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Tom's Guide
3 days ago
- Tom's Guide
Asus TUF Gaming BE6500 router review: dual-band Wi-Fi 7 with top-flight wired performance
Wi-Fi Spec: BE6500Number of Antennas/Removable: 6/NoPorts: 1 WAN/3 LAN 2.5 gigabit per second, USB 3.2Processor/Memory/Storage: Quad-core1.5GHz/1GB/256MBWi-Fi chip: Qualcomm Immersive Home 326Peak 802.11be performance: 960.9 Mbps (at 15 feet)Range: 105 feetSize: 11.9 x 6.7 x 8.4 x 2.4 inchesEstimated Annual Electricity Cost: $18.65 It may not be the fastest wireless router around, but the Asus TUF Gaming BE6500 (aka TUF-BE6500) makes a design statement with a dual-band Wi-Fi 7 device that looks like nothing else and makes the most of its 2.5 Gbps connections with excellent wired Ethernet gaming connections. The TUF-BE6500's combination of game acceleration software and the ability to run as a traditional standalone router or as part of a mesh network gives the router extreme installation flexibility, while its ability to tap into a mobile phone's Internet connection in emergencies makes it a winner for non-stop gaming. It can even protect your rig with an extra layer of security software that others charge for. Forget about spending $500 or more because the TUF-BE6500 puts price first at just $200. It's also one of the rare networking devices with a three year warranty that should get you into the Wi-Fi 8 era. My Asus TUF Gaming BE6500 review will help you decide if this is the best gaming router for your home network or if it's worth taking a look at another one of the best Wi-Fi 7 routers instead. While Asus lists the Asus TUF Gaming BE6500 at $260 on the company's online store, it's a real bargain at Costco and other places where it can be had for as low as $200. This undercuts the price of many of its competitors in the Wi-Fi 7 gaming universe by hundreds. Rather than looking like a spaceship or a generic tower, Asus designers focused on an organic design aesthetic for the Asus TUF Gaming BE6500. Wedge shaped, the black device has cutouts on each side that makes it look like a Formula 1 steering wheel. More than good looks, the TUF-BE6500's open areas help dissipate heat that along with grilles underneath and an internal aluminum heat sink, help keep it from overheating without a fan. It topped out at 110 degrees Fahrenheit and doesn't need MSI RadiX AXE6600's use of exotic graphene coated heat sink fins. At 11.9 x 6.7 x 8.4 x 2.4 inches, it's small compared to other gaming routers, like the MSI RadiX AXE6600 or Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500. The unit's six antennas extend the height by 6.4 inches and can be aimed but not easily replaced. Its rubber feet won't scratch the furniture and the TUF-BE6500 can be wall mounted too. Compared to the undulating light shows that others put on, the router's row of five LEDs along the bottom are subtle to the point of being unnoticed. To see what's going on inside the router, I needed to lean over its edge. There are lights for power, action on the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands as well as for the WAN input and the downstream wired network. In addition to its power port, the TUF-BE6500 has four 2.5 Gbps Ethernet connections, one of which is taken up by the incoming broadband signal. That leaves three downstream 2.5 Gbps wired connections that to some will seem to be at least one short. For others, it will be enough. The router has a USB 3.2 port for connecting a data storage device that can move upwards of 5 Gbps with the right drive. Powered by Qualcomm's mid-range Immersive Home 326 Wi-Fi chip, the TUF-BE6500 should be plenty for home gamers looking for a little advantage online. Built around a quad-core 1.5GHz processor, the router has 1GB of RAM and 256MB of storage. The dual-band design uses 2X2 streaming for the 2.4GHz band and 4X4 streaming for the 5GHz band to move a theoretical 6.434 Gbps. That said, it does without access to Wi-Fi 7's 6GHz band with its ultra-wide 320MHz data channels for close up data blasting. Doing that might have doubled its throughput. Still, it brings together Wi-Fi 7's 4K Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) and Multi-Link Operations. The TUF BE-6500's low latency design makes data packets fly back and forth and includes gaming accelerators that can provide an advantage online. Plus, if your Internet connection goes down during a League of Legends bout, the TUF-BE6500 can quickly switch over to a backup mobile phone's online connection by plugging it in with a USB cable. Unlike other routers that ignore security for