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Arteris, Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 November 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 3 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 48% to $25.8 million: Revenue was $25.8 million, up 48% from $17.4 million in the third quarter of 2025. Source
  • ACV plus royalties up 39%: Annual Contract Value plus royalties was $103.8 million, up 39%. Trailing-twelve-months variable royalties were $9.4 million, up 71% year-over-year. Source
  • Hyperscaler and chipmaker deals expanded: Major license deals with a top US hyperscaler and two market-leading semiconductor companies expanded their existing use of Arteris technology for chip and chiplet development. Source
  • Gross margin declined on higher cost of revenue: Cost of revenue was $3.5 million, up from $1.8 million. Gross margin was lower than in the third quarter of 2025 on both GAAP and non-GAAP bases. Source
  • Remaining obligations rose 29%: Remaining Performance Obligations reached $135.5 million, up 29% year-over-year. Management described the figure as a new high. Source
  • Free cash flow negative in quarter: Free cash flow was negative $2.1 million in the quarter, against $2.5 million a year earlier, after net cash used in operating activities of $1.8 million. Source
  • Full-year ACV and revenue ranges raised: Full-year 2026 ACV plus royalties and revenue ranges were both raised from the second-quarter release. Source

“In the third quarter, Arteris delivered another set of record results, including Annual Contract Value plus royalties of $103.8 million, up 39% year-over-year”

K. Charles Janac, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Annual Contract Value plus royalties SourceFY 2026$103.0 - $107.0Raised from $102.0 - $106.0
Annual Contract Value plus royalties SourceQ4 2026$103.0 - $107.0New
Revenue SourceQ4 2026$25.7 - $26.7New
Revenue SourceFY 2026$98.5 - $99.5Raised from $95.0 - $98.0
Non-GAAP operating (loss) income SourceQ4 2026$(0.9) - $1.1New
Non-GAAP operating loss SourceFY 2026$(9.2) - $(7.2)
Free cash flow SourceNot specified in the table$5.0 - $9.0

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 ACV plus royalties range raised. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 revenue range raised. Source
  • New guidance: Fourth-quarter 2026 estimates given for ACV plus royalties, revenue and non-GAAP operating income. Source
  • New: Investor contacts list Saurabh Sinha as Chief Financial Officer, in place of the prior listing. Source
  • New: Expanded chiplet and multi-die solution, with FlexGen Multi-Die and Ncore Multi-Die products. Source
  • New: Expansion of the Trusted and Assured Microelectronics program announced, with BAE Systems and SiFive. Source
  • New: Major license deals reported with a top US hyperscaler and two market-leading semiconductor companies. Source
  • New: Major license deal reported with a leading automotive OEM. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 48% to $25.8 million: Revenue was $25.8 million, up 48% from $17.4 million in the third quarter of 2025. Source
  • ACV plus royalties up 39%: Annual Contract Value plus royalties was $103.8 million, up 39%. Trailing-twelve-months variable royalties were $9.4 million, up 71% year-over-year. Source
  • GAAP operating loss widened, non-GAAP narrowed: GAAP operating loss was $11.3 million, against $8.7 million a year earlier. Non-GAAP operating loss was $1.2 million, against $3.5 million. Source
  • GAAP net loss of $0.23 per share: GAAP net loss was $11.2 million, or $0.23 per share, against $9.0 million, or $0.21 per share. Non-GAAP net loss was $1.1 million, or $0.02 per share. Source
  • Nine-month revenue reached $72.8 million: Revenue for the first nine months of 2026 was $72.8 million, against $50.4 million. The nine-month net loss was $33.2 million, or $0.70 per share. Source

Revenue mix and end markets

  • Licensing revenue rose to $22.4 million: Licensing, support and maintenance revenue was $22.4 million, up from $15.9 million. Variable royalties were $2.3 million, up from $1.5 million, and professional services were $1.1 million. Source
  • License activity tied to AI computing: Management said license activity was supported by integration of data center, edge and physical AI computing across all market verticals. Source
  • Enterprise computing share reported earlier: The second-quarter release said enterprise computing averaged 29% of ACV plus royalties over the four quarters then ended.

“Customer design activity remained strong, driven by continued innovation in AI infrastructure, edge computing, and physical AI applications.”

