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Rambus Inc (RMBS)
NASDAQ:RMBS

Rambus (RMBS) AI Stock Analysis

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RMBS

Rambus

(NASDAQ:RMBS)

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Neutral 65 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:65Neutral
Price Target:
$112.00
▲(9.12% Upside)
Action:DowngradedDate:02/19/26
The score is primarily driven by strong profitability and balance-sheet strength, partially offset by the major red flag of 2025 cash-flow weakness versus earnings. Technicals are mixed with weakening near-term momentum, valuation looks expensive at a ~49 P/E, and the earnings call was constructive but tempered by near-term supply-chain-driven guidance uncertainty.
Positive Factors
Revenue scaling and product momentum
Sustained top-line scaling and a record product year (41% YoY) reflect durable product-market fit and expanding design wins. A growing product mix alongside licensing royalties supports recurring revenue streams and long-term revenue diversification beyond one-time deals.
High, sustainable gross margins
Consistently high gross margins (target 60–65%) indicate structural pricing power from IP and specialized silicon. High gross margins support operating leverage as revenue scales, enabling investment in R&D and new product ramps while preserving profitability through cycles.
Conservative balance sheet and cash reserves
Very low leverage and a large cash stockpile provide financial flexibility to fund R&D, licensing enforcement, M&A or absorb cyclical slippage. A conservative balance sheet lowers solvency risk and supports strategic investments during product ramp periods.
Negative Factors
Weak 2025 cash conversion
A near-zero operating cash flow and dramatic FCF decline in 2025 undermines earnings quality and raises cash-conversion risk. Persistent working-capital volatility or one-offs could constrain reinvestment capacity, stress capital allocation, and require corrective financial management.
Platform and market timing concentration
Material revenue from MRDIMM/Gen5 is tied to external platform rollouts, shifting meaningful upside into later years. This concentration creates structural timing risk: delayed partner platform launches or OEM cadence changes can push revenue and margin realization beyond current planning horizons.
CFO departure and leadership transition
A CFO exit during a period of cash-conversion scrutiny and product ramps introduces governance and execution risk. Interim leadership aids continuity, but a search and handoff can slow financial program execution, investor communication, and complex capital decisions while transition completes.

Rambus (RMBS) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Rambus Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionRambus Inc. provides semiconductor products in the United States, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Europe, Canada, Singapore, China, and internationally. The company offers DDR memory interface chips, including DDR5, DDR4 and DDR3 memory interface chips to module manufacturers and OEMs; silicon IP comprising, interface and security IP solutions that move and protect data in advanced applications; and physical interface and digital controller IP to offer industry-leading, integrated memory and interconnect subsystems. It also provides a portfolio of patents that covers memory architecture, high-speed serial links, and security products. The company markets its products and services through its direct sales force and distributors. Rambus Inc. was incorporated in 1990 and is headquartered in San Jose, California.
How the Company Makes MoneyRambus generates revenue primarily through its licensing model, where it licenses its patented technologies to semiconductor manufacturers and other technology firms. Key revenue streams include royalties from licensing agreements for memory interface technologies, security solutions, and chip designs. The company has established significant partnerships with major players in the semiconductor industry, which contribute to its earnings by ensuring a steady stream of licensing income. Additionally, Rambus engages in strategic collaborations and joint ventures that expand its market reach and enhance its product offerings, further driving revenue growth.

Rambus Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Any
Any
Revenue by Segment
Revenue by Segment
Breaks down revenue across different business segments, providing insight into which areas are driving growth and how diversified the company's income streams are.
Chart InsightsRambus is experiencing robust growth, particularly in its Product segment, which has seen a 41% year-over-year increase, driven by DDR5 leadership and new product contributions. The latest earnings call highlights strong demand in data center and AI markets, suggesting sustained momentum. However, challenges such as supply chain constraints and reliance on partner rollouts for MRDIMM could impact future growth. The company's strategic focus on high-performance memory and power management solutions positions it well to capitalize on these growing markets.
Data provided by:The Fly

