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Certara, Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 2 lowered, 3 new, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Software revenue grew 4% year-over-year: Software revenue $48.8 million versus $46.7 million, up 4%. Demonstrates customer demand for software platform despite overall slowdown. Source
  • Software bookings surged 9% year-over-year: Software bookings $50.7 million versus $46.6 million, up 9%. Strong customer demand across software platform indicates future revenue growth. Source
  • Expected annual cost savings $13 million: Workforce reduction combined with operational excellence initiatives expected to generate approximately $13 million in run-rate savings going forward. Source
  • GAAP net loss of $6.1 million: Net loss $6.1 million versus $1.5 million income prior year. Primarily reflects absence of prior-year favorable contingent consideration adjustment and currency swing. Source
  • Additional $50 million repurchase authorized: Board approved additional $50 million buyback with no expiration, reflecting continued confidence in business and disciplined capital return approach. Source

“This second quarter was about continuing to execute on our commitments. Overall, we are pleased with our ongoing progress transforming Certara into a company we believe can deliver sustainable double-digit growth.”

Jon Resnick, Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue growth Sourcefull year 20260% to 4%Kept
Revenue Sourcefull year 2026$367 million to $382 millionNew
Adjusted EBITDA margin Sourcefull year 202629% to 31%Lowered from 30% - 32%
Adjusted diluted earnings per share Sourcefull year 2026$0.31 to $0.36Lowered from $0.35 - $0.41
Fully diluted shares Sourcefull year 2026155 million to 157 millionRaised from 157 million - 159 million
Share repurchase authorization Sourceongoing$50 millionNew
Cost savings run-rate Sourceongoingapproximately $13 millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Adjusted EBITDA margin lowered from 30-32% to 29-31%. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Adjusted diluted EPS lowered from $0.35-0.41 to $0.31-0.36. Source
  • New: Julien Perrier appointed Chief Commercial Officer effective August 1, 2026. Source
  • New: Eric Jahn appointed Chief Information Officer from Senior Vice President, IT. Source
  • New: 5% workforce reduction completed in Q2, focused on overhead. Source
  • New: Company reorganized into two business units: MID3 and ACE. Source

Revenue and Bookings Performance

  • Total revenue growth slowed to 1%: Q2 revenue $93.3 million, up 1% from $92.4 million in Q2 2025. Sequential decline from Q1 reflects services weakness. Source
  • Software revenue grew 4% year-over-year: Software revenue $48.8 million versus $46.7 million, up 4%. Demonstrates customer demand for software platform despite overall slowdown. Source
  • Services revenue declined 3% year-over-year: Services revenue $44.5 million versus $45.7 million, down 3%. Management expects improvement in services performance in second half. Source
  • Software bookings surged 9% year-over-year: Software bookings $50.7 million versus $46.6 million, up 9%. Strong customer demand across software platform indicates future revenue growth. Source
  • Services bookings declined 6% year-over-year: Services bookings $47.6 million versus $50.8 million, down 6%. Reflects execution and go-to-market challenges in services segment. Source

Divestiture and Reorganization

  • Medical Writing business divested May 8: Divested Regulatory and Medical Writing business to Veristat LLC for $85 million cash plus $15 million escrow and up to $35 million earn-out. Source
  • Chief Commercial Officer appointed: Julien Perrier appointed CCO effective August 1, bringing two decades of commercial leadership from Ziwig, IQVIA, AbbVie, and Sanofi. Source
  • Chief Information Officer named: Eric Jahn promoted to CIO from SVP, IT. Joined Certara in 2022 and scaled business globally before IT roles at TIBCO and Rocket Software. Source

“We completed the divestiture of our Regulatory and Medical Writing business, implemented our two new business units, and taken necessary actions to strengthen our leadership team and our commercial model.”

Jon Resnick, Chief Executive Officer

Workforce and Cost Efficiency

  • 5% workforce reduction completed in Q2: Reduction targeting 5% of global employee base focused on overhead elimination, addressing stranded costs from divestiture and enabling faster innovation. Source
  • Expected annual cost savings $13 million: Workforce reduction combined with operational excellence initiatives expected to generate approximately $13 million in run-rate savings going forward. Source

Profitability and Margins

  • Adjusted EBITDA declined 3% year-over-year: Adjusted EBITDA $26.2 million versus $27.0 million, down 3%. Sequential decline from Q1 $31.7 million shows margin pressure. Source
  • Adjusted diluted EPS flat at $0.08: Adjusted diluted EPS $0.08 same as prior year, despite EBITDA decline. Non-GAAP metric adjusted for acquisition and reorganization costs. Source
  • GAAP net loss of $6.1 million: Net loss $6.1 million versus $1.5 million income prior year. Primarily reflects absence of prior-year favorable contingent consideration adjustment and currency swing. Source

“Our second quarter results were in line with our expectations, and we remain focused on executing against our full-year plan.”

Faiz Mohammed, Interim Chief Financial Officer

Capital Allocation and Buybacks

  • $100 million buyback program completed: Company completed previously authorized $100 million repurchase with $17.4 million shares repurchased in Q2, demonstrating disciplined capital allocation. Source
  • Additional $50 million repurchase authorized: Board approved additional $50 million buyback with no expiration, reflecting continued confidence in business and disciplined capital return approach. Source
  • Diluted share count 155-157 million expected: Full-year fully diluted shares 155-157 million, lowered from 157-159 million, reflecting impact of completed and additional buyback authorizations. Source

Coming up, as management said on 4 August 2026

  • Chief Commercial Officer assumes role August 1: Julien Perrier takes position as CCO effective August 1, will focus on deepening customer engagement and sharpening go-to-market execution. Source
  • Services performance improvement expected in H2: Management expects services bookings and revenue to improve in second half 2026 through execution and go-to-market refinements. Source
  • $50 million buyback authorization ongoing: Company has $50 million share repurchase authorization approved by Board with no expiration date available for execution. Source

In management's words

“We continue to expect full-year revenue growth of 0% to 4% on a comparable continuing operations basis, supported by continued strength in software and improving services performance as we move through the second half of the year.”

Faiz Mohammed, Interim Chief Financial Officer

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Divestiture completed May 8, 2026 to Veristat LLC, achieving strategic separation as previously announced. Source
  • On track: Reduction in force and operational excellence actions expected to deliver approximately $13 million in annual run-rate savings. Source
  • On track: Full-year revenue growth guidance for continuing operations maintained at 0-4%, reaffirmed by management. Source
  • Met: Company successfully reorganized in Q2 around MID3 and ACE business units. 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.