7.97 Bil8.10 Bil8.22 Bil8.7% RaisedGuidance: 7.45 Bil for 2027
2027 EPSReported7.357.57.6512.6% RaisedGuidance: 6.66 for 2027


Prior: Q4 2026 Earnings Reported 5/28/2026

Forward GuidanceGuidance Change
MetricSourceLowMidHigh% Chg% DeltaChangePrior
Q1 2027 RevenueReported1.75 Bil1.82 Bil1.90 Bil-2.4% Lower NewGuidance: 1.87 Bil for Q4 2026
Q1 2027 EPSReported1.351.41.45-22.7% Lower NewGuidance: 1.81 for Q4 2026
2027 RevenueReported7.33 Bil7.45 Bil7.58 Bil8.8% Higher NewGuidance: 6.85 Bil for 2026
2027 EPSReported6.516.666.818.8% Higher NewGuidance: 6.12 for 2026

Q3 2026 Earnings Reported 2/26/2026

Forward GuidanceGuidance Change
MetricSourceLowMidHigh% Chg% DeltaChangePrior
Q4 2026 RevenueReported1.79 Bil1.87 Bil1.95 Bil10.7% Higher NewGuidance: 1.69 Bil for Q3 2026
Q4 2026 GAAP EPSReported1.761.811.8615.3% Higher NewGuidance: 1.57 for Q3 2026
Q4 2026 Non-GAAP EPSReported2.212.262.3143.9% Higher NewGuidance: 1.57 for Q3 2026
2026 RevenueReported6.77 Bil6.85 Bil6.92 Bil1.4% RaisedGuidance: 6.75 Bil for 2026
2026 GAAP EPSReported6.076.126.172.5% RaisedGuidance: 5.97 for 2026
2026 Non-GAAP EPSReported7.927.978.0233.5% RaisedGuidance: 5.97 for 2026

Q2 2026 Earnings Reported 11/25/2025

Forward GuidanceGuidance Change
MetricSourceLowMidHigh% Chg% DeltaChangePrior
Q3 2026 RevenueReported1.61 Bil1.69 Bil1.76 Bil0 Same NewGuidance: 1.69 Bil for Q2 2026
Q3 2026 Operating MarginReported24.5%25.0%25.5%   
Q3 2026 EPSReported1.521.571.6212.1% Higher NewGuidance: 1.4 for Q2 2026
2026 RevenueReported6.62 Bil6.75 Bil6.88 Bil0 AffirmedGuidance: 6.75 Bil for 2026
2026 Operating MarginReported23.5%24.0%24.5%   
2026 EPSReported5.825.976.121.7% RaisedGuidance: 5.87 for 2026