the sake of the game, Asus includes its AiProtection Pro software. In addition to the ability to use the router as a VPN server, the defenses include steering away from malicious sites, blocking infected machines from spreading their danger and periodically running a security assessment with recommendations. The best part is that while Netgear and others charge for this type of service, Asus includes it for free. Although not able to compete with tri-band Wi-Fi 7 routers, the TUF-BE6500 was a good basic Wi-Fi router based on extensive testing with Keysight's IxChariot network benchmark set to simulate 10 data-hungry users. It, however, did better as a wired router with the ability to move 4.653 Gbps over a 15 foot Ethernet cable – double the speed of routers costing much more. That said, it hit a peak of 1.150 Gbps of wireless throughput at close range. Still, it should be plenty for most gaming and home uses. Its Wi-Fi action at everyday distances was underwhelming with a throughput reading of 960.9 Mbps at 15 feet. This was well off the pace set by more expensive devices, like the TP-Link Deco BE63 (at 1.821 Gbps) or the Netgear Orbi 773 (1.721 Gbps). It was neck and neck with the MSI Roamii BE Lite at 970.3 Mbps. The TUF-BE6500 moved 336.1 Mbps at 50 feet, half the level of some of the others, but slightly ahead of the TP-Link Deco XE75 at 318.5 Mbps. It was middle of the pack at 75 feet with 189.4 Mbps at its disposal, putting it between the Deco XE75's 299.1 Mbps and the Roamii BE Lite's 172.8 Mbps. Asus TUF BE-6500 MSI Roamii BE Lite TP-Link Deco BE63 Netgear Orbi 773 TP-Link Deco XE75 15 feet 960.9 Mbps 970.3 Mbps 1.821 Gbps 1.721 Gbps 1.220 Gbps 50 feet 336.1 Mbps 470.5 Mbps 610.7 Mbps 391.1 Mbps 299.1 Mbps 75 feet 189.4 Mbps 172.8 Mbps 58.1 Mbps 199.2 Mbps 318.5 Mbps 90 feet 27.9 Mbps 46.7 Mbps 17.1 Mbps 54.2 Mbps 23.7 Mbps With the test system 90 feet from the router, it delivered 27.9 Mbps of data, putting it, again, right in the middle of the pack. The TUF-BE6500 had a range of 105 feet but fell short of filling my 3,500 square foot home with wireless data. When I set the gear up to send data across a 25 foot room, through a wall and into an adjacent room, it yielded an acceptable, but not stellar, 659.1 Mbps. By contrast, the Roamii BE Lite's 920.8 Mbps was better. It did a great job of being a general all-around router over two weeks of daily use. Able to satisfy several data hungry users at once, it easily passed my saturation test where four systems were moving gobs of data. In addition to an Acer Swift Edge 16 showing 4K videos, a MacBook played Spotify music and an HP Dragonfly played the BBC WorldService radio feed. All this was happening while an HP Envy desktop moved data onto and off a networked RAID server. All the audio and video came through without artifacts, drop-outs or skips. The router's 13.3 watt power use matches the consumption of others in its class. If the TUF-BE6500 is left on 24/7, expect to pay $18.65 a year to use it if you pay the national average of 16 cents per kilowatt hour of electricity. It's easy to set the TUF-BE6500 up with a connected browser or with the Asus Router app for either Android or iOS. I chose the app approach with my Galaxy S24 phone that started with a welcome screen. Unlike others, it didn't require an account, but you might want to set one up anyway because it allows remote monitoring and operations. I picked the TUF-BE6500 from a photo list. It immediately found the new router, but there's also connection information linked to a QR code under the router, just in case. I tapped 'Get Started' to begin the actual installation. The app quickly detected my Internet connection and I added a new LAN name and password. There's a provision for setting up a parallel 2.4GHz IoT network. After adding local log in information, the TUF-BE6500 set itself up, upgraded its firmware and ran a network optimization routine to streamline connections. It ended with a screen showing its key connection data and offered to save it. The router took 10 minutes to get going and worked on the first attempt. While using the app is very visual, the browser interface is deep with lots of customization options. The interface's Network map's overall dark appearance is highlighted with gold outlines and a central blue section. It requires a lot of scrolling and setting the browser to 67% is a nice compromise. A big bonus is that the interface provides more relevant performance data than most other routers with overall memory usage as well as CPU usage figures for all four processing cores and color-coded