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Akamai Technologies 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: 3 lowered, 2 narrowed, 8 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 6% to $1.1 billion: Revenue was $1.122 billion, up 6% year-over-year and 7% at constant currency, against 5% growth in the second quarter. Security and cloud infrastructure services grew while delivery declined. Source
  • Total costs rose 14%: Total costs and operating expenses were $1,013.2 million, up 14% from $888.6 million a year earlier, so costs grew faster than revenue. Income from operations was $108.7 million. Source
  • Cloud infrastructure services up 34%: Cloud infrastructure services revenue was $109 million, up 34% and 35% at constant currency, after 39% growth in the second quarter. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating margin fell six points: Non-GAAP operating income was $286 million, down 11%. Adjusted EBITDA was $435 million, down 5%, at a 39% margin, against 43% a year earlier. Source
  • CIS commitments exceed $14 billion: Multi-year CIS commitments signed so far this year total more than $14 billion. The second-quarter release reported over $2.8 billion signed year-to-date. Source
  • Operating cash flow rose to 39%: Cash from operations was $433 million, or 39% of revenue, against $326 million, or 30%, in the second quarter. Nine-month operating cash flow was $1,071.8 million. Source
  • Capex rose to 41% of revenue: Total capital expenditures were $464 million, or 41% of revenue, against $224 million, or 21%, a year earlier and 32% in the second quarter. Source

“Akamai delivered solid third quarter results, driven by continued momentum across security and Cloud Infrastructure Services (CIS),”

Dr. Tom Leighton, Akamai's Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue SourceFourth quarter 2026$1,145 million to $1,170 millionNew
Revenue SourceFull year 2026$4,440 million to $4,465 millionLowered from $4,445 million to $4,530 million
Non-GAAP operating margin SourceFourth quarter 202624%New
Non-GAAP operating margin SourceFull year 202625%Narrowed, top end cut from 25% to 26%
Non-GAAP net income per diluted share SourceFourth quarter 2026$1.50 to $1.70New
Non-GAAP net income per diluted share SourceFull year 2026$6.47 to $6.68Narrowed from $6.40 to $7.05
Non-GAAP tax rate SourceFourth quarter 202618%New
Non-GAAP tax rate SourceFull year 202618.5%Lowered from 19%
Shares used in non-GAAP diluted EPS SourceFourth quarter 2026149 millionNew
Shares used in non-GAAP diluted EPS SourceFull year 2026148 millionLowered from 150 million
Cloud infrastructure services revenue SourceFull year 2027$1.1 billion to $1.3 billionNew
Total company revenue growth, constant currency SourceFull year 202717% to 22%New
Total company revenue SourceFull year 2028exceed $7.0 billionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Full-year 2026 revenue range was lowered at both ends, to $4,440 million to $4,465 million from $4,445 million to $4,530 million. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year 2026 non-GAAP operating margin high end was lowered to 25% from 26%. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year 2026 non-GAAP diluted EPS range narrowed to $6.47 to $6.68 from $6.40 to $7.05. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year 2026 non-GAAP tax rate guidance was lowered to 18.5% from 19%. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year 2026 share count used for non-GAAP diluted EPS was lowered to 148 million from 150 million. Source
  • New guidance: Fourth-quarter 2026 guidance was given. The prior release gave guidance only for the third quarter and full year 2026. Source
  • New guidance: Guidance for 2027 cloud infrastructure services revenue and total company revenue growth was introduced. Source
  • New guidance: Guidance for 2028 total company revenue, exceeding $7.0 billion, was introduced. Source
  • New: Akamai Inference and Akamai Agent Sandbox were launched, expanding the cloud portfolio. Source
  • New: The boilerplate now describes Akamai as the cloud company that powers and protects an AI-driven world. The prior release used cybersecurity and cloud computing company. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 6% to $1.1 billion: Revenue was $1.122 billion, up 6% year-over-year and 7% at constant currency, against 5% growth in the second quarter. Security and cloud infrastructure services grew while delivery declined. Source
  • Total costs rose 14%: Total costs and operating expenses were $1,013.2 million, up 14% from $888.6 million a year earlier, so costs grew faster than revenue. Income from operations was $108.7 million. Source
  • GAAP operating income fell 35%: GAAP income from operations was $109 million, a 35% decrease from the same quarter of 2025, and GAAP operating margin was 10%. Source
  • Diluted EPS down on both bases: GAAP net income was $117 million, down 16%. GAAP diluted EPS was $0.77, down 21%, and non-GAAP diluted EPS was $1.77, down 5%. Source
  • Interest income rose sharply: Interest and marketable securities income, net was $41.7 million, against $18.9 million a year earlier. Source

