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Bentley Systems 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. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue grew 12.2% in quarter: Total revenues were $421.5 million, up 12.2% (12.7% constant currency). Subscriptions revenue was $386.8 million, up 12.4%; perpetual licenses were $12.6 million and services $22.1 million. Source
  • Operating margin rose to 29.1%: Income from operations was $122.6 million against $84.5 million a year earlier, lifting the operating income margin to 29.1% from 22.5%. Source
  • Award finalists used AI on projects: At the Year in Infrastructure Awards held last month, nearly 70% of finalists used AI in their projects. The CEO cited this as evidence that the software can expand engineering capability. Source
  • AOI less Operating SBC margin reached 32.1%: AOI less Operating SBC was $135.5 million, a 32.1% margin against 28.1%. Operating stock-based compensation was $19.6 million against $16.3 million. Source
  • Annualized recurring revenue reached $1,582.8 million: ARR was $1,582.8 million, up from $1,405.2 million a year earlier and from $1,536.0 million at June 30, 2026, when constant currency ARR growth was 12%. Source
  • Free cash flow fell year on year: Free cash flow was $101.4 million against $110.7 million; operating cash flow was $109.4 million against $116.4 million. Last twelve-month free cash flow was $489.3 million against $460.1 million. Source
  • Cohesive contributed to Naviam: Cohesive was divested on October 13, 2026 by contribution to Naviam. In exchange, the company received an equity interest in Naviam and warrants to acquire additional equity interests. Source
  • Eliis acquisition completed October 29: Eliis, a seismic interpretation software company, was acquired on October 29, 2026, as a capital allocation transaction described by management. Source

“We delivered another quarter of accelerated growth, driven by strength in Resources and continued momentum in Public Works & Utilities.”

CEO Nicholas Cumins

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Constant currency ARR year-over-year growth Sourcefull year 2026 (annual range)12.5-13.5%Raised

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Constant currency ARR growth range raised to 12.5-13.5%, excluding the Cohesive divestiture. Source
  • New: Eliis, a seismic interpretation software company, was acquired on October 29, 2026. Source
  • Ended: Cohesive, an IBM Maximo-related services business, was divested on October 13, 2026. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue grew 12.2% in quarter: Total revenues were $421.5 million, up 12.2% (12.7% constant currency). Subscriptions revenue was $386.8 million, up 12.4%; perpetual licenses were $12.6 million and services $22.1 million. Source
  • Nine-month revenue up 13.2%: Nine-month total revenues were $1,256.4 million, up 13.2% (12.3% constant currency). Nine-month subscriptions revenue was $1,157.9 million, up 13.5%. Source
  • Operating margin rose to 29.1%: Income from operations was $122.6 million against $84.5 million a year earlier, lifting the operating income margin to 29.1% from 22.5%. Source
  • Diluted and adjusted EPS higher: Net income per diluted share was $0.29 against $0.18. Adjusted EPS was $0.36 against $0.27 in the same period last year. Source

Segments and end markets

  • Resources sector led growth: The CEO attributed the quarter's accelerated growth to strength in the Resources sector and continued momentum in Public Works & Utilities. Source
  • Cohesive sat outside core software: Cohesive provided IBM Maximo-related implementation and consulting services and operated separately from the infrastructure engineering software offerings. Source
  • Seequent scope widened with Eliis: Executive Chair Greg Bentley said the Eliis acquisition furthers Seequent's subsurface modeling scope and reach. Source

“reflects both the robustness of our focused end markets, and accounts’ confidence in our mutual trajectories for infrastructure AI”

Executive Chair Greg Bentley

Infrastructure AI and customers

  • Award finalists used AI on projects: At the Year in Infrastructure Awards held last month, nearly 70% of finalists used AI in their projects. The CEO cited this as evidence that the software can expand engineering capability. Source
  • Positioned to unlock AI potential: The CEO said Bentley is uniquely positioned to unlock the potential of AI for infrastructure. Source
  • Engineering firms investing in AI infrastructure: The CEO said the engineering firms Bentley serves are benefiting from an unprecedented level of investment in infrastructure for AI. Source