wired port connections. Its left side is dominated by a long list of tab links that include configuring it as a VPN server, Wireless and Internet settings. There's a way to rerun the setup routine to start fresh. The Traffic Analyzer tracks the data flow based on the client or app, making it a multi-purpose tool for monitoring the network's performance. It needs to be turned on at the top of the screen. At the AIProtection tab, I found a nice appraisal of the security situation and places to turn on the defenses or customize them. At the other extreme, the Game Boost section has lots of gaming goodies; more on that later. There're thorough port forwarding instructions with profiles for popular games to match the data flow with the on-screen action. On the other hand, it lacks forwarding protocols for popular gaming consoles. While it worked well as a traditional router, the TUF-BE6500 can be part of an AiMesh network. The interface has places for current nodes and adding clients as well as optimizing the data flow. If your broadband connection goes bad, it takes less than a minute to use an Android or iPhone as a mobile Internet connection for fail-safe gaming. After plugging the phone into the router's USB port, the USB section of the home page reflects the phone's connection. Click on it to establish the connection. The basics aside, the TUF-BE6500's Advanced section has a slew of options, including using any of four VPN server settings, including WireGuard. It can connect to several VPN servers at once with Asus's VPN Fusion software. By contrast, the app only works in portrait mode that's great for phones and not so great for tablets. Its interface is just as dark, although there's the choice of three other themes, including a bright white one. The Home screen has a prominent Real-time traffic window that shows up- and download speeds, while the current networks and IP address are above. Along the bottom is access to the router's configuration and options with five tabs. They can show a list of devices, the Insight section let me impose the more secure https protocol while the Family area had details for using the parental controls. The Settings tab is the gateway to a wide assortment of connection info and options, mirroring the browser's tabs with QOS, LAN, WAN and firmware upgrade. The USB tab is an essential stop for setting up an external drive as a Samba media server. Asus's three year warranty on the TUF-BE6500 is excellent compared to the year or two of coverage for the competition. It includes life-of-product support, instead of Netgear's 90 day support policy. In addition to the expected downloads of firmware and the manual, the site has a good assortment of FAQs for common problems. The Game Boost section has lots for gamers – serious or casual. This starts with network game acceleration that boosts access to networked data. There's also the Mobile Game Mode that can turn your phone or tablet into a gaming powerhouse. It's part of the Asus Router app and has a quick three-step port forwarding routine for eight popular games and the ability to add rules for others. Finally, like competitors, the TUF-BE6500 has access to the Gamers Private Network's WTFast to find the best location globally to game. It requires registration, though. Its dedicated Ping interface can send time packets for round-trip analysis. Unlike others, it offers the choice of 17 different diagnostic designations. By balancing economy with basic Wi-Fi 7 technology and the most importantly, high-end gaming features, Asus has created a unicorn of a gaming router that can help blast aliens or speed up Mario Kart without killing an entire paycheck doing so. The dual-band router provides enough wireless throughput for most but I wonder what its performance would have been like if Asus engineers had included the high-performance 6GHz band. We'll never know but the TUF-BE6500 ironically sets the pace with wired Ethernet connections that easily outperform more expensive routers. In other words, get those Cat 6 cables ready for your next gaming session. The TUF-BE6500 tops this off with a gang of gaming help, including boosters, access to the GPN WTFast network and the ability to use a mobile phone as a backup Internet connection. For the paranoid gamer (and who isn't these days), the TUF-BE6500 adds extra online security and VPN compatibility. Price is the best part, regardless if you're chasing aliens or being chased by zombies. With other gaming routers costing twice the Asus TUF-BE6500's $200, it's for those who want to game hard without the cold hard cash.
