F5

F5, Inc. (formerly F5 Networks) is a leading multi-cloud application security and delivery company headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1996 by Jeffrey S. Hussey and Mike Almquist, F5 has transformed from a hardware-based application delivery controller provider into a comprehensive software- and SaaS-first platform company. The company specializes in application security, multi-cloud management, online fraud prevention, application delivery networking (ADN), application availability and performance, and network security. With 6,159 employees worldwide and a market capitalization of approximately $17-18 billion, F5 serves Fortune 1000 companies and enterprises across various industries.

F5's product portfolio centers around three main platforms: BIG-IP (hardware and software-based application delivery), NGINX (modern application delivery and API management acquired in 2019), and the recently launched Application Delivery and Security Platform (ADSP). The ADSP represents F5's unified offering that combines application delivery, API protection, and threat mitigation across hardware, software, and SaaS environments, designed specifically for hybrid and multicloud deployments. Key capabilities include load balancing, web application firewalls, DDoS protection, encrypted traffic inspection, and AI-driven security features.

In fiscal year 2024, F5 reported revenues of $2.89 billion, representing strong growth from $2.80 billion in 2023, with earnings of $710 million (up from $610 million in 2023). The company has demonstrated significant momentum in its software and SaaS transformation, with third-quarter fiscal 2025 revenue reaching $780 million (12% year-over-year growth), driven by 26% product revenue growth including 39% growth in systems revenue and 16% growth in software revenue. Under CEO François Locoh-Donou's leadership since 2017, F5 has executed a strategic pivot from hardware to software and services, positioning the company as a critical enabler of digital transformation and cloud migration for enterprise customers.

F5 has been highly acquisitive, particularly in 2024-2025, completing strategic acquisitions to enhance its AI security and observability capabilities. Major acquisitions include CalypsoAI for $180 million (AI security and guardrails), MantisNet (network observability using eBPF technology), Fletch (agentic AI for threat detection), and Heyhack (penetration testing). The company's aggressive M&A strategy, totaling 19 acquisitions to date, demonstrates its commitment to building the most comprehensive application delivery and security platform in the industry. F5's customers rely on its solutions to ensure application availability, accelerate application performance, and protect applications and APIs from sophisticated cyber threats in increasingly complex multi-cloud environments.