Operating costs

  • Sales and admin spending rose: Selling and marketing expense was $76.6 million against $72.1 million. General and administrative expense was $61.5 million against $53.8 million. Source
  • Research and development rose modestly: Research and development expense was $81.5 million against $78.8 million a year earlier. Source
  • Deferred compensation plan swung to income: The deferred compensation plan line was $0.8 million of income in the quarter, against $6.0 million of expense a year earlier. Source
  • Gross profit increased on revenue: Total cost of revenues was $72.0 million against $72.2 million. Gross profit was $349.6 million against $303.4 million. Source

“With net debt leverage of 1.7 times and our revolving credit facility, we have ample financial flexibility to fund programmatic acquisitions, return capital through dividends and opportunistic share repurchases, and repay our 2027 convertible notes at maturity.”

CFO Werner Andre

Margins and profit measures

  • AOI less Operating SBC margin reached 32.1%: AOI less Operating SBC was $135.5 million, a 32.1% margin against 28.1%. Operating stock-based compensation was $19.6 million against $16.3 million. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose to $160.9 million: Adjusted EBITDA was $160.9 million against $129.7 million. Nine-month Adjusted EBITDA was $467.6 million against $407.2 million. Source
  • Net interest expense increased: Interest expense, net was $9.9 million against $2.7 million. Other income, net was $2.8 million against $1.9 million. Source
  • No integration costs in quarter: Integration costs were nil in the third quarter, against $1.8 million in the second quarter and in the nine months, the first quarter in which they were adjusted. Source

Recurring revenue and demand

  • Annualized recurring revenue reached $1,582.8 million: ARR was $1,582.8 million, up from $1,405.2 million a year earlier and from $1,536.0 million at June 30, 2026, when constant currency ARR growth was 12%. Source
  • Net revenue retention rose to 110%: Trailing twelve-month dollar-based net retention was 110%, against 109% a year earlier. The June 30 quarter reported 109%, consistent with the prior year. Source
  • Subscription deposits grew on balance sheet: Cloud Services Subscription deposits were $480.9 million at September 30, 2026, against $463.3 million at December 31, 2025. Current deferred revenues were $237.9 million against $278.2 million. Source

Cash flow and capital returns

  • Free cash flow fell year on year: Free cash flow was $101.4 million against $110.7 million; operating cash flow was $109.4 million against $116.4 million. Last twelve-month free cash flow was $489.3 million against $460.1 million. Source
  • Buybacks up, dividends flat: Nine-month repurchases of Class B common stock were $135.1 million against $65.0 million; dividends paid were $63.6 million against $63.8 million. Diluted weighted average shares were 317.7 million against 333.3 million. Source
  • Term loan drawn, convertible notes repaid: Nine-month term loan proceeds were $550.0 million and repayments of convertible senior notes were $677.8 million. Long-term debt was $1,148.5 million at September 30, 2026. Source
  • Net debt leverage fell to 1.7x: Net debt leverage was 1.7 times at the September quarter-end, against 1.9 times at June 30, 2026.

Acquisitions and divestitures

  • Cohesive contributed to Naviam: Cohesive was divested on October 13, 2026 by contribution to Naviam. In exchange, the company received an equity interest in Naviam and warrants to acquire additional equity interests. Source
  • Eliis acquisition completed October 29: Eliis, a seismic interpretation software company, was acquired on October 29, 2026, as a capital allocation transaction described by management. Source
  • Two transactions framed as capital allocation: The Executive Chair said the two recently concluded transactions are strategic capital allocation transactions, namely the Cohesive divestiture and the Eliis acquisition. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 November 2026

  • 2027 convertible notes repayment planned: Management plans to repay the 2027 convertible notes at maturity, alongside dividends and opportunistic share repurchases. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Annual recurring revenue Source$1,582.8 million
ARR growth, constant currency Source13%
Net revenue retention rate Source110%
Subscriptions revenue Source$386.8 million

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Management said these three measures remain on track to deliver within their stated ranges, with no figures given for the first and third. Source
  • Ahead: Management described constant currency ARR year-over-year growth of 13% as exceeding the annual range. 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.