Tom's Guide
4 days ago
- Tom's Guide
Acer Predator Connect T7 review: the Wi-Fi 7-powered gaming mesh router to beat
Wi-Fi Spec: BE11000Number of Antennas/Removable: 6/NoPorts: 1 2.5 Gbps WAN/2 1 Gbps LAN, USB-CProcessor/Memory/Storage: Quad-core 1.5GHz/1GB/512MBWi-Fi chip: Qualcomm IPQ5322 and QCN 6274802.11ax performance: 1.914 Gbps (at 15 feet)Range: 115 feetSize: 8.6 x 4.3 x 4.3 inchesEstimated Annual Electricity Cost: $32.80 If you're looking to up your gaming experience without buying a new graphics-intensive rig, look to Acer's Predator Connect T7 mesh router and node. While you'll have to buy them one at a time and there's a distinct port shortage, the Wi-Fi 7 mesh system makes the most out of a high-speed broadband connection to fill a home with instant gaming gratification. The design features low latency, Intel's Killer Prioritization engine and one of the easiest and quickest set up routines around. In other words, you'll be pounding the W-A-S-D keys in a few minutes. By combining good overall performance with top range, the Predator T7 can be the family's all-around high-performance router that's as good at retrieving email and distributing 4K videos as making the online gaming experience more competitive. It falls short of being a top zombie killer, though, with only two wired networking ports that top out at a maximum speed of 1 Gbps and the system lacks software gamer gotta-haves like a Ping heat map and the ability to geofence a region. Still, Acer's Predator Connect T7 can provide a way to make online gaming faster and better. My Acer Predator Connect T7 review will help you decide if this is the best gaming router for your needs along with whether or not it's also one of the best Wi-Fi 7 routers you can get right now. The Predator Connect T7 mesh units are available individually on Acer's shopping site and Amazon for $330 each. There're no multipacks available in the U.S., but Acer is working on it. Unfortunately, this means that making a network from a trio of Predator T7s costs close to $1,000. Each device can cover 3,000 square feet, according to Acer engineers. That adds up to mansion-sized coverage with three or more units. While other gaming routers strive for odd individualistic designs that focus on menacing otherworldly motifs, Acer designers have been more restrained with the Predator 7's square monolithic towers. Available in black or white, they should be easy to hide at 8.6 x 4.3 x 4.3 inches. As you'll see, the Predator T7's bland looks may be deceiving, potentially making it the stealth router of the year. Its extensive venting on top is lit with the Predator logo and there's a discrete light bar up front. It pulses bluish green when data is flowing smoothly and turns red when it's offline. Powered by Qualcomm's IPQ5322 and QCN6724 chips, the tri-band Predator T7 plays a name game by calling the host router its 'Controller' and the node its 'Agent'. Either way, it yields 2X2 streaming across the 2.4GHz, 5.0GHz and 6GHz Wi-Fi bands, while others extract higher short range performance by doubling up on the 6GHz band with 4X4 streaming. Able to take advantage of Multi-Link Operations (MLO), the Predator T7 uses 4K Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) and Acer's hybrid Quality of Service (QOS) routine for picking who gets first dibs on the Internet connection's data flow. It adds up to a potential streaming of up to a peak theoretical throughput of 10.662 Gbps. In other words, it should satisfy those with 1 Gbps data plans. The device has a vertical array of six antennas arranged to deliver a spherical transmission pattern and a low latency design that yields short ping values. It uses Intel's Killer Prioritization engine and Qualcomm's packet allocation algorithm to streamline the data movement while taking stress off the processor during intense intervals. A big bonus for consoles, like the PlayStation 5, Xbox, Switch 2 and Steam Deck, are the Predator T7's port forwarding details. On the other hand, it lacks gaming router gotta-haves, like software accelerators as well as a ping heat map to show areas of fast and slow connections or gaming accelerators. Its 2.5 Gbps broadband input is the ticket of entry to the gaming world these days, but it pales in comparison to those with 5 and 10 Gbps ports, like TP-Link's Archer GE650 and Archer GE800. Plus, the Predator T7's two downstream LAN ports are rated at 1 Gbps. In other words, it's adequate but not impressive, although the port marked Gaming in green gets top dog priority of the data flow. There's a WPS button for quickie connections with new devices as well as a USB-C port on the back for connecting a data drive. However, it uses the USB 2.0 protocol for peak transfers of 480 Mbps. In addition to a recessed reset key underneath, the Predator T7 has an On/Off switch. The network names, passwords and the administrative credentials are printed on a label underneath. Built-in router security software from Trend Micro rounds out the package with traffic monitoring for suspicious sources and data flow. Unlike others that charge an annual security fee, the router's basic defenses are included with a lifetime of updates. It can be turned on with one tap of the app. With the two units I set up in my 3,500 square foot home, I flogged the Predator T7 daily for a variety of tasks. It didn't quite reach the house's periphery and a