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Align Technology Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 29 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 5 new, 5 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 6.2% year-over-year: Total revenues were $1,040.1 million, down 0.7% sequentially and up 6.2% year-over-year. Source
  • Clear Aligner revenue up 7.4%: Clear Aligner revenue was $856.0 million, up 2.1% sequentially and 7.4% year-over-year. Source
  • Orthodontist and GP shipments grew: Clear Aligner shipments to orthodontists rose 7.4% and to GP dentists rose 5.6% year-over-year. Source
  • Gross margin 70.8% with currency drag: Gross margin was 70.8%, unfavorably affected by foreign exchange by about 0.3 points sequentially and 0.4 points year-over-year. Source
  • Operating margin of 13.6%: Operating income was $142.0 million, a 13.6% operating margin; foreign exchange was unfavorable by about 0.4 points sequentially. Source
  • Middle East effect immaterial in Q1: Doctors in the Middle East and Africa noted some impact on patient traffic and case conversion, but the EMEA effect was immaterial in the first quarter. Source

“First quarter revenues of $1.04 billion increased 6.2% year-over-year, driven primarily by higher Clear Aligner volumes and increased ASPs.”

Align Technology President and CEO Joe Hogan

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Worldwide revenue SourceQ2 2026$1,040M to $1,060M, up approximately 3% to 5% year-over-yearNew
Clear Aligner volume and ASP SourceQ2 2026volume up sequentially and year-over-year; ASP flat sequentially and year-over-yearNew
GAAP operating margin SourceQ2 2026approximately 16.4%New
Non-GAAP operating margin SourceQ2 2026approximately 21.5%New
Worldwide revenue growth Sourcefiscal 2026up 3% to 4% year-over-yearKept
Foreign exchange benefit to revenue Sourcefiscal 2026approximately 100 basis pointsKept
GAAP operating margin Sourcefiscal 2026slightly below 18.0%Kept
Non-GAAP operating margin Sourcefiscal 2026approximately 23.7%Kept
Capital expenditures Sourcefiscal 2026$125 million to $150 millionKept
Share repurchases Sourcesix months beginning on or about May 1, 2026up to $200.0 millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance kept: Fiscal 2026 guidance reaffirmed; management remains confident in the previously provided guidance. Source
  • New: IEEPA tariffs no longer apply after the February 20, 2026 Supreme Court ruling; temporary Section 122 tariffs took effect February 24, 2026. Source
  • New: Company expects to repurchase an additional $200.0 million of stock over six months from about May 1, 2026. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 6.2% year-over-year: Total revenues were $1,040.1 million, down 0.7% sequentially and up 6.2% year-over-year. Source
  • Net income rose from prior-year quarter: Net income was $112.8 million, or $1.57 per diluted share, compared with $93.2 million in the first quarter of 2025 and $135.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. Source
  • Foreign exchange lifted revenue: Foreign exchange favorably affected revenue by about $8.7 million sequentially and by about $44.9 million year-over-year. Source

Clear Aligner and Systems segments

  • Clear Aligner revenue up 7.4%: Clear Aligner revenue was $856.0 million, up 2.1% sequentially and 7.4% year-over-year. Source
  • Clear Aligner volume at a record: Clear Aligner shipments were 685.7 thousand cases, described as a record, up 6.7% year-over-year. Source
  • Imaging Systems revenue fell sequentially: Imaging Systems and CAD/CAM Services revenue was $184.1 million, down 12.1% sequentially and up 0.9% year-over-year. Source
  • Systems growth from iTero Lumina and services: Year-over-year Systems and Services growth reflects iTero Lumina full systems adoption, services revenue and Certified Pre-Owned sales. Source

“DSOs remain a force multiplier and continue to drive double-digit Clear Aligner volumes globally.”

Align Technology President and CEO Joe Hogan

Customers and regions

  • Orthodontist and GP shipments grew: Clear Aligner shipments to orthodontists rose 7.4% and to GP dentists rose 5.6% year-over-year. Source
  • Teen and adult patients both grew: Invisalign teen and kid patients rose 4.8% and adult patients rose 7.8% year-over-year. Source
  • International growth, stable North America: Double-digit growth came in EMEA, APAC and LATAM, while North America was stable. Source

Margins and costs

  • Gross margin 70.8% with currency drag: Gross margin was 70.8%, unfavorably affected by foreign exchange by about 0.3 points sequentially and 0.4 points year-over-year. Source
  • Operating margin of 13.6%: Operating income was $142.0 million, a 13.6% operating margin; foreign exchange was unfavorable by about 0.4 points sequentially. Source
  • Legal settlements raised operating costs: Legal settlements in operating expenses were $30.6 million, against $4.2 million a year earlier. Source
  • Gain on held-for-sale facility: A gain of $11.7 million was recognized from a rise in fair value less costs to sell for held-for-sale manufacturing assets. Source
  • Effective tax rate fell: GAAP effective tax rate was 24.3%, against 33.6% a year earlier; non-GAAP rate was 20.0% in both periods. Source

“Beyond the second quarter, it becomes increasingly difficult to predict how the conflict in the Middle East will affect our business”

Align Technology Inc., press release

Demand and external conditions

  • Middle East effect immaterial in Q1: Doctors in the Middle East and Africa noted some impact on patient traffic and case conversion, but the EMEA effect was immaterial in the first quarter. Source
  • Tariffs moved to Section 122: IEEPA tariffs were removed after a Supreme Court ruling; new temporary Section 122 tariffs on imports now apply. Source
  • Q2 assumes some demand impact: The second-quarter view assumes some impact from the Middle East on both Clear Aligner and scanner demand. Source

Cash, debt and shareholder returns

  • Cash balance declined in quarter: Cash and cash equivalents were $1,059.8 million at March 31, 2026, against $1,094.9 million at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Operating cash flow rose year-over-year: Net cash from operating activities was $151.0 million, against $52.7 million in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Investing outflow increased: Net cash used in investing activities was $131.6 million, against $25.3 million in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Revolver capacity unchanged: Company had $300.0 million available under its revolving line of credit and a $50.0 million letter of credit sub-limit. Source
  • Buyback capacity remaining: Of the $1.0 billion repurchase program announced in April 2025, $800.0 million remained available at March 31, 2026. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Disciplined investment focus for 2026: Management said its 2026 focus is discipline while investing in innovation and growth. Source
  • Digital platform and international push: Stated priorities include the Align Digital Platform, scaling iTero Lumina, localized international expansion and teen and growing-patient portfolio. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Clear Aligner shipments Source685.7 thousand cases
Orthodontist shipments growth Source+7.4% year-over-year
GP dentist shipments growth Source+5.6% year-over-year
Invisalign teen and kid patients growth Source+4.8% year-over-year
Invisalign adult patients growth Source+7.8% year-over-year
Doctor customers Sourceapproximately 299.5 thousand
Invisalign trained doctors shipped to Source88,065
Doctor utilization rate Source7.8
Clear Aligner revenue per case shipment Source$1,250

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Middle East conflict could affect patient traffic, consumer demand and shipping and freight. Source
  • Financial: Foreign exchange reduced diluted EPS by about $0.07 sequentially, and affected it favorably year-over-year by about $0.01. Source
  • Regulatory: Changes to applicable duties, including tariffs or fees, could affect the business; the forecast assumes current rules. Source
  • Financial: Continued mix shift to lower-priced scanners, including PC-based, leasing and rental units, is noted as a factor. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said the sequential decline was expected from first-quarter seasonality in capital equipment. Source
  • Met: The August 2025 plan to buy back $200.0 million was completed in January 2026, averaging $143.85 per share. 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.