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Blackbaud Inc.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 29 October 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 1 new, 6 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue fell on EVERFI sale: Total revenue declined 1.9% because of the EVERFI divestiture. Non-GAAP organic revenue, which excludes divested businesses, rose 5.2%. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin rose: Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA was $99.7 million at a 35.4% margin. The reconciliation table lists the prior-year margin as 36.1%, while the release describes a 220 basis point increase. Source
  • Operating cash flow rose $35.3M: Operating cash flow was $139.2 million, against $103.9 million a year earlier, with an operating cash flow margin of 49.5%. Source
  • Buybacks and leverage both reduced: Year-to-date repurchases exceed 5% of common stock outstanding. The leverage ratio fell from 2.9x in the first quarter to 2.4x in the third quarter. Source
  • Core guidance reiterated, cash range raised: Revenue, adjusted EBITDA margin and EPS ranges were reiterated. The adjusted free cash flow range was raised. Source
  • Embedded AI announced at bbcon: Management said bbcon 2025 introduced embedded AI capabilities across the product portfolio and a vision for intelligent action. Source
  • Prior-year tax error corrected: The correction decreased the 2024 income tax benefit by $15.5 million and was reflected as a revision of prior-period amounts presented in this release. Source

“Innovation continues to drive our clear market leadership and a widening competitive moat,”

Mike Gianoni, president, CEO and vice chairman of the board of directors, Blackbaud

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
GAAP revenue Sourcefull year 2025$1.120 billion to $1.130 billionKept
Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA margin Sourcefull year 202535.4% to 36.2%Kept
Non-GAAP diluted EPS Sourcefull year 2025$4.30 to $4.50Kept
Non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow Sourcefull year 2025$195 million to $205 millionRaised from $190 million to $200 million
Non-GAAP annualized effective tax rate Sourcefull year 2025approximately 24.5%Kept
Interest expense Sourcefull year 2025$66 million to $70 millionRaised from $65 million to $69 million
Fully diluted shares Sourcefull year 202548.5 million to 49.5 millionKept
Capital expenditures Sourcefull year 2025$55 million to $65 million, including $50 million to $60 million of capitalized software development costsKept
Share repurchases Source20255.2% to 7.0% of outstanding common stock as of December 31, 2024New

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Adjusted free cash flow range raised to $195 million to $205 million from $190 million to $200 million. Source
  • New guidance: Expected 2025 repurchases stated as 5.2% to 7.0% of common stock outstanding at December 31, 2024; not in the second-quarter release. Source
  • New: Prior-period financial statements revised to correct a tax valuation allowance error and other immaterial errors. Source
  • New: Embedded AI capabilities and a vision for intelligent action were announced at bbcon 2025. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue fell on EVERFI sale: Total revenue declined 1.9% because of the EVERFI divestiture. Non-GAAP organic revenue, which excludes divested businesses, rose 5.2%. Source
  • GAAP operating income and margin rose: GAAP income from operations was $54.6 million, with a GAAP operating margin of 19.4%, up 500 basis points. Source
  • GAAP net income and EPS increased: GAAP net income was $47.5 million and GAAP diluted EPS was $0.98, compared with $0.35 in the third quarter of 2024. Source
  • Non-GAAP EPS reached $1.10: Non-GAAP net income was $53.2 million and non-GAAP diluted EPS was $1.10, against $0.99 a year earlier. Source

Profitability and margins

  • Adjusted EBITDA margin rose: Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA was $99.7 million at a 35.4% margin. The reconciliation table lists the prior-year margin as 36.1%, while the release describes a 220 basis point increase. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating margin improved: Non-GAAP operating income was $84.0 million, a 29.9% margin, compared with 27.5% in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Lease release charge excluded: Nine-month acquisition and disposition costs include $24.3 million for releasing a Washington, DC office lease from the EVERFI acquisition. Those charges are excluded from non-GAAP results. Source

“For investors, we believe Blackbaud is a sound investment choice that has the potential to create substantial shareholder value”