third unit would likely have done the trick for whole-house coverage. I used Keysight's IxChariot networking benchmark set to simulate 10 data-hungry users and an Acer Swift Edge 16 notebook to gauge its performance. Zombies and aliens take note, the Predator T7 moved upwards of 2.165 Gbps close up and 1.914 Gbps at 15 feet. That's well off the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 at 2.956 Gbps and the Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 at 2.396 Gbps, but they are high-performance traditional routers that cost at least twice as much. Throughput Acer Predator Connect T7 Asus ROG Rapture GT6 Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 15 feet 1.914 Gbps 1.398 Gbps 2.956 Gbps 2.396 Gbps 50 feet 476.0 Mbps 399.0 Mbps 267.9 Mbps 215.8 Mbps 75 feet 231.5 Mbps 273.8 Mbps 98.3 Mbps 148.6 Mbps 90 feet 121.0 Mbps 5.6 Mbps -- 18.9 Mbps With the host router (err, Controller) and test system 50 feet apart, a distance where many mesh systems lag, the throughput dropped to 476.0 Mbps. This easily led the pack, making the Predator T7 an excellent router for mid-sized abodes. At 75 feet, the Predator T7 moved 231.5 Mbps, putting it in the middle between the faster Asus ROG Rapture GT6 (at 273.8 Mbps) but ahead of the ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 (98.3 Mbps) and Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 (148.6 Mbps). It had a range of 115 feet versus between 85 and 95 feet for the others, making it the long distance champ. At 90 feet, it delivered 121.0 Mbps, when others were either offline or moving a few megabits a second. When sending the Wi-Fi data signal across a 20 foot room and through a wall, the Predator T7 was a mediocre player at 654.9 Mbps. This should be plenty of throughput but lagged behind the ROG Rapture GT6's 1.272 Gbps. Later, with the node (aka Agent) set up a floor above the host (Controller), the network pushed 517.1 Mbps to the test system 40 feet away. Again, it was well behind the GT6's 771.8 Mbps. Over two weeks of intensive daily use, the Predator T7 came through on emailing, downloading and streaming movies while I played games online and watched others play on Twitch. It stood up to several devices demanding data, such as when I tried to overload the network by playing 4K video on an Acer Swift Edge 16, while I was using a MacBook Air to stream the BBC World Service's news feed and my Samsung Galaxy Book was playing Spotify music. All this was happening while my HP Dragonfly system was moving data onto and off my network RAID server. All the items came through without a hiccup, lost frame or freeze up. Its power use is on a par with other Wi-Fi 6E and 7 mesh systems at 13.3 watts for the host and 10.1 watts for the node. If they're left on 24/7, expect to have an annual electricity bill of $32.80 for the two devices if you pay the national average of 16 cents per kilowatt hour. By contrast, the Wi-Fi 6E based Asus ROG Rapture GT6 should cost $38.90 a year using the same criteria. While banging data packets back and forth, the Predator T7 kept its cool without needing a fan. It hit a peak of 104.7 degrees Fahrenheit during testing. As is the case with most mesh products, Acer provides the choice of using a connected browser and the Predator Connect app to set it up and make changes; there are versions for iOS and Android. I started by creating an account on my Galaxy S25 phone followed by an email verification. After tapping '+' in the upper right, I picked the Predator T7 from a photo list. The units came pre-paired with the host marked as Controller and the node as Agent. I chose to set it up as a mesh LAN rather than as a standalone router and set the phone to the router's default network using the info printed underneath. Back at the app, everything was automatically set up in a minute. It took all of 6 minutes and 10 seconds – half the time normally allotted to setting up a mesh network. Unfortunately, the process named the node (oops, Agent) as the 'living room'. I later changed it. The Predator T7 can be adjusted and optimized with the app or a connected browser. Using a browser, the system connects easily and zooming out to 50- or 67-percent let me see most of the options without having to squint too much. With a dark interface, the Predator T7's Dashboard shows the must-see items, like whether it's online, the network topology and current data traffic. It adds a real-time speed indicator. It shows lists of connected clients for the main and guest LANs below as well as how long it's been online and what wired resources are being used. Along the left are tabs for main categories for the router, including details for using the device's Hybrid QOS routine. It does the basics well with places to check the WAN settings, change the Wi-Fi network names and passwords as well as repeat the setup. I particularly like the IPV6 configuration choices with Stateful IPV6 or the SLAAC Stateless IPV6 or as a SLAAC Recursive DNS server – something that many expensive routers ignore. The links to the device's User Manual and app download QR code are helpful as are the Home Security section's on/off switches for its protective measures. Meanwhile the System link has everything from changing the password to backing up the router's settings to remotely restarting the device. While the Main LED entry explains the different colors and allowed me to