Insider Activity

Updated 8/18/2026
Expand for More
#OwnerTitleHoldingActionFiling DatePriceSharesTransacted
Value
Value of
Held Shares
Form
1O'Callahan, Elizabeth MEVP, Chief Admin. OfficerDirectSell8122026193.821,000193,8205,872,165Form
2O'Callahan, Elizabeth MEVP, Chief Admin. OfficerDirectSell7142026170.921,000170,9205,349,283Form
3Cernuda, CesarPresidentDirectSell6252026154.8249,4647,657,8817,246,377Form
4O'Callahan, Elizabeth MEVP, Chief Admin. OfficerDirectSell6122026163.481,000163,4805,279,914Form
5Held, Gerald DirectSell6052026180.007,1321,283,7602,479,500Form
Collapse to Preview
#OwnerTitleHoldingActionFiling DatePriceSharesTransacted
Value
Value of
Held Shares
Form
1O'Callahan, Elizabeth MEVP, Chief Admin. OfficerDirectSell8122026193.821,000193,8205,872,165Form
2O'Callahan, Elizabeth MEVP, Chief Admin. OfficerDirectSell7142026170.921,000170,9205,349,283Form
3Cernuda, CesarPresidentDirectSell6252026154.8249,4647,657,8817,246,377Form
4O'Callahan, Elizabeth MEVP, Chief Admin. OfficerDirectSell6122026163.481,000163,4805,279,914Form
5Held, Gerald DirectSell6052026180.007,1321,283,7602,479,500Form
6De, Lorenzo DanielVP, Controller & CAODirectSell6032026171.0922538,495186,488Form
7De, Lorenzo DanielVP, Controller & CAODirectSell5202026120.0027533,000130,800Form
8O'Callahan, Elizabeth MEVP, Chief Admin. OfficerDirectSell5132026117.731,000117,7302,164,113Form
9O'Callahan, Elizabeth MEVP, Chief Admin. OfficerDirectSell414202696.251,00096,2501,865,518Form
10O'Callahan, Elizabeth MEVP, Chief Admin. OfficerDirectSell3122026100.671,000100,6702,051,856Form
11De, Lorenzo DanielVP, Controller & CAODirectSell2192026101.84252  Form
12O'Callahan, Elizabeth MEVP, Chief Admin. OfficerDirectSell2112026103.451,000103,4502,076,759Form
13O'Callahan, Elizabeth MEVP, Chief Admin. OfficerDirectSell1142026105.491,000105,4902,223,202Form
14O'Callahan, Elizabeth MEVP, Chief Admin. OfficerDirectSell12122025117.371,000117,3702,590,943Form
15De, Lorenzo DanielVP, Controller & CAODirectSell12032025110.0433  Form
16De, Lorenzo DanielVP, Controller & CAODirectSell11192025107.48327  Form
17O'Callahan, Elizabeth MEVP, Chief Admin. OfficerDirectSell11122025114.291,000114,2902,471,864Form
18O'Callahan, Elizabeth MEVP, Chief Admin. OfficerDirectSell10142025119.001,000119,0002,692,732Form
19De, Lorenzo DanielVP, Controller & CAODirectSell9292025121.87779  Form
20Kurian, GeorgeCEODirectSell9192025122.918,7501,075,46233,792,630Form
21O'Callahan, Elizabeth MEVP, Chief Admin. OfficerDirectSell9122025123.671,000123,6702,922,075Form
22Kurian, GeorgeCEODirectSell8202025108.858,500925,22530,879,439Form
23O'Callahan, Elizabeth MEVP, Chief Admin. OfficerDirectSell8122025105.901,000105,9002,462,281Form

Investor Activity (13F)

Updated Sep 6, 2026
13F holdings as of Mar 31, 2026 (Q1 2026)

Active managers (13F portfolio over $250M, at least 3 holdings) with a position over $5M that is either over 10% of their portfolio or held in a concentrated book of 50 or fewer total positions. Index/ETF, sovereign, bank, community-bank and charitable/donor-advised filers are excluded.

Active ManagerValue% of PortfolioTotal PositionsQoQFiling
Lyrical Asset Management LP$258.8 Mil3.9%39Hold13F
UNICOM Systems, Inc.$15.7 Mil1.6%32Hold13F
Active Manager
Active Manager
Active ManagerValue% of PortfolioTotal PositionsQoQFiling
Lyrical Asset Management LP$258.8 Mil3.9%39Hold13F
UNICOM Systems, Inc.$15.7 Mil1.6%32Hold13F

NTAP Trade Sentinel


Stock Conviction

Constructive

CONVICTION RATIONALE

NetApp is capitalizing on a structural AI-driven demand surge, evidenced by 47% all-flash revenue growth and a significant full-year guidance raise to 17% growth. While this re-acceleration is compelling, it is matched by a high-risk 182% inventory increase, making the durability of demand and margin stability the central points of contention.

STOCK ARCHETYPE
Hybrid Model: Durable Goods & Recurring Services

(Number of Hybrid Cloud systems sold × ASP) + (Installed base × support contract attach/renewal rate) + (Public Cloud consumption/subscriptions) The mix shift towards higher-margin Public Cloud services and the ability to maintain pricing power on all-flash systems to offset component cost inflation.

Looking for high-conviction positions with a better risk/reward profile? See what's currently in the Trefis High Quality Portfolio.
INVESTMENT THESIS
Is the AI-driven hardware refresh a durable, multi-year cycle justifying a major operational bet?

Evidence points to a structural demand shift, with revenue growth accelerating to 29.9% and management raising full-year guidance, suggesting the current cycle has legs.