Rambus Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Feb 02, 2026
(Q4-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:May 04, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call conveyed strong financial performance and operational momentum—record product revenue, robust cash generation, sustained gross margins, and expanding market share in DDR5 RCDs—while acknowledging a contained supply-chain manufacturing issue that will depress near-term (Q1) product revenue and create temporary testing/capacity constraints. Management emphasized the issue is resolved, expects recovery and continued market outperformance in 2026, but also noted broader memory supply constraints and timing risks tied to platform rollouts.
Q4-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Record Annual Product Revenue and Strong YoY Growth
Full-year product revenue reached $347.8M (reported as $348M), a new annual record and up 41% year-over-year.
Quarterly Revenue and Profitability Beat
Q4 revenue was $190.2M (above expectations) with product revenue of $96.8M (≈$97M) representing ~32% YoY growth for the quarter; non-GAAP net income for the quarter was $74.7M.
Exceptional Cash Generation and Strong Balance Sheet
Generated a company record $360M in cash from operations for 2025 (up 56% versus 2024); ended the quarter with $761.8M in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities; full-year free cash flow was $320.9M with a 45% free cash flow margin.
Sustained Gross Margin Performance
Full-year gross margins around 61.5% and management reiterates long-term gross margin target range of 60%–65% (recent operating range ~61%–63%).
Market Leadership in DDR5 RCDs
Management estimates DDR5 RCD market share finished 2025 in the mid-40% range, driven by increased design wins and generational footprint gains.
Product and IP Momentum — New Product Ramps
Growing adoption of new products (DDR5 PMICs, client chipset) and traction across high-performance IP (HBM4, GDDR7, PCIe7, security IP); new products moved from low single-digit contribution in 2025 to upper single digits in Q4, targeted to reach ~double-digit contribution to product revenue.
Conservative, Transparent Guidance and Operational Metrics
Provided detailed non-GAAP Q1 outlook (revenue, royalty, licensing billings, operating costs) and emphasized licensing billings as an operational metric; Q1 non-GAAP EPS guidance of $0.56–$0.64.
Negative Updates
Q1 Product Revenue Impact from Supply Chain Issue
A one-time back-end manufacturing issue with a single OSAT led to quarantining and retesting of parts, producing a low double-digit million dollar headwind to Q1 product revenue and tighter Q1 supply/testing capacity.
Wide / Soft Q1 Revenue Guidance and Near-Term Uncertainty
Q1 revenue guidance was provided as a broad range (reported in the call as between $172M and $108M) reflecting the supply disruption and producing short-term uncertainty in top-line cadence.
Production Strain from Enhanced Screening
Corrective actions and enhanced screening/retesting created additional strain on manufacturing and testing capacity, temporarily constraining ability to fulfill Q1 demand until inventory is rebuilt.
Broader Memory Supply Constraints Could Limit Market Growth
Management noted industry memory supply constraints and lengthening lead times that could constrain growth in 2026 despite solid demand, making company growth partly supply-limited.
Client Market Contribution Remains Minimal
Client market revenue contribution is currently minimal; management targets longer-term ~20% share but expects client contribution to remain small in 2026, leaving majority exposure to data center/server markets.
Timing Dependency on Major Platform Rollouts (MRDIMM/Gen5)
Ramps for MRDIMM and Gen5-related revenue are dependent on Intel/AMD platform rollouts; initial MRDIMM revenue contribution expected late-year with most impact in 2027, creating timing risk.
Company Guidance
The company guided Q1 non‑GAAP revenue of $108 million to $172 million (noting product revenue will be hit by a one‑time supply‑chain issue that management estimates trimmed low double‑digit millions and expects to normalize with growth resuming in Q2), royalty revenue of $61 million to $67 million, and licensing billings of $66 million to $72 million; Q1 non‑GAAP total operating costs (including COGS) of $100 million to $104 million, non‑GAAP operating income of $68 million to $78 million, approximately $13 million of capex, ~$6 million of interest income, a 2026 pro forma tax rate of 16% with Q1 non‑GAAP tax expense of roughly $11.8 million to $13.4 million, a diluted share count of ~110 million, and non‑GAAP EPS of $0.56 to $0.64.

