Ouster names Kenneth Gianella as new CFO

Ouster, Inc. (NASDAQ:OUST), a company specializing in general industrial machinery and equipment, announced on Monday the appointment of Kenneth P. Gianella as its new Chief Financial Officer, effective May 19, 2025. Gianella will take over from Chen Geng, who will continue with the firm as Senior Vice President, Strategic Finance & Treasurer.

Prior to this new role, Gianella served as CFO and later COO at Quantum Corporation (NASDAQ:QMCO), a data management solutions provider, from January 2023 to April 2025. His experience includes key finance positions at Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ:ITRI), Silver Springs Networks, Sensity Systems, Inc., and KLA-Tencor Corporation (NASDAQ:KLAC). He joins Ouster at a crucial time, with the company showing strong revenue growth of 33% in the last twelve months, despite challenging market conditions.

According to the press release statement, Gianella’s compensation package includes an annual base salary of $375,000, a sign-on bonus of $100,000 split into two installments, and a grant of 300,000 restricted stock units. The stock units will vest over a period, with the first third vesting on the first anniversary of the grant date and the remainder in quarterly installments. Gianella will also be eligible for an annual performance-based bonus with a target of 65% of his base salary and is guaranteed at least the target bonus for his first year.

In the event of termination under certain conditions, Gianella will receive severance benefits, including 12 months of base salary, a prorated or full annual target bonus depending on the timing, and 12 months of healthcare coverage. Additionally, a change in control period could trigger full acceleration of Gianella’s equity awards. These benefits are contingent upon Gianella providing a release of claims.

The appointment comes as part of Ouster’s ongoing strategic finance initiatives, with the company looking to leverage Gianella’s extensive background in finance and operations to further its growth and operational efficiency. According to InvestingPro data, the company appears undervalued based on its Fair Value analysis, with analysts maintaining positive expectations ahead of the upcoming earnings report on May 8, 2025. The information provided is based on a recent SEC filing and InvestingPro research, which offers comprehensive analysis and additional insights through its detailed Pro Research Reports, available for over 1,400 US stocks.

In other recent news, Ouster Inc. reported its fourth-quarter 2024 earnings, revealing a revenue of $30 million, which exceeded forecasts of $29.75 million. However, the company posted an EPS of -0.48, falling short of the expected -0.35. Despite this earnings miss, Ouster’s revenue grew for the eighth consecutive quarter, with a full-year revenue of $111 million, marking a 33% increase year-over-year. The company concluded the fiscal year 2024 in a strong financial position, with $175 million in cash and equivalents and no debt.

In terms of analyst activity, Oppenheimer initiated coverage on Ouster with an Outperform rating and set a price target of $16, citing confidence in the company’s market position and potential growth in the Industrial AI sector. Additionally, Cantor Fitzgerald raised its price target for Ouster from $10 to $11, maintaining an Overweight rating due to Ouster’s diverse product line and robust customer base. The company is expected to achieve gross margins of 35-40% over the next 12 months and sustain an annual revenue growth rate of 30-50%.

Furthermore, Ouster announced a reshuffle among its director classes to balance its board membership, with Angus Pacala stepping down as a Class III director and being elected as a Class II director. These developments reflect Ouster’s ongoing governance adjustments and strategic efforts to enhance its market position and financial performance.

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