Mechanism: Capturing enterprise AI spending drives high-performance all-flash array sales (up 47% YoY to $1.31 billion) and pulls through high-margin cloud services (up 28% YoY). Sustained demand at the guided 17% full-year growth rate would convert the current inventory build into significant profit and validate the company's strategic pivot.
Supporting Evidence:
  • All-flash array revenue accelerated to 47% year-over-year growth, reaching $1.31 billion.
  • The company raised its full-year 2027 revenue guidance to 17% growth at the midpoint.
  • Approximately 350 AI and data lake modernization deals were won in the latest quarter.
  • Remaining performance obligations, a measure of future revenue, grew 14% to $5.65 billion.
  • Public Cloud revenue grew 28% year-over-year to $206 million.
PRIMARY RISK
Massive Inventory Build Becomes a Margin Anchor

Inventory grew 182% year-over-year, massively outpacing 29.9% revenue growth. If the demand surge is a temporary pull-forward, not a structural shift, the company will be forced into heavy discounting and write-downs, severely compressing product gross margins from their current 54.6% level and erasing recent profit gains.

Mechanism: A material miss on revenue guidance or a sharp drop in product gross margin in the next earnings report.
Supporting Evidence:
  • Inventory grew 182% year-over-year, while revenue grew 29.9%.
  • The inventory-versus-revenue growth divergence was 152.1 percentage points in the latest quarter.
  • Management acknowledged results were helped by 'accelerated purchase decisions'.
  • Component costs are expected to remain elevated or increase in the near term.
Key KPI Watchlist
KPI Status Rationale
All-Flash Array (AFA) Revenue Growth$1.31 billion in Q1 FY27, representing 47% year-over-year growth. - AcceleratingThe year-over-year growth in All-Flash Array revenue has shown dramatic acceleration over the past three quarters, more than quadrupling from 11% in Q3 FY26 to 47% in the latest quarter. Management attributes this to customers standardizing on NetApp for mission-critical workloads, including AI pipelines.
Public Cloud Revenue Growth$206 million in Q1 FY27, representing 28% year-over-year growth (or 19% adjusted for an extra week). - StableAfter adjusting for the divestiture of the Spot business and an extra week in the latest quarter, Public Cloud revenue growth has been remarkably stable, holding in a tight high-teens range. Management attributes the growth to strong adoption of its first-party and marketplace storage services as customers migrate workloads, particularly VMware, to the cloud.
AI and data lake modernization dealsApproximately 350 (Q1 FY2027)This metric indicates the company's traction in the high-growth AI infrastructure market. An increasing number of deals suggests NetApp's platform is being chosen as a foundation for enterprise AI initiatives.
Core Investment Debate

Structural AI Demand vs. A Cyclical Inventory Glut

BULL VIEW

The 47% all-flash growth and 350 new AI deals signal a durable AI investment cycle. The inventory build is a prudent move to secure components and capture this multi-year demand, as validated by the 17% full-year growth guidance.

CORE TENSION

Can accelerating all-flash demand (up 47% YoY) absorb the 182% YoY inventory build before component supply normalizes and forces write-downs?


PREVAILING SENTIMENT
CAUTIOUSLY BULLISH

The latest evidence favors the bull case. Management's decision to raise full-year revenue guidance by 8.7% signals strong confidence in near-term demand, directly countering the inventory risk.

BEAR VIEW

The 182% inventory growth is a reckless gamble on a temporary demand spike fueled by price hikes and customer panic-buying. When this normalizes, NetApp will face a margin-crushing inventory overhang, a risk the market's neutral post-earnings reaction acknowledged.

