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Blackbaud Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 29 July 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 8 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 3.0% in quarter: GAAP total revenue was $290.6 million, up 3.0%, with non-GAAP organic revenue also up 3.0% from the second quarter of 2025. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin fell 70 basis points: Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA was $110.3 million, up $1.2 million. The margin was 38.0%, down 70 basis points. Source
  • Operating cash flow up $24.1 million: Operating cash flow was $91.1 million, with an operating cash flow margin of 31.3%, up 760 basis points. Source
  • Free cash flow reached $75.3 million: Non-GAAP free cash flow was $75.3 million, with a 25.9% margin. First-half free cash flow was $112.3 million, against $39.2 million. Source
  • Full-year guidance reaffirmed: Full-year guidance was reaffirmed across GAAP revenue, adjusted EBITDA, non-GAAP EPS and non-GAAP free cash flow, with the company expecting to finish in the upper half of each range. Source
  • EPS and free cash flow at high end: The company said it expects non-GAAP EPS and non-GAAP free cash flow at the high end of their ranges. Source

“Our second quarter and first-half results came in as expected, and combined with our confidence in the second half, position us to finish in the upper half”

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

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue (GAAP) SourceFY2026$1.173 billion to $1.179 billionKept
Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) SourceFY2026$430 million to $438 millionKept
Diluted EPS (non-GAAP) SourceFY2026$5.15 to $5.25Kept
Free cash flow (non-GAAP) SourceFY2026$280 million to $290 millionKept
Non-GAAP effective tax rate SourceFY2026approximately 24.5%Kept
Interest expense SourceFY2026approximately $62 million to $66 millionKept
Diluted weighted average shares SourceFY2026approximately 45.0 million to 46.0 millionKept
Capital expenditures SourceFY2026approximately $60 million to $70 million, including approximately $52 million to $62 million of capitalized software development costsKept
Share repurchases as percent of shares outstanding Source20266% to 10.0%Raised from 5.0% to 10.0%

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Low end of the expected 2026 repurchase range raised to 6% from 5.0%; upper end unchanged at 10.0%. Source
  • New: Innovation Partnership and strategic investment in Student First announced for higher education. Source
  • New: Multiple new Agents for Good and AI product enhancements announced, planned on a reimagined cloud-native, AI-first connected platform. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 3.0% in quarter: GAAP total revenue was $290.6 million, up 3.0%, with non-GAAP organic revenue also up 3.0% from the second quarter of 2025. Source
  • Growth below first-quarter rate: First-quarter revenue growth was 4.2%, with non-GAAP organic revenue also up 4.2% in that quarter.
  • Net income and EPS increased: GAAP net income was $35.4 million, with GAAP diluted EPS of $0.79, up $0.24. Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $1.33, up $0.11. Source
  • First-half revenue and EPS: First-half revenue was $571.7 million, up 3.6%. First-half GAAP diluted EPS was $1.46, against $0.63 a year earlier. Source

Margins and cost base

  • Adjusted EBITDA margin fell 70 basis points: Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA was $110.3 million, up $1.2 million. The margin was 38.0%, down 70 basis points. Source
  • GAAP and non-GAAP margins moved apart: GAAP operating margin was 21.3%, up 100 basis points. Non-GAAP operating margin was 32.6%, down 110 basis points. Source
  • Gross margin rose on both bases: Non-GAAP gross margin was 64.2%, against 63.5% a year earlier. GAAP gross margin was 61.3%, against 59.7%. Source
  • Operating expense lines all higher: Sales, marketing and customer success was $46.3 million, research and development $34.9 million, and general and administrative $34.4 million, each above the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Impairment excluded from non-GAAP: A $1.1 million impairment of capitalized software development costs was added back in reaching non-GAAP operating income. Source
  • Interest and tax expense declined: Interest expense was $17.6 million, against $18.4 million a year earlier. The income tax provision was $11.1 million, against $13.6 million. Source

“We again executed well against our operating plan while investing in innovation and efficiency across the business”

