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CBRE Group, Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 23 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 19% to $10.5 billion: Revenue was $10,527 million against $8,875 million a year earlier, up 18.6% in USD and 14.6% in local currency. Transactional Businesses revenue rose 22%. Source
  • GAAP and core EPS both rose: GAAP diluted EPS was $1.07 against $0.54, and core EPS was $1.61 against $0.89. Core adjusted net income was $478 million against $269 million. Source
  • Advisory profit rose 34% on leasing and sales: Advisory revenue rose 22% (19% local currency) to $2,024 million and segment operating profit rose 34% to $375 million. Global leasing revenue rose 20%, with Asia-Pacific up 24%, led by Japan. Source
  • Real Estate Development profit exceeded expectations: Real Estate Development operating profit totaled $145 million, lifting Real Estate Investments segment operating profit to $180 million from $25 million a year earlier. Source
  • Critical infrastructure revenue up 71%: Critical infrastructure services revenue rose 71% (65% local currency), including Data Center Solutions and contributions from Pearce Services, acquired in November 2025. Source
  • Trailing free cash flow near $1.7 billion: Free cash flow was nearly $1.7 billion for the twelve months to March 31, 2026. Cash used in operations was $825 million in the quarter, against $546 million a year earlier. Source

“Together, our three services segments - Advisory, Building Operations & Experience and Project Management - grew revenue by 20% and operating profit by nearly 30%.”

Bob Sulentic, CBRE’s chair and chief executive officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Core EPS Source2026$7.60 to $7.80Raised from $7.30 to $7.60

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: The 2026 core EPS range was raised to $7.60 to $7.80 from $7.30 to $7.60. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 19% to $10.5 billion: Revenue was $10,527 million against $8,875 million a year earlier, up 18.6% in USD and 14.6% in local currency. Transactional Businesses revenue rose 22%. Source
  • GAAP and core EPS both rose: GAAP diluted EPS was $1.07 against $0.54, and core EPS was $1.61 against $0.89. Core adjusted net income was $478 million against $269 million. Source
  • Net income included a real estate gain: GAAP net income attributable to CBRE was $318 million against $163 million. Operating income of $511 million included a $301 million gain on disposition of real estate. Source

Segments and regions

  • Advisory profit rose 34% on leasing and sales: Advisory revenue rose 22% (19% local currency) to $2,024 million and segment operating profit rose 34% to $375 million. Global leasing revenue rose 20%, with Asia-Pacific up 24%, led by Japan. Source
  • Building Operations revenue rose 20%: Building Operations & Experience revenue rose 20% (16% local currency) to $6,491 million, and segment operating profit rose 28% to $280 million. Source
  • Project Management grew 15%: Project Management revenue rose 15% (11% local currency) to $1,838 million and segment operating profit rose 21% to $135 million. Growth was underpinned by infrastructure activity. Source
  • Real Estate Development profit exceeded expectations: Real Estate Development operating profit totaled $145 million, lifting Real Estate Investments segment operating profit to $180 million from $25 million a year earlier. Source
  • Investment management revenue held flat: Investment management revenue was flat (down 6% local currency). Recurring asset management fees rose on higher net asset values, while incentive fees fell. Source

“Notably, our work related to infrastructure assets, consisting of the services we perform for data centers as well as power, telecom and transportation assets, among others, has become a source of significant profits and growth spanning all four business segments”

Bob Sulentic, CBRE’s chair and chief executive officer

Products and customers

  • Critical infrastructure revenue up 71%: Critical infrastructure services revenue rose 71% (65% local currency), including Data Center Solutions and contributions from Pearce Services, acquired in November 2025. Source
  • Facilities management revenue rose 17%: Local facilities management grew in the mid-teens, led by the Americas. Enterprise facilities management grew by double digits, led by technology, industrial and life sciences. Source
  • Global property sales rose 43%: The U.S. was up 64% as all major property types posted double-digit increases. Asia-Pacific property sales rose 29%, paced by Japan. Source
  • Mortgage origination revenue up 53%: Mortgage origination revenue rose 53% in the same local currency, fueled by volumes from debt funds and government-sponsored enterprises. Source
  • Loan servicing portfolio above $460 billion: The loan servicing portfolio rose 5% in the quarter. Management said underlying loan servicing growth was masked in reported revenue. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Fleet lease costs moved to D&A: Operating leverage in Building Operations & Experience came from moving costs of fleet vehicle leases from cost of services to depreciation and amortization. Source
  • Pass-through costs rose with vendor work: Pass-through costs were $4,448 million against $3,798 million, up 17.1% in USD. These are reimbursed by clients and included in revenue. Source
  • Core corporate loss grew on incentive pay: Core corporate operating loss grew, driven by higher incentive compensation tied to 2025 performance and a change in timing of certain expense recognition. Source

Demand and the order book

  • Real estate pipeline reached $29.6 billion: In-process projects and pipeline across real estate development stood at $29.6 billion at March 31, 2026. Source
  • U.S. leasing revenue rose 21%: U.S. leasing revenue rose 21%, driven by industrial, office and data centers. Source
  • Valuations revenue rose 9%: Valuations revenue rose 9% (4% local currency), with double-digit growth in the U.S. Source
  • Assets under management above $155 billion: Assets under management ended the first quarter at more than $155 billion, in line with the prior quarter’s level. Source

Capital, cash and returns to shareholders

  • Trailing free cash flow near $1.7 billion: Free cash flow was nearly $1.7 billion for the twelve months to March 31, 2026. Cash used in operations was $825 million in the quarter, against $546 million a year earlier. Source
  • Share repurchases near $540 million: Year to date, the company had repurchased nearly $540 million of shares as of April 21. The first-quarter cash flow statement shows $530 million of common stock repurchases. Source
  • Net leverage rose to 1.54x: The net leverage ratio was 1.54x at March 31, 2026, against 1.24x at December 31, 2025, and below the 4.25x primary debt covenant. Source
  • Total liquidity near $4.4 billion: Total liquidity was about $4.4 billion at the end of the first quarter, against about $5.7 billion at the end of 2025. Source
  • No acquisitions in the first quarter: The company made no acquisitions in the first quarter of 2026. Source

Coming up, as management said on 23 April 2026

  • Call transcript posted: A transcript of the call will be posted on the company’s Investor Relations website. Source

Risks management discussed

  • External: Lower average interest rates reduced escrow income within loan servicing revenue. Source
  • Financial: Investment management profit can move with incentive and promote income, which were largely absent this quarter. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Profits from the data center land development program arrived earlier in the year than management had anticipated. 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.