Akamai Technologies : Forward Looking Guidance

Akamai Technologies, Inc.

Third Quarter and Full Year 2021 Guidance

The following document includes forward-looking guidance. This forward-looking guidance is subject to risks and uncertainties and involves a number of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Additional information concerning these risk factors is contained in Akamai's filings with the SEC, including our annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements included below represent the Company's view on August 3, 2021 and should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any subsequent date. Akamai disclaims any obligation to update these statements to reflect future events or circumstances, even if views change.

This guidance is provided on a non-GAAP basis and cannot be reconciled to the closest GAAP measures without unreasonable effort because of the unpredictability of the amounts and timing of events affecting the items we exclude from non-GAAP measures. For example, stock-based compensation is unpredictable for Akamai's performance-based awards, which can fluctuate significantly based on current expectations of future achievement of performance-based targets. Amortization of intangible assets, acquisition-related costs and restructuring costs are all impacted by the timing and size of potential future actions, which are difficult to predict. In addition, from time to time, Akamai excludes certain items that occur infrequently, which are also inherently difficult to predict and estimate. It is also difficult to predict the tax effect of the items we exclude and to estimate certain discrete tax items, such as the resolution of tax audits or changes to tax laws. As such, the costs that are being excluded from non-GAAP guidance are difficult to predict and a reconciliation or a range of results could lead to disclosure that would be imprecise or potentially misleading. Material changes to any one of the exclusions could have a significant effect on our guidance and future GAAP results.

			Three Months Ending			Year Ending
			September 30, 2021			December 31, 2021
Metric			Low End			High End			Low End			High End
Revenue (in millions).....................................................	$	845	$	860	$	3,420	$	3,450
Non-GAAP net income per diluted share......................	$	1.37	$	1.41	$	5.54	$	5.65
Non-GAAPoperating margin........................................		31 %			31 %			31 %			31 %
Non-GAAPtax rate.......................................................		14.5 %			14.5 %			14.5 %			14.5 %

Akamai's definitions of its non-GAAP financial measures are outlined below:

Non-GAAPnet income - GAAP net income adjusted for the following tax-affected items: amortization of acquired intangible assets; stock-based compensation; amortization of capitalized stock-based compensation; acquisition-related costs; restructuring charges; gains and losses on legal settlements; costs incurred related to endowments to the Akamai Foundation; amortization of debt discount and issuance costs; amortization of capitalized interest expense; certain gains and losses on investments; income and losses from equity method investment; and other non-recurring or unusual items that may arise from time to time.

Non-GAAPnet income per diluted share - Non-GAAP net income divided by weighted average diluted common shares outstanding. Diluted weighted average shares outstanding are adjusted in non-GAAP per share calculations for the shares that would be delivered to Akamai pursuant to the note hedge transactions entered into in connection with the issuances of $1,150 million of convertible senior notes due 2027 and 2025, respectively. Under GAAP, shares delivered under hedge transactions are not considered offsetting shares in the fully-diluted share calculation until they are delivered. However, the company would receive a benefit from the note hedge transactions and would not allow the dilution to occur, so management believes that adjusting for this benefit provides a meaningful view of operating performance. With respect to the convertible senior notes due in each of 2027 and 2025, unless Akamai's weighted average stock price is greater than $116.18 and $95.10, respectively, the initial conversion price, there will be no difference between GAAP and non-GAAP diluted weighted average common shares outstanding.

Non-GAAPincome from operations - GAAP income from operations adjusted for the following items: amortization of acquired intangible assets; stock-based compensation; amortization of capitalized stock-based compensation; amortization of capitalized interest expense; acquisition-related costs; restructuring charges; gains and losses on legal settlements; costs incurred related to endowments to the Akamai Foundation; and other non-recurring or unusual items that may arise from time to time.

Non-GAAPoperating margin - Non-GAAP income from operations stated as a percentage of revenue.

Non-GAAPtax rate - GAAP tax rate excluding the tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments and certain discrete tax items.

The non-GAAP adjustments, and Akamai's basis for excluding them from non-GAAP financial measures, are outlined below:

Amortization of acquired intangible assets - Akamai has incurred amortization of intangible assets, included in its GAAP financial statements, related to various acquisitions Akamai has made. The amount of an acquisition's purchase price allocated to intangible assets and term of its related amortization can vary significantly and is unique to each acquisition; therefore, Akamai excludes amortization of acquired intangible assets from its non-GAAP financial measures to provide investors with a consistent basis for comparing pre- and post-acquisition operating results.