Chad Anderson, executive vice president and CFO, Blackbaud

Cash flow and balance sheet

  • Operating cash flow up $24.1 million: Operating cash flow was $91.1 million, with an operating cash flow margin of 31.3%, up 760 basis points. Source
  • Free cash flow reached $75.3 million: Non-GAAP free cash flow was $75.3 million, with a 25.9% margin. First-half free cash flow was $112.3 million, against $39.2 million. Source
  • Deferred revenue and receivables moved: First-half deferred revenue inflow was $34.7 million. Accounts receivable rose to $134.9 million from $80.5 million at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Long-term debt rose in first half: Debt net of current portion was $1,127.4 million, up from $1,087.0 million at December 31. First-half debt issuance was $209.5 million. Source
  • Customer balances and restricted cash higher: Due to customers was $851.8 million at June 30, 2026, and restricted cash was $846.6 million, against cash and cash equivalents of $34.4 million. Source

Capital and shareholder returns

  • Buyback cash outlay in first half: Purchases of treasury stock, including excise tax, were $111.6 million for the six months, against $103.2 million a year earlier. Source
  • Share count lower since December: Shares outstanding were 45.5 million at June 30, 2026, against 46.7 million at December 31, 2025. Treasury shares rose to 28.5 million. Source
  • Authorization remaining near $850 million: The repurchase program was expanded, replenished and reauthorized in December 2025. Remaining authorization was about $878 million at March 31, 2026. Source
  • Employee tax payments on equity awards: Employee taxes paid for withheld shares on equity award settlement were $25.3 million for the six months, against $38.7 million. Source

“We also remain aggressive in repurchasing our shares having already repurchased just over 6% this year, reducing our total shares outstanding by approximately 15% since the fourth quarter of 2023.”

Chad Anderson, executive vice president and CFO, Blackbaud

Full-year guidance held

  • Full-year guidance reaffirmed: Full-year guidance was reaffirmed across GAAP revenue, adjusted EBITDA, non-GAAP EPS and non-GAAP free cash flow, with the company expecting to finish in the upper half of each range. Source
  • EPS and free cash flow at high end: The company said it expects non-GAAP EPS and non-GAAP free cash flow at the high end of their ranges. Source
  • Assumptions match first-quarter figures: Tax rate, interest expense, share count and capital expenditure assumptions are the same figures given in the first-quarter release. Source

Products, AI and sector work

  • AI maturity research published: The Blackbaud Institute reported that organizations with higher AI maturity are seeing transformational results, moving beyond fragmented experimentation. Source
  • AI certification program convened: The AI Coalition for Social Impact, convened by Blackbaud, launched a free certification program for professionals adopting AI. Source
  • Product briefings showcased AI features: Bi-annual Product Update Briefings and the bbdevdays Developers Conference covered new AI capabilities, connected workflows and developer tools. Source
  • Impact Report released: The 2025 Impact Report covers progress on responsible AI, sustainability and global social impact. Source

Recognition and workplace rankings

  • AI innovation award recognition: The company said it earned recognition from the American Business Awards for AI innovation and leadership. Source
  • Workplace and sustainability rankings: Named to Newsweek's World's Greenest Companies list for a second consecutive year, and honored on TIME's America's Best Companies 2026 list. Source

Coming up, as management said on 29 July 2026

  • Admissions Agent in development: An Admissions Agent for K - 12 independent schools is in development, intended to make admissions experiences more personalized and efficient. Source
  • Year-end finish in upper half: The company expects to finish fiscal 2026 in the upper half of its guidance ranges across four key metrics. Source

In management's words

“We continue to invest aggressively in AI, reflected in the accelerating pace of innovation across our Agents for Good™ solutions”

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

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Recurring revenue Source$285.3 million, up 3.3%, 98.2% of total revenue

Risks management discussed

  • External: Currency translation reduced quarterly non-GAAP organic revenue by $0.7 million, with the Australian dollar, British pound, Canadian dollar and euro named as the main currencies. Source
  • Operational: Transition of certain roles to the Hyderabad Global Capability Center brought $2.0 million of severance and related costs in the quarter, excluded from non-GAAP results. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said the second quarter and first half came in as it expected. Source
  • Not stated: Full-year guidance was reaffirmed, with the company expecting to finish in the upper half of the ranges. 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.