Segments and regions

  • Cloud infrastructure services up 34%: Cloud infrastructure services revenue was $109 million, up 34% and 35% at constant currency, after 39% growth in the second quarter. Source
  • Security revenue up 9%: Security revenue was $622 million, up 9% year-over-year and 10% at constant currency, after 10% growth in the second quarter. Source
  • Delivery revenue fell 3%: Delivery and other cloud applications revenue was $391 million, down 3% year-over-year, compared with a 6% decline in the second quarter. Source
  • International revenue grew faster than U.S.: International revenue was $563 million, up 7% and 9% at constant currency. U.S. revenue was $559 million, up 5%. Source

“We are especially excited by the exceptional progress in Cloud Infrastructure Services, with more than $14 billion worth of multi-year commitments signed so far this year.”

Dr. Tom Leighton, Akamai's Chief Executive Officer

Products and customers

  • Two AI services launched recently: Management said Akamai Inference and Akamai Agent Sandbox were recently launched. Inference supports tuning open-weight models on proprietary data, and Agent Sandbox runs agents within enforced boundaries. Source
  • Services run on AI platform: The new services are described as secured and powered on Akamai's AI-optimized cloud platform, which enterprises use to build and tune models. Source
  • Company now described as cloud company: The company boilerplate describes Akamai as a cloud company powering an AI-driven world, where the prior release used cybersecurity and cloud computing company. Source

Costs and margins

  • Non-GAAP operating margin fell six points: Non-GAAP operating income was $286 million, down 11%. Adjusted EBITDA was $435 million, down 5%, at a 39% margin, against 43% a year earlier. Source
  • Cost of revenue rose about 17%: Cost of revenue was $504.7 million, against $429.5 million a year earlier. Research and development, sales and marketing, and general and administrative costs also rose year-over-year. Source
  • Stock-based compensation rose 14%: Stock-based compensation was $131.9 million, up from $115.4 million a year earlier and $146.3 million in the second quarter. Source
  • Tax rates below second quarter: GAAP tax rate was 15% and non-GAAP tax rate was 18%, against 21% and 20% in the second quarter. Source
  • Headcount rose to 11,832: Employees at period end were 11,832, up from 11,540 at June 30 and 11,161 a year earlier. Source

“We expect further acceleration in 2028 with total revenue projected to exceed $7.0 billion,”

Dr. Tom Leighton, Akamai's Chief Executive Officer

Demand and commitments

  • CIS commitments exceed $14 billion: Multi-year CIS commitments signed so far this year total more than $14 billion. The second-quarter release reported over $2.8 billion signed year-to-date. Source
  • Security momentum cited with CIS: Management cited continued momentum across security and CIS as the basis for the quarter's results. Source
  • Pipeline cited for expected acceleration: Management cited CIS momentum, track record of execution and pipeline as the basis for expecting overall revenue growth to accelerate in 2027. Source

Cash flow and shareholder returns

  • Operating cash flow rose to 39%: Cash from operations was $433 million, or 39% of revenue, against $326 million, or 30%, in the second quarter. Nine-month operating cash flow was $1,071.8 million. Source
  • No share repurchases in quarter: The company bought back no shares in the third quarter. Nine-month repurchases totaled $616 million, for 5 million shares at a weighted average price of $123.19. Source
  • Cash and securities at $4.2 billion: Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities were $4.239 billion at September 30, down from $4.616 billion at June 30. Shares outstanding were 144 million. Source
  • Convertible notes on balance sheet: Convertible senior notes were $1,148 million in current liabilities and $6,419 million non-current at September 30, 2026. Source

Capital expenditure and investment

  • Capex rose to 41% of revenue: Total capital expenditures were $464 million, or 41% of revenue, against $224 million, or 21%, a year earlier and 32% in the second quarter. Source
  • Cash spending on equipment and software: Cash purchases of property and equipment and capitalized software were $605 million, against $226 million in the second quarter. Capex is reported on an accrual basis, which differs from this cash figure. Source
  • Business acquisition paid $191 million: Cash paid for a business acquisition, net of cash acquired, was $191.2 million in the quarter. The documents do not name the acquired business. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 November 2026

  • 2027 cloud infrastructure revenue and growth: Management projects 2027 cloud infrastructure services revenue of $1.1 billion to $1.3 billion, and total company revenue growth of 17% to 22% at constant currency. Source
  • 2028 revenue projected above $7.0 billion: Management projects 2028 total company revenue to exceed $7.0 billion, and said further acceleration is expected in that year. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Multi-year cloud infrastructure services commitments signed year-to-date Sourcemore than $14 billion

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Management said currency movements affect reported U.S. dollar results. Foreign exchange reduced third-quarter revenue growth by about one percentage point, from 7% constant currency to 6% reported. Source

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.