Stock-based compensation and amortization of capitalized stock-based compensation - Although stock-basedcompensation is an important aspect of the compensation paid to Akamai's employees, the grant date fair value varies based on the stock price at the time of grant, varying valuation methodologies, subjective assumptions and the variety of award types. This makes the comparison of Akamai's current financial results to previous and future periods difficult to interpret; therefore, Akamai believes it is useful to exclude stock-basedcompensation and amortization of capitalized stock-basedcompensation from its non-GAAPfinancial measures in order to highlight the performance of Akamai's core business and to be consistent with the way many investors evaluate its performance and compare its operating results to peer companies.

Acquisition-relatedcosts - Acquisition-related costs include transaction fees, advisory fees, due diligence costs and other direct costs associated with strategic activities. In addition, subsequent adjustments to Akamai's initial estimated amounts of contingent consideration and indemnification associated with specific acquisitions are included within acquisition-related costs. These amounts are impacted by the timing and size of the acquisitions. Akamai excludes acquisition-related costs from its non- GAAP financial measures to provide a useful comparison of Akamai's operating results to prior periods and to its peer companies because such amounts vary significantly based on the magnitude of the acquisition transactions and do not reflect Akamai's core operations.

Restructuring charges - Akamai has incurred restructuring charges that are included in its GAAP financial statements, primarily related to workforce reductions and charges associated with exiting facility lease commitments. Akamai excludes these items from its non-GAAP financial measures when evaluating its continuing business performance as such items vary significantly based on the magnitude of the restructuring action and do not reflect expected future operating expenses. In addition, these charges do not necessarily provide meaningful insight into the fundamentals of current or past operations of its business.

Amortization of debt discount and issuance costs and amortization of capitalized interest expense - In August 2019, Akamai issued $1,150 million of convertible senior notes due 2027 with a coupon interest rate of 0.375%. In May 2018, Akamai issued $1,150 million of convertible senior notes due 2025 with a coupon interest rate of 0.125%. The imputed interest rates of these convertible senior notes were 3.10% and 4.26%, respectively. This is a result of the debt discounts recorded for the conversion features that are required to be separately accounted for as equity under GAAP, thereby reducing the carrying value of the convertible debt instruments. The debt discounts are amortized as interest expense together with the issuance costs of the debt. The interest expense excluded from Akamai's non-GAAPresults is comprised of these non-cashcomponents and is excluded from management's assessment of the company's operating performance because management believes the non-cashexpense is not representative of ongoing operating performance.

Gains and losses on investments - Akamai has recorded gains and losses from the disposition, changes to fair value and impairment of certain investments. Akamai believes excluding these amounts from its non-GAAP financial measures is useful to investors as the types of events giving rise to these gains and losses are not representative of Akamai's core business operations and ongoing operating performance.

Legal settlements - Akamai has incurred losses related to the settlement of legal matters. Akamai believes excluding these amounts from its non-GAAP financial measures is useful to investors as the types of events giving rise to them are not representative of Akamai's core business operations.

Endowment of Akamai Foundation - Akamai has incurred expenses to endow the Akamai Foundation, a private corporate foundation dedicated to encouraging the next generation of technology innovators by supporting math and science education. Akamai's first endowment was in 2018 to enable a permanent endowment for the Akamai Foundation to allow it to expand its reach. In the fourth quarter of 2020 Akamai supplemented the endowment to enable specific initiatives to increase diversity in the technology industry. Akamai believes excluding these amounts from non-GAAP financial measures is useful to investors as these infrequent and nearly one-time expenses are not representative of its core business operations.

Income and losses from equity method investment - Akamai records income or losses on its share of earnings and losses from its equity method investment. Akamai excludes such income and losses because it does not direct control over the operations of the investment and the related income and losses are not representative of its core business operations.

Income tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments and certain discrete tax items - The non-GAAPadjustments described above are reported on a pre-taxbasis. The income tax effect of non-GAAPadjustments is the difference between GAAP and non- GAAP income tax expense. Non-GAAPincome tax expense is computed on non-GAAP pre-taxincome (GAAP pre-taxincome adjusted for non-GAAPadjustments) and excludes certain discrete tax items (such as recording or releasing of valuation allowances), if any. Akamai believes that applying the non-GAAPadjustments and their related income tax effect allows Akamai to highlight income attributable to its core operations.