dim them on the router at night, I couldn't find a way to turn the node's lights off, however. The app's look and feel is similar but only works in portrait mode, so it's better for phones than tablets. Just as dark, it's augmented by photos and illustrations, starting with the My Devices entry page that shows the hardware and if it's online. It leads to the LAN map and networking components on the Mesh Wi-Fi page that offers an array of details. Below the surface are the node's signal strength, changing the backhaul wireless connection. It's where I found the place to change the node's name from 'living room' to 'office''. There are three other tabs below for a client list, Boost for using the router's Network Address Translation acceleration and the Hybrid QOS. The Settings gear on the right mirrors the browser interface with items for Device Information, Firmware Upgrade and using the Trend Micro Security. Finally, the three line hamburger link in the upper left pulls an auxiliary menu out. It can take you to the My Devices page, change the language and see any pending notifications. There's a contact section for sending an email to Acer's support people. The Predator T7's one year warranty is standard and adequate but can't compare with the two years of coverage provided by Asus for their gaming products. Its lifetime support is, however, much better than Netgear's 90 day policy. The site has a slew of DIY material, from firmware upgrades to setup help to access to the manual. It may not have all the gaming bells and whistles that can help turn an online bout into an intergalactic rout, but Acer's Predator Connect T7 can speed the data flow significantly. Its low latency design is matched by all of Wi-Fi 7's performance-oriented updates and access to Intel's Killer Prioritization engine. For those who are wary of the potential complexity of installing and using a gaming router, the Predator Connect T7's set up process is just about automatic and one of the quickest mesh installations on the planet. Its easy configuration process can make quick work of tweaking and optimizing the network's performance. Its use of Trend Micro security to keep the bad guys out is the icing on the online cake. The result is reasonable performance with good mid-range data flow and excellent range so that it should fill most homes with Wi-Fi. It's not without qualms, however, because the Predator T7 has only two downstream LAN ports for wired connections and they both max out at 1 Gbps – hardly inspiring for hardcore gamers. Available one at a time, my advice for small homes or apartments is to get a single Predator T7 and spend the difference on a couple of new games. For now, larger homes will require buying a few Predator T7s one at a time.
Business Insider
7 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Cisco price target raised to $67 from $63 at Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs raised the firm's price target on Cisco (CSCO) to $67 from $63 and keeps a Neutral rating on the shares. The company announced enterprise oriented networking solutions which should strengthen its longer-term position within campus networking refresh opportunities related to Wi-Fi 7 and AI-driven upgrades, the analyst tells investors in a research note. The firm adds however that while these new solutions should better position Cisco within the ongoing campus networking refresh cycle, these new products may take time to ramp and see customer adoption. Confident Investing Starts Here:
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SWKS Q1 Earnings Call: Stable Mobile Demand, Leadership Changes, and Growing Diversification
Wireless chips maker Skyworks Solutions (NASDAQ: SWKS) met Wall Street's revenue expectations in Q1 CY2025, but sales fell by 8.9% year on year to $953.2 million. The company expects next quarter's revenue to be around $940 million, coming in 2.8% above analysts' estimates. Its non-GAAP profit of $1.24 per share was 3.1% above analysts' consensus estimates. Is now the time to buy SWKS? Find out in our full research report (it's free). Revenue: $953.2 million vs analyst estimates of $952.9 million (8.9% year-on-year decline, in line) Adjusted EPS: $1.24 vs analyst estimates of $1.20 (3.1% beat) Revenue Guidance for Q2 CY2025 is $940 million at the midpoint, above analyst estimates of $914.4 million Adjusted EPS guidance for Q2 CY2025 is $1.24 at the midpoint, above analyst estimates of $1.05 Operating Margin: 10.2%, down from 18.1% in the same quarter last year Inventory Days Outstanding: 110, up from 102 in the previous quarter Market Capitalization: $11.25 billion Skyworks Solutions' results this quarter were shaped by ongoing shifts in the mobile and wireless connectivity sectors. CEO Philip Brace, on his first earnings call since stepping into the role, highlighted the company's diversified portfolio and its execution on multiple new product launches as key contributors. Management pointed to typical seasonal patterns in mobile, with demand normalizing after the holiday period and new launches driving activity with leading customers. In the company's diversified segment, growth was attributed to momentum in Automotive, Edge IoT, and accelerating adoption of Wi-Fi 7, with Brace noting, 'Demand signals are firming, bookings are improving, and in most segments, we're seeing inventory normalization across the