Autodesk CEO: We're not seeing uncertainty yet but expect clouds

Autodesk CEO Andrew Anagnost reports strong first-quarter performance, exceeding expectations in revenue and free cash flow while raising full-year guidance despite looming macroeconomic uncertainty. Although the company anticipates a potential deceleration in new business growth later this year, demand remains resilient due to significant capacity challenges in infrastructure and a construction backlog of 8.6 months. Customers are increasingly adopting digital and AI-driven tools to manage supply chain volatility and productivity gaps, particularly as manufacturing reshoring gains momentum in the U.S. and Europe. Following a period of structural transitions—including a shift to annual billing and commission-based models—Autodesk is focusing on scaling its SaaS-based software. Additionally, the company has stabilized its governance by settling with activist investor Starboard and appointing two new independent board members, Jeff Epstein and Christy Simons, to support long-term growth.