Next 6 months: Risks and Catalysts
Timeline Event & Metric To Watch
10/21/2026
Peer IBM Earnings Report
Watch: Peer International Business Machines (IBM) is scheduled to report earnings.
10/27/2026
Peer Microsoft Earnings Report
Watch: Peer Microsoft (MSFT) is scheduled to report earnings.
on October 28, 2026
Quarterly Dividend Payment
Watch: A cash dividend of $0.52 per share of common stock is payable to shareholders of record as of October 9, 2026.
11/23/2026
Competitive Pressure Intensifies
Watch: Peer commentary from Dell on its earnings call regarding storage market share gains, pricing environment, or specific wins against NetApp in AI infrastructure.
12/1/2026
Inventory Overhang Materializes
Watch: Guidance miss, gross margin compression from write-downs, or a sharp sequential increase in inventory turns below the current level of 6.
12/1/2026
Component Cost Pass-Through Fails
Watch: Product gross margin falling below the range mentioned in transcripts, or management commentary indicating inability to offset further cost hikes.
12/1/2026
Next Quarterly Earnings Report
Watch: Company is scheduled to report its next quarterly earnings.
in September
Annual Customer Conference
Watch: Company to host annual customer conference, NetApp Insight, to showcase innovation in its platform, particularly for AI and high-growth markets.
Key Events in Last 6 Months
Date Event Stock Impact
2026-09-02
Fiscal 2027 Guidance Raised
Details: The company raised its full-year fiscal 2027 revenue guidance by $650 million, implying 17% year-over-year growth, and raised its EPS guidance midpoint to $9.88.
+1.2%
$183.16 -> $185.38
2026-09-02
Record Q1 Earnings Reported
Details: For the quarter ending 6/30/2026, the company reported record results with revenue up 29.9% year-over-year to $2.03 billion and non-GAAP EPS up 66% to $2.58.
+1.2%
$183.16 -> $185.38
2026-07-16
Acquisition of DataPelago
Details: The company acquired DataPelago, an AI data infrastructure company, for $193 million to eliminate data processing bottlenecks for AI and analytics workloads.
+1.1%
$162.10 -> $163.88
2026-05-28
Major Post-Earnings Stock Reaction
Details: Following the earnings call on May 28, 2026, the stock had a two-day reaction of 22.0%, significantly outperforming the S&P 500.
+22.1%
$142.31 -> $173.76
2026-04-22
Expanded Google Cloud Partnership
Details: The company announced a strategic evolution in its partnership with Google Cloud, enabling enterprises to drive AI innovation with data stored in the NetApp data platform.
-3.0%
$111.46 -> $108.07
2026-03-24
Strategic Cyber Resilience Alliance
Details: The company announced a strategic alliance with Commvault to deliver an integrated solution for enterprise data protection and cyber resilience.
+4.1%
$100.48 -> $104.64
Risk Management
Position Sizing

4% - 6%

NORMAL POSITION

Sizing is volatility-based: NTAP trades at roughly 46% annualized options-implied volatility versus about 12% for the S&P 500 (3.8x the market), around the 78th percentile of its own trailing year. A 4% - 6% position keeps a single-name swing of that size within a diversified portfolio's risk budget.

Diversification Alternatives
DELL - Dell Technologies
Scale and AI Server Exposure

Dell offers massive scale, with revenue 18.1 times that of NetApp, and dominant exposure to the high-performance AI server market, having booked $60.9 billion in AI orders in its latest quarter.

Core Thesis: Dell is a primary beneficiary of the AI infrastructure build-out across servers and storage, with its scale providing a potential cost advantage.
HPE - Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Diversified Enterprise IT

HPE provides broader exposure to enterprise IT, including networking and high-performance computing, and reported record orders, indicating strong, diversified demand beyond just storage.

Core Thesis: HPE benefits from the same AI and data center modernization trends but with a more diversified product portfolio across the enterprise stack.
How Is The Market Pricing NTAP?

A legacy hardware provider successfully executing a pivot to a software-centric, hybrid-cloud data platform, capitalizing on the AI infrastructure build-out.

NetApp provides the 'intelligent data infrastructure' that allows enterprises to manage data consistently across their own data centers and public clouds, a key capability in the AI era. The company is currently benefiting from a strong cyclical hardware refresh, which is being accelerated by enterprise AI investments. Simultaneously, its high-margin Public Cloud services business is scaling rapidly, providing a durable, long-term growth vector.

What will confirm the thesis

Continued double-digit growth in all-flash and Public Cloud revenues, increasing AI deal counts and sizes, and stable or improving product gross margins despite component cost pressures.

What will damage the thesis

A sharp deceleration in all-flash or Public Cloud growth, evidence of market share loss to competitors like Dell or HPE, or an inability to pass on component cost increases, leading to significant margin compression.

Noise: Real but irrelevant to thesis

Quarterly fluctuations in the smaller hybrid-flash business, news of partnerships for marketing events, or the launch of leveraged ETFs tied to the stock.

Repricing Catalyst

The company materially raised its full-year revenue and EPS guidance after a blowout first quarter, suggesting the market may be underestimating the strength and durability of the current AI-driven demand cycle.

