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Criteo S.A.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 lowered, 2 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue fell 11 percent: Revenue was $428 million, against $483 million a year earlier. Six-month revenue fell 9% to $853 million. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA fell 18 percent: Adjusted EBITDA was $73 million, down 18%. Management tied the decline to lower Contribution ex-TAC from Performance Media softness and the Retail Media scope changes, alongside planned growth investments. Source
  • Retail Media revenue fell 21 percent: Retail Media revenue fell 21% to $47.9 million. Excluding the effect of scope changes with two clients, Contribution ex-TAC grew 20% across the underlying client base. Source
  • Performance Media fell 10 percent: Performance Media revenue fell 10% to $380.1 million, and its Contribution ex-TAC fell 10% to $208.3 million. Source
  • ChatGPT ads reach over 2,000 brands: Criteo became OpenAI's first advertising technology partner in March 2026. More than 2,000 brands now advertise on ChatGPT across seven countries. Source
  • Free cash flow negative in quarter: Free cash flow was $(38) million in Q2, against $(36) million a year earlier. Trailing 12-month free cash flow was $180 million. Source

“While our second quarter top line performance was disappointing, our long-term strategy remains unchanged”

Michael Komasinski, Chief Executive Officer of Criteo

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Contribution ex-TAC Sourcefiscal year 2026-12% to -10% at constant currencyLowered from decrease low-single-digit at constant currency
Adjusted EBITDA margin Sourcefiscal year 2026approximately 30% of Contribution ex-TACLowered from 32% to 34% of Contribution ex-TAC
Contribution ex-TAC Sourcethird quarter of 2026$237 million to $241 million; -15% to -14% year-over-year at constant currencyNew
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcethird quarter of 2026$54 million to $58 millionNew
Exchange rate assumptions Sourcefiscal year 2026USD-euro 0.86; USD-yen 159; USD-pound 0.75; USD-won 1,500; USD-real 5.16

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Full-year Contribution ex-TAC guidance moved from a low-single-digit decline to a 10% to 12% decline at constant currency. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year Adjusted EBITDA margin guidance moved from 32% to 34% of Contribution ex-TAC to about 30%. Source
  • New guidance: Third-quarter 2026 guidance was given for Contribution ex-TAC and Adjusted EBITDA. Source
  • New: Connor McGogney became Chief Financial Officer, succeeding Sarah Glickman. Source
  • New: ChatGPT Ads inventory was added to the Criteo GO self-service, cross-channel performance platform. Source
  • New: Sponsored products were launched in AI-powered conversational search with Albertsons. Source
  • New: The redomiciliation from France to Luxembourg is complete, and the Board approved a later transfer of legal domicile to the United States. Source
  • New: Adjusted EBITDA and related non-GAAP measures now exclude employer social contribution expense on employee equity awards. Source

Revenue, profit and earnings

  • Revenue fell 11 percent: Revenue was $428 million, against $483 million a year earlier. Six-month revenue fell 9% to $853 million. Source
  • Contribution ex-TAC fell 13 percent: Contribution ex-TAC was $255 million, down 13% as reported and 12% at constant currency. Gross profit fell 14% to $222 million. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA fell 18 percent: Adjusted EBITDA was $73 million, down 18%. Management tied the decline to lower Contribution ex-TAC from Performance Media softness and the Retail Media scope changes, alongside planned growth investments. Source
  • Net income and EPS declined: Net income was $12 million, down 49%. Diluted EPS was $0.22 against $0.39. Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.80 against $0.92. Source

Segments and regions

  • Retail Media revenue fell 21 percent: Retail Media revenue fell 21% to $47.9 million. Excluding the effect of scope changes with two clients, Contribution ex-TAC grew 20% across the underlying client base. Source
  • Performance Media fell 10 percent: Performance Media revenue fell 10% to $380.1 million, and its Contribution ex-TAC fell 10% to $208.3 million. Source
  • All three regions declined: Americas revenue fell 12% to $176.0 million. EMEA fell 8% to $171.3 million and APAC fell 17% to $80.7 million, each year-over-year. Source

“We remain confident in our Commerce Intelligence strategy and are strengthening execution, diversifying our business and positioning Criteo to help shape the next generation of AI driven commerce.”

Michael Komasinski, Chief Executive Officer of Criteo

Partners and products

  • ChatGPT ads reach over 2,000 brands: Criteo became OpenAI's first advertising technology partner in March 2026. More than 2,000 brands now advertise on ChatGPT across seven countries. Source
  • Retail Media footprint widened: New retail partners include Loblaw Advance in Canada, Monoprix and Druni in EMEA, and Olive Young and Golf Digest Online in APAC. Source
  • Leader ranking in QKS matrix: Criteo was named a Leader in the QKS Group SPARK Matrix for Retail Media Network and Monetization Platform for Q2 2026. Source

Costs and margins

  • Gross margin fell two points: Gross profit margin was 52%, against 54%. Traffic acquisition costs fell 9% to $172.5 million. Source
  • Operating expenses fell 9 percent: Operating expenses fell 9% to $207 million, reflecting resource allocation, productivity gains and no repeat of last year's company event, partly offset by planned growth investments. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin at 29 percent: Adjusted EBITDA margin was 29% of Contribution ex-TAC, against 31%. Lower bad debt expense and lower employee costs than expected partly offset the lower revenue. Source
  • Restructuring costs rose to $9.9 million: Restructuring, integration and transformation costs were $9.9 million in Q2, against $0.6 million a year earlier. Source

“Our updated outlook reflects a more conservative view of our business trends for the remainder of the year.”

Sarah Glickman, Chief Financial Officer

Cash, liquidity and buybacks

  • Operating cash flow was $20 million: Cash from operating activities was $20 million in Q2, against $(1) million a year earlier. Source
  • Free cash flow negative in quarter: Free cash flow was $(38) million in Q2, against $(36) million a year earlier. Trailing 12-month free cash flow was $180 million. Source
  • Buybacks of $30 million in Q2: Share repurchases were $30 million in Q2 and $61 million across the first six months of 2026. Source
  • Liquidity of about $767 million: Total financial liquidity was about $767 million, including $252 million of cash, $51 million of marketable securities and $464 million available under the revolving credit facility. Source
  • Days sales outstanding fell to 58: Days sales outstanding were 58 at month-end, down 7 days year-over-year and 2 days from Q1 2026. Source

Leadership and strategy

  • Glickman stays on as advisor: Sarah Glickman, who has been CFO for six years, will remain as an advisor through the end of September to support the transition. Source
  • Headcount little changed: Headcount was 3,543 at quarter-end, down 2% year-over-year and little changed from 3,553 at the end of Q1 2026. Source
  • Strategy described as unchanged: Management says the long-term strategy is unchanged and that execution is being strengthened alongside business diversification. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 August 2026

  • US transfer expected January 2027: Transfer of legal domicile to the United States is expected to be completed in January 2027, subject to shareholder approval and other customary conditions. Source
  • ChatGPT Ads country launches planned: Additional ChatGPT Ads country launches are planned, including Mexico and Brazil. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Clients Source16,752
Media spend, Q2 2026 Source$1.1 billion

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Scope changes with two Retail Media clients reduced Q2 Retail Media Contribution ex-TAC by $21 million, and Q3 guidance reflects the temporary effect. Source
  • Demand: Commerce Growth performance was soft in Q2, while AdTech Services trends improved year-over-year. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management describes the scope-change effect as temporary and says Q3 guidance includes it. Source
  • Not stated: The May release expected the redomicile to complete in Q3 2026; the August release reports the redomicile as completed.

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.