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Axon Enterprise, 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: 1 raised, 5 lowered, 2 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 28% to $909 million: Revenue reached $909 million, led by Software & Services, which accelerated to 43% growth. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 33%: Adjusted EBITDA was $236 million, a 25.9% margin, up 33% from a year earlier. Source
  • Deployment timing cost about 500 basis points: Management said full-year growth would be nearly 500 basis points higher had the three Federal Dedrone deployments stayed on pace. Source
  • $1.2 billion Skydio investment: Axon is investing $1.2 billion in Skydio, its largest single investment, lifting fully diluted ownership to 37%. Source
  • Software & Services growth accelerated: Growth came from more users and existing customers adopting premium solutions, with newer offerings contributing. Source
  • Total gross margin declined: Total gross margin was 56.7%, against 60.1%; adjusted gross margin was 59.2%, against 62.7%. Source
  • Free cash flow was an outflow: Free cash flow was an outflow of $19 million, compared to an inflow of $33 million in the prior-year period, mainly from inventory investment. Source

“Axon remains on pace to deliver another record year, expecting full-year revenue growth of approximately 30% on top of four consecutive years of growth above 30%.”

Axon Enterprise, Inc., press release

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue SourceQ4 2026$990 million to $1.01 billionNew
Adjusted EBITDA SourceQ4 2026$245 million to $250 millionNew
Revenue growth SourceFull year 2026approximately 30%Lowered from 32% to 34%
Revenue SourceFull year 2026$3.61 billion to $3.63 billion
Adjusted EBITDA SourceFull year 2026$924 million to $929 million
Adjusted EBITDA margin SourceFull year 2026approximately 25.6%Raised from 25.5%
Free cash flow SourceFull year 2026$350 million to $400 millionLowered from $450 million
Inventory investment cash use SourceFull year 2026$225 million
Free cash flow conversion on Adjusted EBITDA excluding inventory investment SourceLong termexceed 60%
Stock-based compensation expense SourceFull year 2026$570 million to $600 millionLowered from $590 million to $620 million
Stock-based compensation for Employee XSP and CEO Performance Award SourceFull year 2026approximately $240 millionLowered from $280 million
Capital expenditures SourceFull year 2026$130 million to $150 millionLowered from $160 million to $190 million

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Full-year revenue growth guidance reduced from 32% to 34% to approximately 30%, excluding three Federal Dedrone deployments. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year free cash flow guidance lowered to $350 million to $400 million from a $450 million target. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year Adjusted EBITDA margin guidance raised to approximately 25.6% from 25.5%. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Stock-based compensation expense guidance reduced from $590 million to $620 million. Source
  • Guidance lowered: CapEx guidance reduced from $160 million to $190 million. Source
  • New guidance: Fourth-quarter 2026 revenue and Adjusted EBITDA ranges given. Source
  • New: Axon announced a $1.2 billion investment in Skydio, raising its fully diluted ownership to 37%. Source
  • New: Axon became the exclusive public safety distributor of Skydio in the U.S. and Canada. Source
  • New: Axon Body 5 and TASER Ion were introduced in October. Source
  • New: Five-year bookings now reported; the prior release used five-year normalized bookings. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 28% to $909 million: Revenue reached $909 million, led by Software & Services, which accelerated to 43% growth. Source
  • Operating income was $42 million: Operating income was $42 million, against a loss of $2 million a year earlier, reflecting higher revenue and operating leverage. Source
  • Net income and diluted EPS: Net income was $57 million, or $0.68 per diluted share, against a net loss of $2 million a year earlier; non-GAAP diluted EPS was $1.72. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 33%: Adjusted EBITDA was $236 million, a 25.9% margin, up 33% from a year earlier. Source
  • Deployment timing cost about 500 basis points: Management said full-year growth would be nearly 500 basis points higher had the three Federal Dedrone deployments stayed on pace. Source

Skydio investment and distribution

  • $1.2 billion Skydio investment: Axon is investing $1.2 billion in Skydio, its largest single investment, lifting fully diluted ownership to 37%. Source
  • Exclusive public safety distributor: Axon becomes Skydio’s exclusive public safety distributor in the U.S. and Canada, extending its public safety lead. Source
  • Skydio revenue recognized net: Axon acts as a direct channel partner, and Skydio revenue is recognized on a net basis in Software & Services. Source
  • Integrated response platform: Management said Skydio, combined with Axon 911, Fusus, digital evidence and Dedrone, completes an integrated platform for faster response. Source

“Demand is broad, Software & Services is accelerating and newer businesses are becoming meaningful contributors to our results.”

