greeksoup/ stock research

Certara, Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 26 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 4 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Fourth-quarter revenue grew 3%: Revenue was $103.6 million against $100.4 million a year earlier, up 3% reported and 2% constant currency. Full-year revenue was $418.8 million, up 9% reported and 8% constant currency. Source
  • Full-year adjusted EBITDA up 10%: Full-year adjusted EBITDA was $134.5 million, against $122.0 million. Fourth-quarter adjusted EBITDA was $32.5 million, down 3% from $33.5 million. Source
  • Software revenue up 10% in quarter: Software revenue was $46.4 million, up 10% reported and 8% constant currency. Growth was attributed to biosimulation software; the third-quarter release had attributed software growth to M&A and biosimulation software. Source
  • Software bookings down 6%: Software bookings were $56.1 million, down 6% from $59.7 million, after growing 17% in the third quarter. Full-year software bookings were $184.3 million, against $169.4 million. Source
  • Operating expenses rose $7.5 million: Operating expenses were $63.6 million. Employee-related costs rose $7.0 million; equipment and software and professional and consulting costs each rose $0.8 million, partly offset by lower state business taxes. Source
  • Full-year margin at top of plan: Full-year adjusted EBITDA margin was 32%, at the high end of plan. Management attributed it to operating efficiencies while R&D investment was maintained. Source
  • Share repurchases of $42.6 million: Common stock repurchases totaled $42.6 million in 2025, against none in 2024. Treasury shares rose to 4,865,888 from 949,658. Source
  • Sharpening focus and execution in 2026: Management said it will sharpen strategic focus, accelerate innovation across the product portfolio and elevate commercial execution over the course of 2026. Source

“I am excited to join Certara, the market leader in the fast‑growing, high‑impact fields of AI-enabled biosimulation and model‑informed drug development,”

Jon Resnick, Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue SourceFull year 20260-4%New
Adjusted EBITDA margin SourceFull year 2026approximately 30-32%New
Adjusted diluted EPS SourceFull year 2026$0.44- $0.48New
Fully diluted shares SourceFull year 2026160 million to 162 millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: The company gave full-year 2026 guidance for revenue, adjusted EBITDA margin, adjusted diluted EPS and diluted shares. The prior release gave full-year 2025 guidance. Source
  • New: Jon Resnick was appointed Chief Executive Officer and a board member, effective January 1, 2026. The prior release named William Feehery as Chief Executive Officer. Source
  • New: Management described 2026 as a year of transition and investment in people, processes and structure. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Fourth-quarter revenue grew 3%: Revenue was $103.6 million against $100.4 million a year earlier, up 3% reported and 2% constant currency. Full-year revenue was $418.8 million, up 9% reported and 8% constant currency. Source
  • Net loss in quarter, narrower for year: The company reported a fourth-quarter net loss of $5.9 million and diluted EPS of $(0.04), against net income of $6.6 million a year earlier. Full-year net loss was $1.6 million, against $12.1 million. Source
  • Full-year adjusted EBITDA up 10%: Full-year adjusted EBITDA was $134.5 million, against $122.0 million. Fourth-quarter adjusted EBITDA was $32.5 million, down 3% from $33.5 million. Source

Software, services and client base

  • Software revenue up 10% in quarter: Software revenue was $46.4 million, up 10% reported and 8% constant currency. Growth was attributed to biosimulation software; the third-quarter release had attributed software growth to M&A and biosimulation software. Source
  • Services revenue slipped 1% in quarter: Services revenue was $57.3 million, down 1% reported and 2% constant currency. Management attributed the decline to normal seasonal fluctuations, while services bookings rose. Source
  • Full-year software and services growth: Full-year software revenue was $183.3 million, against $155.7 million. Full-year services revenue was $235.6 million, against $229.5 million. Source

“Our full year and fourth quarter revenue performance was in-line with our expectations on both a reported and organic basis.”

John Gallagher, Chief Financial Officer

Bookings and order book

  • Total bookings up 7% in quarter: Total bookings were $155.2 million, up 7%. Full-year bookings were $482.1 million, against $445.3 million. Source
  • Software bookings down 6%: Software bookings were $56.1 million, down 6% from $59.7 million, after growing 17% in the third quarter. Full-year software bookings were $184.3 million, against $169.4 million. Source
  • Services bookings up 17% across tiers: Services bookings were $99.1 million, up 17%, with growth in large, mid-sized and small customer tiers. Full-year services bookings were $297.7 million, against $275.9 million. Source

Costs, operating expenses and tax

  • Operating expenses rose $7.5 million: Operating expenses were $63.6 million. Employee-related costs rose $7.0 million; equipment and software and professional and consulting costs each rose $0.8 million, partly offset by lower state business taxes. Source
  • Cost of revenues up on amortization: Cost of revenues was $39.2 million, driven by higher software amortization expense and increased professional and consulting costs. Source
  • Tax provision replaced prior-year benefit: Income tax was a $3.0 million provision, against a $4.4 million benefit a year earlier. Management cited higher operating expenses, tax expense and cost of revenues as drivers of the lower net income. Source
  • Term loan refinancing costs: Transaction expenses rose $0.7 million, mainly from refinancing the term loan. Severance expenses of $2.2 million for former executives were recorded in the quarter and excluded from adjusted measures. Source

Margins and adjusted measures

  • Full-year margin at top of plan: Full-year adjusted EBITDA margin was 32%, at the high end of plan. Management attributed it to operating efficiencies while R&D investment was maintained. Source
  • Adjusted EPS down in quarter: Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.09, against $0.15. Adjusted net income was $14.9 million, against $24.7 million. Full-year adjusted diluted EPS was $0.44, against $0.45. Source
  • Equity compensation excluded from adjusted: Equity-based compensation was $8.2 million in the quarter and $33.1 million for the year. The company describes it as a recurring expense that it excludes from adjusted measures. Source

Cash, balance sheet and buybacks

  • Operating cash flow rose for year: Net cash from operating activities was $96.3 million for the year, against $80.5 million. Capitalized software development costs were $24.8 million. Source
  • Cash balance rose to $189.4 million: Cash and cash equivalents were $189.4 million at December 31, 2025, against $179.2 million a year earlier. Source
  • Share repurchases of $42.6 million: Common stock repurchases totaled $42.6 million in 2025, against none in 2024. Treasury shares rose to 4,865,888 from 949,658. Source
  • No acquisitions in 2025: No business acquisitions were made in 2025, against $91.3 million of net cash spent in 2024. Source

Leadership and 2026 focus

  • New CEO's early impressions: Jon Resnick said that in his first 60 days he was impressed by the technology, customer relationships and people. The prior release named William Feehery as Chief Executive Officer. Source
  • Sharpening focus and execution in 2026: Management said it will sharpen strategic focus, accelerate innovation across the product portfolio and elevate commercial execution over the course of 2026. Source

Coming up, as management said on 26 February 2026

  • Revenue growth to improve through 2026: The CFO expects changes and initiatives in 2026 to drive improving revenue growth through the year, with end markets expected to remain stable. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Customers Sourcemore than 2,600 biopharmaceutical companies, academic institutions and regulatory agencies in 70 countries

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management attributed the software bookings decline to external factors and execution challenges. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Prior-quarter guidance for full-year 2025 revenue. Management said the fourth-quarter release reported revenue in line with its expectations.
  • Met: Prior-quarter guidance for full-year 2025 margin. Management reported a 32% full-year margin, at the high end of plan.

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.