Autodesk Stock Price, News & Analysis

Starboard Value LP, a significant stockholder of Autodesk (NASDAQ: ADSK) with an ownership stake exceeding $500 million, has announced its intention to nominate director candidates for election at the upcoming annual meeting. The activist investor has delivered a letter to Autodesk shareholders highlighting concerns about the company's prolonged financial and operational underperformance and what they view as ineffective board oversight.

Starboard has outlined a strategic path targeting 45% underlying adjusted operating margins by FY2028. The investment firm believes a reconstituted board is necessary to address multiple objectives: instilling accountability, rebuilding credibility, restoring investor confidence, and improving overall performance. Starboard has expressed openness to constructive engagement with Autodesk's management and board.

Autodesk (NASDAQ: ADSK) has announced that its executives will participate in upcoming investor conferences. The company will provide live webcasts and replays of the presentations through their Investor Relations website at investors.autodesk.com.

Interested participants are advised to register 15 minutes before the events and ensure necessary software is installed. Additional information will be made available on the investor relations portal.

Autodesk (NASDAQ: ADSK) announced that Board member Mary T. McDowell will not seek re-election at the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. McDowell, who joined the Board in March 2010, has served for 15 years, contributing to the company's growth, profitability, and shareholder value creation.

This announcement follows the December 2024 news that Lorrie Norrington will also not stand for re-election, while John Cahill (former Chairman and CEO of Kraft Foods) and Ram Krishnan (Executive Vice President and COO of Emerson) joined the Board. These changes align with Autodesk's commitment to reduce its Board size while maintaining strong independent oversight with diverse expertise.

Autodesk (NASDAQ: ADSK) reported strong Q4 fiscal 2025 results with revenue growing 12% to $1.64 billion. The company achieved a GAAP operating margin of 22% and non-GAAP operating margin of 37%. Key financial metrics include GAAP diluted EPS of $1.40 and non-GAAP diluted EPS of $2.29.

The company announced a significant restructuring plan, including a 9% workforce reduction (approximately 1,350 employees) with expected pre-tax restructuring charges of $135-150 million. Design revenue increased 12% to $1.36 billion, while Make revenue grew 28% to $176 million.

For fiscal 2025, total revenue reached $6.13 billion, up 12% year-over-year, with recurring revenue representing 97% of total. Total subscriptions increased by 516,000 to 7.79 million. The company is focusing on cloud convergence, platform development, and AI implementation while optimizing its go-to-market functions.

Autodesk (NASDAQ: ADSK) has announced its upcoming fourth quarter fiscal 2025 financial results conference call, scheduled for Thursday, February 27, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time. The company will broadcast the call via a live webcast on their investor relations website. An audio replay will be made available after 5:00 p.m. PT on the same platform.

Autodesk has appointed Giant Spoon as its first-ever creative agency of record, marking a significant step in its brand evolution. The partnership aims to build on Autodesk's recent achievements, including its role as the Official Design and Make Platform of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Team USA.

Giant Spoon will manage Autodesk's major brand campaigns, creative assets, and brand media strategy, with the goal of reshaping the company's market presence. The collaboration comes as Autodesk seeks to expand its influence in the Design and Make industry, which currently employs 300 million people and is projected to reach $3 trillion in economic value by 2027.

The partnership will focus on showcasing customer success stories and innovations, aiming to establish Autodesk as the go-to platform for design and manufacturing needs globally.

Autodesk (NASDAQ: ADSK) has announced the appointment of two new independent directors to its Board: John Cahill, former Chairman and CEO of Kraft Foods, and Ram Krishnan, Executive Vice President and COO of Emerson, effective immediately. The appointments follow a comprehensive search process. Additionally, Lorrie Norrington will not seek re-election at the 2025 Annual General Meeting.

Cahill brings extensive leadership experience, having overseen the Kraft-Heinz merger and served in key roles at Pepsi Bottling Group. Krishnan contributes significant industrial technology and software expertise, particularly in complex lifecycle automation. These appointments are part of Autodesk's ongoing board refreshment, with five new independent directors added in the last six years. The company plans to reduce the board size by its 2025 Annual General Meeting.

UKG has announced Sarah Hodges as its new Chief Marketing Officer, effective January 6, 2025. Hodges brings over 20 years of marketing experience from global SaaS providers, currently serving as CMO at Procore Technologies (NYSE: PCOR). She previously held various roles at Autodesk, including general manager of ShotGrid and vice president of product management.

In her new role, Hodges will report to UKG President Rachel Barger and lead brand awareness, creative experiences, product and industry marketing, field marketing, and customer advocacy. This appointment is part of UKG's recent leadership expansion, which includes new executives in key positions such as Chief Communications Officer, President CFO, and Chief Product Officer.

M-Files has appointed Jay Bhatt as CEO, following the closing of a majority recapitalization led by Haveli Investments and Bregal Milestone. Bhatt brings extensive operational experience from his previous CEO roles at Alfresco Software, Blackboard, and Progress Software. Former CEO Antti Nivala will transition to Chief Innovation Officer and continue as Chairman of the Board. The leadership change coincides with the completion of the recapitalization deal on November 29, which included participation from CrossParadigm Capital, an investment firm led by Bhatt.