Mike Gianoni, president, CEO and vice chairman of the board of directors, Blackbaud

Cash flow

  • Operating cash flow rose $35.3M: Operating cash flow was $139.2 million, against $103.9 million a year earlier, with an operating cash flow margin of 49.5%. Source
  • Free cash flow reached $123.2M: Non-GAAP free cash flow was $123.2 million, a 43.8% margin, after capitalized software development and property and equipment spending. Source
  • Adjusted free cash flow reached $125.1M: Non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow, which adds back Security Incident-related cash outflows, was $125.1 million, a 44.5% margin. Source

Capital and returns to shareholders

  • Buybacks and leverage both reduced: Year-to-date repurchases exceed 5% of common stock outstanding. The leverage ratio fell from 2.9x in the first quarter to 2.4x in the third quarter. Source
  • Repurchase authorization declined: About $514 million remained under the repurchase program at September 30, 2025, down from about $545 million at June 30, 2025. Source

“We have a lot to be proud of and a lot more to look forward to in Q4 2025 and beyond.”

Chad Anderson, executive vice president and CFO, Blackbaud

Full-year 2025 guidance

  • Core guidance reiterated, cash range raised: Revenue, adjusted EBITDA margin and EPS ranges were reiterated. The adjusted free cash flow range was raised. Source
  • Interest expense range moved up: The full-year interest expense assumption moved up by $1 million at each end of the range. Source
  • Tax rate and share count held: The non-GAAP tax rate of about 24.5% was kept. The fully diluted share count assumption of 48.5 million to 49.5 million was also kept. Source
  • Capital spending plan unchanged: Capital expenditures of $55 million to $65 million, including $50 million to $60 million of capitalized software development costs, were kept. Source

Product and AI strategy

  • Embedded AI announced at bbcon: Management said bbcon 2025 introduced embedded AI capabilities across the product portfolio and a vision for intelligent action. Source
  • Impact Edge AI and analytics updates: Updates to Blackbaud Impact Edge add AI capabilities, enhanced analytics and measurement, and data insights. Source
  • Year-end fundraising toolkit launched: Blackbaud launched a 2025 year-end fundraising toolkit for organizations running end-of-year campaigns. Source

Accounting revisions and presentation

  • Prior-year tax error corrected: The correction decreased the 2024 income tax benefit by $15.5 million and was reflected as a revision of prior-period amounts presented in this release. Source
  • No amendment of earlier filings: Management concluded the error was not material to prior reporting periods, so previously filed reports were not amended. Source
  • Revenue lines combined since 2025: Recurring and one-time services revenue lines are combined within revenue beginning in 2025, and prior periods were conformed to that presentation. Source

Security incident and legal costs

  • Quarter's incident costs insignificant: Security Incident costs in the third quarter were insignificant and consisted of ongoing legal fees. Source
  • Nine-month incident costs and accruals: Nine-month Security Incident costs were $2.8 million, including about $1.1 million of recorded accruals for loss contingencies. Source
  • No loss liabilities recorded: No liabilities for loss contingencies related to the Security Incident were recorded at September 30, 2025. Source

Coming up, as management said on 29 October 2025

  • Form 10-Q to carry revised figures: Revisions to prior-period amounts will appear in the Form 10-Q for the third quarter of 2025. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Recurring revenue (third quarter, GAAP) Source$275.8 million, 98.1% of total revenue
Non-GAAP organic recurring revenue growth Source5.5%

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Correcting the error in the current period would be material to the three- and nine-month results for 2025. Source
  • Regulatory: Recorded Security Incident costs include legal fees, payments to service providers, customer claim settlements and loss contingency accruals. Source
  • Operational: Costs of enhancing the cybersecurity program are not excluded from non-GAAP results. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management reiterated its full-year 2025 guidance for revenue, adjusted EBITDA margin and EPS. Source
  • Not stated: Management states it remains committed to providing investors a financial model balanced across growth in revenues, earnings and cash flows. 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.