Rambus Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Strong profitability and scaling revenue, plus a very conservative balance sheet with minimal leverage. The key offset is the sharp 2025 cash-flow deterioration versus strong reported profits, which raises earnings-quality and cash-conversion concerns.
Income Statement
86
Very Positive
Revenue has scaled meaningfully over the last several years (from ~$246M in 2020 to ~$708M in 2025), with a strong step-up in 2025. Profitability is a key strength: gross margin is consistently high (~69–76%) and 2024–2025 show robust operating and net margins (net margin ~32% both years). The main weakness is volatility in earnings quality across the cycle—2022 posted a loss and 2023’s unusually high net margin suggests non-recurring benefits, making the profit trajectory less steady than the top-line trend implies.
Balance Sheet
92
Very Positive
The balance sheet looks very conservative, with very low leverage in recent years (debt-to-equity ~3% in 2024–2025) and equity steadily building. Returns on equity are solid in 2024–2025 (mid-to-high teens), indicating good profitability relative to the capital base. The key watch-out is that returns have been more volatile historically (including a negative year in 2022), so profitability durability matters more than balance-sheet capacity.
Cash Flow
41
Neutral
Cash generation was strong and supportive of earnings in 2020–2024, with healthy operating cash flow and free cash flow relative to net income. However, 2025 shows a sharp deterioration: operating cash flow and free cash flow fell to near-zero (~$0.36M) and free cash flow dropped ~99.9% year over year, creating a major near-term red flag despite strong reported profits. This level of cash flow volatility raises questions around timing/working-capital swings or other one-offs impacting cash conversion.
BreakdownDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue707.63M556.62M461.12M454.79M328.30M
Gross Profit537.56M419.91M318.78M314.02M229.87M
EBITDA314.14M239.27M241.09M41.17M78.27M
Net Income230.46M179.82M333.90M-14.31M18.33M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets1.53B1.34B1.26B1.01B1.23B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments761.83M481.80M425.84M313.23M485.61M
Total Debt43.65M30.15M30.71M44.48M198.78M
Total Liabilities165.12M222.44M220.13M233.30M370.25M
Stockholders Equity1.36B1.12B1.04B779.30M862.40M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow333.18M199.90M172.55M209.91M195.43M
Operating Cash Flow360.02M230.60M195.79M230.39M209.22M
Investing Cash Flow-223.11M-56.72M-57.40M151.98M-115.66M
Financing Cash Flow-54.41M-167.99M-169.62M-362.94M-114.21M

Rambus Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Neutral
Last Price102.64
Price Trends
50DMA
102.42
Positive
100DMA
100.88
Positive
200DMA
84.93
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.69
Positive
RSI
48.00
Neutral
STOCH
51.23
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For RMBS, the sentiment is Neutral. The current price of 102.64 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 107.57, above the 50-day MA of 102.42, and above the 200-day MA of 84.93, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -0.69 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 48.00 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 51.23 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Neutral sentiment for RMBS.

Rambus Risk Analysis

Rambus disclosed 46 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Rambus reported the most risks in the "Tech & Innovation" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Rambus Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
74
Outperform
$13.79B55.4423.08%39.37%40.87%
73
Outperform
$13.30B4,362.390.43%-12.03%-80.99%
73
Outperform
$18.51B114.0412.95%32.58%-173.04%
65
Neutral
$11.23B49.2718.55%31.05%30.35%
64
Neutral
$9.32B23.836.49%4.37%-2.18%-16.84%
64
Neutral
$7.79B22.379.62%-7.22%
61
Neutral
$37.18B12.37-10.20%1.83%8.50%-7.62%
* Technology Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
RMBS
Rambus
102.64
42.48
70.61%
LSCC
Lattice Semiconductor
97.76
31.52
47.58%
MTSI
MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings
243.59
124.32
104.23%
NVMI
Nova
441.24
182.09
70.26%
SWKS
Skyworks Solutions
60.05
-4.47
-6.92%
QRVO
Qorvo
82.24
6.97
9.26%

Rambus Corporate Events

Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board Changes
Rambus adds Victor Peng to board, strengthens leadership
Positive
Feb 12, 2026

On February 12, 2026, Rambus appointed veteran semiconductor executive Victor Peng as a Class II director and member of its Compensation and Human Resources Committee, expanding the board to eight members. Peng, a former AMD president and ex-CEO of Xilinx who also serves on the boards of KLA and Microchip, is expected to bolster Rambus’s strategic push in AI and data center markets.

The company also adjusted compensation for John Allen in connection with his role as Interim Chief Financial Officer, adding a monthly stipend and making him eligible for a transition bonus under a new employment agreement. These moves underscore Rambus’s efforts to strengthen both its governance and financial leadership as it seeks to capitalize on growing demand for high-performance, AI-focused semiconductor solutions.

The most recent analyst rating on (RMBS) stock is a Hold with a $107.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Rambus stock, see the RMBS Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board Changes
Rambus Announces CFO Transition and Interim Leadership Plan
Neutral
Feb 10, 2026

Rambus Inc., a premier chip and silicon IP provider for data center and AI infrastructure, develops technologies that address bandwidth, efficiency and security bottlenecks between memory and processing. With over thirty years in advanced semiconductors, its products help accelerate data-intensive workloads and support next-generation computing platforms.

On February 4, 2026, Rambus chief financial officer Desmond Lynch notified the company that he would resign effective February 27, 2026, to pursue another opportunity, and the board emphasized that his departure was not due to any disagreement over operations or policies. Rambus has launched a formal search for a new CFO and, effective upon Lynch’s departure, appointed current vice president and chief accounting officer John Allen as interim CFO, while reaffirming its previously issued guidance for the first quarter of fiscal 2026 and stressing confidence in its ability to maintain growth momentum and execute its strategy during the transition.

The most recent analyst rating on (RMBS) stock is a Hold with a $107.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Rambus stock, see the RMBS Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Feb 19, 2026