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Cognex Corp.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 November 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 raised, 3 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue reached a record: Revenue was $313 million, up 13% from $277 million. Excluding the one-time Commercial Partnership benefit in the prior-year quarter, revenue grew 19%. Source
  • Operating income rose 74%: Operating income was $101 million, up 74%. Operating margin was 32.2% against 20.9%, and adjusted operating margin was 34.2% against 23.2%. Source
  • Full-year guidance raised: The company issued fourth-quarter guidance and raised full-year 2026 guidance. The figures are listed in the guidance section. Source
  • Gross margin expanded on mix and pricing: Gross margin was 70.8% against 67.6%. Adjusted gross margin was 71.3% against 68.4%, up 290 basis points, on favorable mix, higher volume and faster pricing execution. Source
  • Operating expenses fell 7%: Operating expenses were $121 million against $130 million. Adjusted operating expenses fell 7% on cost management, partly offset by higher sales commissions. Source
  • Free cash flow rose 21%: Free cash flow was $104 million, up 21%, from operating cash flow of $106 million. Conversion was 122% of net income and 116% of adjusted net income. Source
  • RealSense agreement signed: The company agreed to acquire RealSense, Inc., a depth-sensing camera and vision technology company, in an all-cash transaction. Source

“Record revenue, significant margin expansion, and Adjusted EBITDA flow-through above 100% demonstrate the progress we have made transforming our operating model.”

Dennis Fehr, CFO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue SourceQ4 2026$270 - $290New
Adjusted EBITDA margin SourceQ4 202629% - 32%New
Adjusted EPS (diluted) SourceQ4 2026$0.37 - $0.41New
Revenue SourceFull-year 2026$1,143 - $1,163Raised from $1,130 - $1,150
Adjusted EBITDA margin SourceFull-year 202631% - 32%Raised from 29% - 31%
Adjusted EPS (diluted) SourceFull-year 2026$1.68 - $1.72Raised from $1.64 - $1.68

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 guidance for revenue, adjusted EBITDA margin and adjusted diluted EPS was raised, as shown in the full-year table. Source
  • New guidance: Fourth-quarter 2026 guidance was issued. The prior release gave third-quarter and full-year guidance only. Source
  • New: The company entered a definitive agreement to acquire RealSense, Inc., an all-cash transaction expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue reached a record: Revenue was $313 million, up 13% from $277 million. Excluding the one-time Commercial Partnership benefit in the prior-year quarter, revenue grew 19%. Source
  • Operating income rose 74%: Operating income was $101 million, up 74%. Operating margin was 32.2% against 20.9%, and adjusted operating margin was 34.2% against 23.2%. Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose 61%: Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.53, up 61%, against GAAP diluted EPS of $0.50. Excluding the Commercial Partnership, adjusted EPS grew 89%. Source
  • GAAP net income rose sharply: Net income was $85 million against $18 million. Adjusted net income was $90 million against $56 million in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Full-year guidance raised: The company issued fourth-quarter guidance and raised full-year 2026 guidance. The figures are listed in the guidance section. Source

Products and customers

  • In-Sight 1750 launched for semiconductors: The In-Sight 1750 is a next-generation wafer and panel identification system for the semiconductor industry, described as one of the most demanding automation markets. Source
  • OneVision in general availability: The prior-quarter release reported general availability of OneVision, which hundreds of customers use to speed configuration and deployment of AI-powered vision applications.
  • Footprint and end markets: The company is headquartered near Boston, with locations in over 30 countries, serving logistics, consumer electronics, automotive, packaging and semiconductor markets. Source

“We believe we are strengthening our leadership in AI-powered machine vision through innovation”

Matt Moschner, President and CEO

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross margin expanded on mix and pricing: Gross margin was 70.8% against 67.6%. Adjusted gross margin was 71.3% against 68.4%, up 290 basis points, on favorable mix, higher volume and faster pricing execution. Source
  • Operating expenses fell 7%: Operating expenses were $121 million against $130 million. Adjusted operating expenses fell 7% on cost management, partly offset by higher sales commissions. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin widened: Adjusted EBITDA margin was 35.5%, up 1,060 basis points. Excluding the Commercial Partnership, the margin increase was 1,340 basis points. Source
  • Reorganization charges declined: Reorganization charges were $1.2 million in the quarter, down from $3.4 million, and consisted of severance and consulting fees. Source
  • Stock-based compensation eased: Stock-based compensation was $11.1 million for the quarter, against $12.4 million in the prior-year quarter. Source

Demand and order indicators

  • Currency had little revenue effect: Currency translation did not materially change reported revenue this quarter. Source
  • Deferred revenue more than doubled: Deferred revenue and customer deposits were $42.5 million at October 4, 2026, against $21.1 million at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Receivables rose from year-end: Accounts receivable, net, were $216.7 million at October 4, 2026, against $146.7 million at December 31, 2025. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Cash and investments with no debt: Cash and investments totalled $846 million at October 4, 2026, with no debt outstanding. Source
  • Free cash flow rose 21%: Free cash flow was $104 million, up 21%, from operating cash flow of $106 million. Conversion was 122% of net income and 116% of adjusted net income. Source
  • Quarterly dividend raised to $0.09: The board declared a $0.09 quarterly dividend. The company paid $14 million in dividends during the quarter. Source
  • Investment sales to fund RealSense: Proceeds from investment sales and existing cash are intended to fund the RealSense acquisition, according to the release. Source

Strategy, acquisition and divestiture

  • RealSense agreement signed: The company agreed to acquire RealSense, Inc., a depth-sensing camera and vision technology company, in an all-cash transaction. Source
  • Flexibility for organic and inorganic investment: Management said its balance sheet and capital allocation enabled the RealSense deal while keeping flexibility for organic and inorganic investment. Source
  • Automation and AI trends cited: Management said it aims to help Cognex benefit from trends in automation, robotics and artificial intelligence. Source
  • Japan trading business divested: A pre-tax loss was recognized on divesting the Japan-focused trading business, with direct costs in the nine-month period. The loss is excluded from adjusted results. Source

Tax and non-GAAP items

  • Discrete tax benefit lowered rate: The GAAP effective tax rate was 17.9%, against 71.9% a year earlier. Discrete tax was a $1.5 million benefit this quarter and a $33.7 million expense a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted effective tax rate edged up: The adjusted effective tax rate was 19.8% in the quarter, against 19.0% in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Acquisition and integration costs: Acquisition and integration costs were $2.8 million, mainly from integrating Moritex, which the company acquired in the fourth quarter of 2023. Source

Coming up, as management said on 4 November 2026

  • RealSense closing expected in Q4: The all-cash RealSense transaction is expected to close during the fourth quarter of 2026. Source
  • 2027 Investor Day in June: Cognex will host its 2027 Investor Day in June at its Natick, Massachusetts headquarters. Source
  • Dividend payment and record date: The $0.09 dividend is payable December 3, 2026 to shareholders of record at the close of business on November 19, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Customers Sourcemore than 30,000 worldwide

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: The company recognized a pre-tax loss of $2.4 million on selling investments, primarily corporate bonds, during the quarter. Source
  • Operational: Management said expected memory cost headwinds were more than offset in the quarter by favorable mix, higher volume and pricing. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management described pricing execution as faster than expected, which contributed to the gross margin increase. 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.