Axon Enterprise, Inc., press release

Segment and geographic mix

  • Software & Services growth accelerated: Growth came from more users and existing customers adopting premium solutions, with newer offerings contributing. Source
  • Software margin fell on new products: Software & Services gross margin was 71.4%, against 73.8%; software-only margin stayed above 80%. Source
  • Connected Devices revenue grew 16%: Connected Devices revenue grew 16% to $472 million, led by Dedrone and Axon Body 4, partly offset by lower legacy TASER volume. Source
  • Platform Solutions more than doubled: Platform Solutions rose 106% to $125 million; management said growth would have been stronger without a delayed deployment. Source
  • Software run rate nearly $500 million: Real-time operations, Axon Records, Axon AI, Axon 911 and Dedrone software together reached an annual run rate of nearly $500 million. Source
  • United States share of sales: United States sales were $772 million, 85% of net sales, up from 84% in the prior-year quarter. Source

Demand, bookings and customer wins

  • Demand described as building: Management said demand keeps building and customers are putting Axon to work in more markets. Source
  • Large state corrections win: Selected Q3 wins included a $258 million AI Era Plan and body camera expansion with a state corrections department. Source
  • Federal Dedrone win in quarter: An $18 million Dedrone deployment with a U.S. federal agency was among the Q3 wins listed. Source
  • Backlog conversion timing: About 20% to 25% of future contracted bookings is expected to be fulfilled over the next 12 months, with the rest over about ten years. Source

“We enter the fourth quarter with high conviction.”

Axon Enterprise, Inc., press release

Product launches and ecosystem

  • Axon Body 5 launched: Axon Body 5 has 25 times the processing power of prior-generation cameras, 20% longer battery life and 4K video. Source
  • TASER Ion pocket device: TASER Ion has four probes against 10 on TASER 10, with range to 45 feet and activity logging for Axon Evidence upload. Source
  • Axon Guardian generally available: Axon Guardian moved to general availability within the AI Era Plan, with escalation detection and approach alerts. Source
  • Platform rather than product line: Management describes Axon as building a platform, linking edge devices, software and AI across public safety. Source

Margins and cost lines

  • Total gross margin declined: Total gross margin was 56.7%, against 60.1%; adjusted gross margin was 59.2%, against 62.7%. Source
  • Connected Devices margin fell: Connected Devices gross margin was 43.0%, against 49.9%, mainly from counter-drone mix and higher memory costs. Source
  • No tariff refunds in quarter: The sequential Connected Devices margin change reflects no tariff refunds in Q3, which were recognized in the prior quarter. Source
  • Operating expense ratios: Cost of goods sold was $394 million (43% of revenue), SG&A $280 million (31%) and R&D $192 million (21%). Source

Cash flow, inventory and balance sheet

  • Operating cash flow fell: Operating cash flow was $20 million, against $60 million a year earlier, including about $100 million of inventory investment. Source
  • Free cash flow was an outflow: Free cash flow was an outflow of $19 million, compared to an inflow of $33 million in the prior-year period, mainly from inventory investment. Source
  • Net debt rose to $1.2 billion: Cash and short-term investments were $1.7 billion against $2.9 billion of notes, a net debt position up $182 million sequentially. Source
  • Capped calls bought for 2031 notes: A $114.9 million capped call was purchased in Q3 related to the 2031 convertible senior notes. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 November 2026

  • Fourth-quarter guidance issued: Q4 2026 revenue of $990 million to $1.01 billion and Adjusted EBITDA of $245 million to $250 million. Source
  • Inventory spend to moderate: Management expects the strategic inventory investment to moderate after the first quarter of 2027. Source
  • Skydio bookings expected this fiscal year: Skydio expects about $1 billion of bookings this fiscal year, according to the letter. Source
  • Axon Gravity development continues: Management took early steps toward Axon Gravity, a broader vision for superintelligence across the public safety workflow. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Annual recurring revenue Source$1,750 million, up 40% year over year
Net revenue retention Source126%
Future contracted bookings Source$15.8 billion, up 39% year over year
AI bookings and AI annual recurring revenue SourceAI bookings up over 50% year to date; AI ARR above $100 million
Five-year bookings SourceUp 25% year to date
Deployed Skydio docks through Axon Air SourceMore than doubled year over year

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Three large Federal Dedrone deployments are no longer expected to contribute about $130 million of revenue in 2026. Source
  • Operational: Counter-drone deployments are hardware-heavy and can cause quarter-to-quarter variability in revenue timing as the business scales. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Management said the company remains on pace for full-year revenue growth of approximately 30%. Source
  • On track: Excluding inventory investment, conversion would be on track to exceed the long-term target. Source
  • Delayed: Management said the deployment, expected to be recognized in Q3, was delayed in timing. 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.