distribution channel.' Looking ahead, management's guidance is underpinned by expectations for continued sequential growth in its broad markets segment and a measured approach to cost control and investment. Brace emphasized the company's focus on capitalizing on emerging trends such as increasing RF content in automotive and edge devices, as well as the expansion of Wi-Fi 7, stating, 'Our position in next generation product cycles from automotive connectivity to edge IoT to timing reinforces our long-term trajectory.' CFO Kris Sennesael flagged ongoing monitoring of tariffs and a dynamic supply chain environment, while outlining plans to maintain investment in innovation despite external uncertainties. The company's updated leadership team is expected to support these strategic priorities over the coming quarters. Management attributed the quarter's performance to typical mobile seasonality, improving diversification, and strategic cost discipline, while also implementing key leadership changes. Mobile segment seasonality: The mobile business experienced a sequential decline in line with post-holiday patterns, but benefited from new product launches with major smartphone customers. Management emphasized the need to deliver higher-performance radio-frequency (RF) components as devices shift to more AI-driven workloads. Diversified business momentum: The company's broad markets portfolio, including Automotive, Edge IoT, and industrial, achieved its fifth consecutive quarter of growth. CEO Philip Brace pointed to early-stage adoption of Wi-Fi 7 and increasing RF content in connected vehicles as primary drivers. Inventory normalization: Management stated that the extended inventory correction following the pandemic appears to be largely complete across most segments, with improved booking trends and channel sell-through indicating a more stable demand environment. Operational efficiency and margin focus: Skyworks continued executing on cost reduction initiatives and operational efficiencies, which, along with a favorable product mix, helped gross margins outperform internal expectations despite overall revenue declines. Executive leadership transition: The company announced that Mark Dentinger will succeed Kris Sennesael as CFO, and Todd Lepinski will take over as SVP of Sales and Marketing, signaling a refreshed leadership lineup to drive future strategic initiatives. Skyworks expects broad market growth and product innovation to drive next quarter's results, while remaining attentive to operational and macroeconomic risks. Broad markets growth trajectory: Management anticipates continued momentum in the Automotive and Edge IoT segments, especially as Wi-Fi 7 adoption accelerates and vehicles increasingly rely on advanced wireless connectivity. These trends are expected to expand RF content per device and support sequential growth. Cost controls and margin management: The company plans to maintain disciplined cost structures and focus on operational efficiency, aiming to protect gross margins even as utilization rates vary across manufacturing sites. This includes ongoing investment in technology development, rather than significant capacity expansion. Tariff and supply chain uncertainty: While management currently sees limited direct impact from changing tariffs, they remain vigilant in monitoring the global trade environment. The company's diversified supply chain and manufacturing presence in regions like Mexico are seen as buffers against potential disruptions. In upcoming quarters, the StockStory team will watch for (1) sustained growth in Automotive and Edge IoT segments, particularly as Wi-Fi 7 adoption expands; (2) execution by the refreshed leadership team on strategic and operational priorities; and (3) management's ability to navigate evolving tariffs and supply chain dynamics. Progress in technology development and product launches will also be important to track. Skyworks Solutions currently trades at a forward P/E ratio of 19×. Should you double down or take your chips? The answer lies in our full research report (it's free). The market surged in 2024 and reached record highs after Donald Trump's presidential victory in November, but questions about new economic policies are adding much uncertainty for 2025. While the crowd speculates what might happen next, we're homing in on the companies that can succeed regardless of the political or macroeconomic environment. Put yourself in the driver's seat and build a durable portfolio by checking out our Top 5 Strong Momentum Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025). 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 Comfort Systems (+782% 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
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
ZD Q1 Earnings Call: Ad Markets Drive Growth, Profit Falls Short of Expectations