What NTAP Makes & Who Pays
TTM figures based on the twelve months through fiscal Q1 2027
Hybrid Cloud
$6.7B TTM (90% of Total)
What It Is

This segment sells a portfolio of storage management and infrastructure solutions to enterprises and public sector organizations looking to modernize their data centers. Products include all-flash (AFF A-Series, C-Series) and hybrid-flash (FAS) storage systems, the foundational ONTAP software, and related support and professional services, including the Keystone Storage-as-a-Service offering.

Who Pays & How

Enterprises and government agencies pay for these solutions to handle data-intensive workloads, support both structured and unstructured data, and ensure cyber resilience. They choose NetApp for its unified platform that can manage data across on-premises, private cloud, and public cloud environments.

A mix of upfront payments for hardware and software products, recurring fees for support contracts, and subscription-based payments for the Keystone Storage-as-a-Service offering.
Competition
Competitors include a wide range of vendors, from those with broad IT portfolios to specialists in specific technologies, as well as cloud service providers' native offerings.
The company's moat is its flagship ONTAP software, which provides a unified data management platform, and its ability to offer a broad portfolio from high-performance all-flash to cost-effective hybrid-flash systems.
Public Cloud
$733M TTM (10% of Total)
What It Is

This segment provides a portfolio of products delivered primarily as-a-service to organizations using public clouds. Offerings include cloud storage, data services, and operational services available on AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, such as Azure NetApp Files and Amazon FSx for NetApp ONTAP.

Who Pays & How

Enterprises operating in the public cloud pay for enterprise-grade storage services that are natively embedded in the major cloud platforms. They use these services to migrate workloads (like VMware) to the cloud, manage data seamlessly, and connect their data to cloud-based AI services.

Primarily as-a-service, sold on either a subscription or consumption basis.
Competition
Competition includes the native storage services offered by the cloud service providers themselves, as well as other third-party software vendors.
NetApp is described as the only enterprise data infrastructure provider with first-party, enterprise-grade storage services natively integrated with all major public cloud providers (AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud).
NTAP Evolution: Price Return by Era
· Pioneering Storage Hardware
The company began as a pioneering storage hardware provider, establishing itself in the enterprise data center market with its storage systems.
· Hybrid Cloud Pivot
NetApp transformed into a 'software-driven, cloud-centric data infrastructure company.' This involved leveraging its ONTAP software to manage data across on-premises and cloud environments and establishing native, first-party storage services within the world's largest public clouds (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud).
c. 2025-2026 · AI Infrastructure Acceleration
+65%
The company is now capitalizing on the enterprise AI trend, positioning its high-performance all-flash storage and hybrid cloud platform as the ideal foundation for AI data pipelines. This has led to accelerating revenue growth, a rising number of AI-specific customer wins, and strategic acquisitions like DataPelago to enhance its AI capabilities.
Market Appears To Be Cautiously Supportive
Price structure is strongly bullish. The regime, trend, and proximity to highs all point towards intact institutional trend. Relative to SPY: Strong 63D outperformance but 'relative strength' momentum is fading, indicating that money rotation may be maturing. Volume and momentum show mild distribution. The selling pressure is present but not overwhelming. Earnings history is mildly supportive. The reaction or drift are positive but not both at full conviction.
① Structure
+4
Structural pillar score (-4 to +4). Driven by trend regime, SMA cross events, proximity to 52W high, and relative strength vs SPY.
② Volume / Momentum
-1
Volume/Momentum pillar score (-4 to +4). Driven by institutional footprint score, OBV divergence, and momentum character.
③ Catalyst
+1
Catalyst pillar score (-4 to +4). Driven by earnings day reaction, 20D post-earnings drift, and post-earnings volume character.
Combined Score
4 / 12
1 Price Structure & Trend Trending Up · Golden Cross
2 Momentum Pausing
3 Relative Strength vs. SPY Neutral Relative Strength
4 Institutional Footprint & Volume Neutral / Mixed
5 Volatility Normal
6 Key Price Levels Range · Vol Rising
7 Earnings Reaction History Inconsistent
8 How the Verdict Is Derived Three Pillars
Core Cache Last Updated: 9/5/2026