K. Charles Janac, President and Chief Executive Officer

Products and customers

  • One-third of wins from top 30: One-third of license wins by dollar value came from the top 30 global technology companies, and customers increasingly ordered multiple products. Source
  • Hyperscaler and chipmaker deals expanded: Major license deals with a top US hyperscaler and two market-leading semiconductor companies expanded their existing use of Arteris technology for chip and chiplet development. Source
  • Automotive OEM expanded its use: A major license deal with a leading automotive OEM covers successive generations of its in-house advanced chip designs. Source

Costs and margins

  • Gross margin declined on higher cost of revenue: Cost of revenue was $3.5 million, up from $1.8 million. Gross margin was lower than in the third quarter of 2025 on both GAAP and non-GAAP bases. Source
  • Operating expense lines all rose: Research and development was $16.4 million, sales and marketing $9.8 million, and general and administrative $7.3 million, each above the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Stock compensation and amortization rose: Stock-based compensation was $9.2 million, against $5.0 million. Amortization of acquired intangible assets was $0.8 million, against $0.2 million. Source
  • Acquisition costs recorded in quarter: Acquisition-related costs were $121 thousand, against none a year earlier. The footnote ties them to the Cycuity acquisition, including changes in contingent consideration fair value. Source

“As the demand for increasingly sophisticated, high-performance, power-efficient, safe, and secure silicon continues to grow, we believe Arteris remains well positioned to help customers accelerate innovation and bring their next-generation products to market”

K. Charles Janac, President and Chief Executive Officer

Demand and order book

  • Remaining obligations rose 29%: Remaining Performance Obligations reached $135.5 million, up 29% year-over-year. Management described the figure as a new high. Source
  • Design starts surpassed 1,000: Management said the company surpassed 1,000 confirmed design starts since inception, which it linked to customer confidence in its technology and global support. Source
  • Deferred revenue balances increased: Current deferred revenue was $63.5 million, against $51.4 million at December 31, 2025. Noncurrent deferred revenue was $48.5 million, against $44.0 million. Source

Cash flow and capital

  • Free cash flow negative in quarter: Free cash flow was negative $2.1 million in the quarter, against $2.5 million a year earlier, after net cash used in operating activities of $1.8 million. Source
  • Cash and equivalents rose to $71.0 million: Cash and cash equivalents were $71.0 million at September 30, 2026, against $33.9 million at December 31, 2025. Short-term investments were $33.2 million. Source
  • At-the-market offering added $72.0 million: Common stock sold under the at-the-market offering provided $72.0 million, net of commissions and offering costs, in the first nine months. Source
  • Shares outstanding increased: Shares outstanding were 49,657,293 at September 30, 2026, against 44,268,816 at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Investing outflows in quarter: Net cash used in investing activities was $19.8 million in the quarter, against $1.6 million a year earlier, and $36.2 million for the nine months. Source
  • Stockholders' equity rose to $65.9 million: Total stockholders' equity was $65.9 million, against a deficit of $14.6 million at December 31, 2025. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Chiplet and multi-die products expanded: FlexGen Multi-Die and Ncore Multi-Die products were expanded to support chiplet architectures for agentic AI workflows, HPC, data center, cloud infrastructure and physical AI. Source
  • Security assurance program expanded: The company announced expansion of semiconductor cybersecurity third-party IP security assurance through the Trusted and Assured Microelectronics program, with BAE Systems and SiFive. Source
  • Goodwill and intangibles increased: Goodwill was $35.2 million and intangibles, net were $18.0 million at September 30, 2026, up from $4.2 million and $2.2 million at December 31, 2025. Source

People and leadership

  • Sinha to start as CFO: Saurabh Sinha was to join as Chief Financial Officer starting September 8, 2026, as the second-quarter release stated.
  • Background at Aeva Technologies: Sinha was instrumental in taking Aeva Technologies public on Nasdaq and managed financial operations, capital allocation and investor relations there.
  • Hawkins listed as CFO earlier: The second-quarter release listed Nick Hawkins as Chief Financial Officer in its investor contacts.

Guidance update for 2026

  • Full-year ACV and revenue ranges raised: Full-year 2026 ACV plus royalties and revenue ranges were both raised from the second-quarter release. Source
  • Fourth-quarter ranges added: Fourth-quarter estimates were given for ACV plus royalties, revenue and non-GAAP operating income. The second-quarter release gave third-quarter ranges. Source
  • Full-year non-GAAP loss range narrowed: The full-year non-GAAP operating loss range narrowed from the second-quarter release. Free cash flow is shown without a stated period. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 November 2026

  • Fourth-quarter and full-year estimates: Management gave estimated fourth-quarter 2026 ranges and updated full-year 2026 ranges, which it described as forward-looking statements. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Gross margin (GAAP) Source87%
Non-GAAP gross margin Source89%
Backlog (Remaining Performance Obligations) Source$135.5 million, up 29%
Confirmed design starts since inception SourceSurpassed 1,000
Enterprise computing share of ACV plus royalties (average over four quarters, as of Q2 2026)29%

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said it no longer gives quarterly free cash flow guidance, as previously mentioned on the first-quarter call. Source
  • Not stated: The second-quarter release said Sinha would join on that date. The third-quarter release lists him as Chief Financial Officer but does not state the start.

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.