Digital media company Ziff Davis (NASDAQ:ZD) reported revenue ahead of Wall Street's expectations in Q1 CY2025, with sales up 4.5% year on year to $328.6 million. The company's full-year revenue guidance of $1.47 billion at the midpoint came in 0.9% above analysts' estimates. Its non-GAAP profit of $1.14 per share was 8.5% below analysts' consensus estimates. Is now the time to buy ZD? Find out in our full research report (it's free). Revenue: $328.6 million vs analyst estimates of $324 million (4.5% year-on-year growth, 1.4% beat) Adjusted EPS: $1.14 vs analyst expectations of $1.25 (8.5% miss) Adjusted EBITDA: $100.2 million vs analyst estimates of $100.1 million (30.5% margin, in line) The company reconfirmed its revenue guidance for the full year of $1.47 billion at the midpoint Management reiterated its full-year Adjusted EPS guidance of $6.96 at the midpoint EBITDA guidance for the full year is $523.5 million at the midpoint, above analyst estimates of $518.6 million Operating Margin: 10.7%, in line with the same quarter last year Market Capitalization: $1.41 billion Ziff Davis's first quarter highlighted the impact of shifting revenue streams and disciplined cost control across its diversified digital portfolio. CEO Vivek Shah attributed revenue gains to strong growth in Tech and Shopping, fueled by both organic expansion and recent acquisitions, as well as solid advertising performance in Gaming and Entertainment and Health and Wellness. Shah noted that four out of five business segments delivered growth, pointing to margin expansion in CNET and a strategic focus on higher-margin B2B offerings. He acknowledged that the Cybersecurity and Martech segment declined due to timing effects, but emphasized continued momentum in advertising markets and a stable subscription base, stating, 'Our advertising markets—Tech and Shopping, Health and Wellness, Gaming and Entertainment—were strong in Q1 and hold promise for the year.' Looking ahead, Ziff Davis management reaffirmed its full-year outlook, citing confidence in advertising demand, ongoing M&A activity, and expected recovery in segments that underperformed. Shah emphasized that the company is poised for growth acceleration, particularly in Connectivity, with anticipated benefits from Wi-Fi 7 adoption and stabilization in the VPN business. He also highlighted the importance of diversification, ongoing cost management, and capital allocation strategies, including share repurchases and acquisitions. However, Shah flagged macroeconomic uncertainty and potential tariff impacts as areas of caution, noting, 'We remain cautiously optimistic. Obviously, there's a meaningful amount of uncertainty in the world right now.' Management pointed to broad-based advertising growth, successful cost reductions, and active capital allocation as primary contributors to quarterly performance. Margins remained stable despite a mixed segment performance and increased investments. Tech and Shopping momentum: The segment grew nearly 18%, benefiting from organic gains, M&A, and a focus on margin expansion, particularly at CNET and through a 'shrink-to-grow' strategy in B2B that prioritized profitable contracts over unprofitable revenue. Advertising strength across verticals: Tech and Shopping, Gaming and Entertainment, and Health and Wellness all saw robust ad revenue growth, supported by category leadership and direct client relationships; subscription and licensing revenues remained stable in key areas. Connectivity segment poised for rebound: While Connectivity grew 5%, management expects further acceleration with increased demand for wireless networking tools like Ekahau, driven by Wi-Fi 7 deployments and strong results from Speedtest and Downdetector. Cybersecurity and Martech softness: This segment declined due to prior-year timing benefits but is expected to recover in the second half, aided by a stabilizing VPN business and new acquisitions. Active M&A and capital deployment: Ziff Davis closed two acquisitions in Q1 and continues to see compelling opportunities across all segments. The company also repurchased 750,000 shares during the quarter and plans to maintain an active pace of buybacks, citing undervaluation of its stock. Management projects growth driven by continued advertising demand, product innovation, and acquisition integration, while noting that macroeconomic and regulatory risks could affect outcomes. Advertising and market trends: Management expects advertising growth to remain steady, with particular optimism around the Health and Wellness segment following strong annual upfront commitments in pharmaceutical advertising. They also anticipate a positive impact from upcoming gaming releases on ad budgets. Connectivity and technology adoption: The rollout of Wi-Fi 7 is expected to boost demand in the Connectivity segment, especially for Ekahau's wireless tools. Management believes this will drive a reacceleration in the segment and maintain industry-leading margins above 50%. Capital allocation and M&A activity: Ziff Davis plans to continue balancing acquisitions and share repurchases, leveraging its robust balance sheet. Management cautions that macroeconomic volatility, tariffs, and regulatory changes could impact advertising budgets and acquisition opportunities. In upcoming quarters, our team will monitor (1) the pace of recovery in the Cybersecurity and Martech segment, particularly organic VPN growth; (2) the impact of Wi-Fi 7 adoption on Connectivity's top line and margins; and (3) continued execution of M&A integration and share repurchases. We will also track advertising market dynamics and any regulatory or macroeconomic shifts that could influence segment performance. Ziff Davis currently trades at a forward P/E ratio of 4.7×. In the wake of earnings, is it a buy or sell? See for yourself in our full research report (it's free). 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