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CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 2 December 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 5 raised, 7 new, 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue grew 22% to $1.23 billion: Total revenue was $1.23 billion, up 22% from $1.01 billion a year earlier. Professional services revenue was $65.5 million, against $47.4 million. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating income hit a record: Non-GAAP income from operations was a record $264.6 million, against $200.7 million a year earlier. The non-GAAP operating margin was 21%, compared with 20%. Source
  • GAAP operating loss increased: GAAP loss from operations was $69.4 million, against $55.7 million a year earlier. GAAP net loss attributable to CrowdStrike was $34.0 million, or $0.14 per diluted share. Source
  • Customers consolidating on the Falcon platform: Management said the single platform strategy and Falcon Flex subscription model unlock consolidation, positioning the company as the operating system of cybersecurity. Source
  • Net new ARR growth accelerated to 73%: Management described record third-quarter net new ARR as accelerating to 73% year-over-year growth. Source
  • Record operating cash flow and free cash flow: Net cash generated from operations was a record $397.5 million, against $326.1 million. Free cash flow was $295.9 million, against $230.6 million. Source

“Q3 was one of our best quarters in company history: we achieved record Q3 net new ARR of $265 million, accelerating to 73% year-over-year growth, and ending ARR of $4.92 billion, which accelerated to 23% growth year-over-year.”

George Kurtz, CrowdStrike's Founder and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Total revenue SourceFourth quarter fiscal 2026 (ending January 31, 2026)$1,290.0 - $1,300.0 millionNew
Total revenue SourceFull year fiscal 2026 (ending January 31, 2026)$4,796.6 - $4,806.6 millionRaised from $4,749.5 - $4,805.5 million
Non-GAAP income from operations SourceFourth quarter fiscal 2026$315.4 - $319.4 millionNew
Non-GAAP income from operations SourceFull year fiscal 2026$1,036.1 - $1,040.1 millionRaised from $1,000.1 - $1,040.1 million
Non-GAAP net income attributable to CrowdStrike SourceFourth quarter fiscal 2026$282.1 - $286.6 millionNew
Non-GAAP net income attributable to CrowdStrike SourceFull year fiscal 2026$949.6 - $954.0 millionRaised from $922.4 - $954.0 million
Non-GAAP diluted net income per share SourceFourth quarter fiscal 2026$1.09 - $1.11 millionNew
Non-GAAP diluted net income per share SourceFull year fiscal 2026$3.70 - $3.72 millionRaised from $3.60 - $3.72
Weighted average shares, non-GAAP diluted SourceFourth quarter fiscal 2026258 millionNew
Weighted average shares, non-GAAP diluted SourceFull year fiscal 2026256 millionKept
Non-GAAP tax rate SourceFourth quarter fiscal 202621.0%New
Non-GAAP tax rate SourceFull year fiscal 202621.0%Kept
Net new ARR growth SourceSecond half fiscal 2026at least 50% year-over-yearRaised
Net new ARR growth SourceFiscal 202720%New

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year fiscal 2026 guidance raised, as the CFO stated. Source
  • Guidance raised: Second-half fiscal 2026 net new ARR growth expectation raised to at least 50% year-over-year. Source
  • New guidance: Fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 guidance provided; the prior release gave guidance for the third quarter. Source
  • New guidance: Fiscal 2027 net new ARR growth target of 20% stated. Source

Results and profitability

  • Revenue grew 22% to $1.23 billion: Total revenue was $1.23 billion, up 22% from $1.01 billion a year earlier. Professional services revenue was $65.5 million, against $47.4 million. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating income hit a record: Non-GAAP income from operations was a record $264.6 million, against $200.7 million a year earlier. The non-GAAP operating margin was 21%, compared with 20%. Source
  • GAAP operating loss increased: GAAP loss from operations was $69.4 million, against $55.7 million a year earlier. GAAP net loss attributable to CrowdStrike was $34.0 million, or $0.14 per diluted share. Source
  • Non-GAAP EPS reached a record $0.96: Non-GAAP net income attributable to CrowdStrike was a record $245.4 million, and non-GAAP diluted EPS was $0.96, against $0.76 a year earlier. Source

Products, customers and partners

  • Customers consolidating on the Falcon platform: Management said the single platform strategy and Falcon Flex subscription model unlock consolidation, positioning the company as the operating system of cybersecurity. Source
  • AWS named first SIEM partner: AWS selected CrowdStrike as the first cybersecurity partner for an integrated SIEM via SaaS Quick Launch in AWS Marketplace. A global CoreWeave partnership was also unveiled. Source
  • EY and Kroll adopted CrowdStrike offerings: EY US selected Falcon Next-Gen SIEM as the foundational platform for its global managed services. Kroll standardized on CrowdStrike to upgrade its MDR offering. Source
  • New products unveiled at Fal.Con: Offerings unveiled at the Fal.Con and Fal.Con Europe conferences included Falcon Next-Gen Identity Security, Falcon Data Protection, Falcon for IT and Threat AI. Source

“CrowdStrike is the enabler of secure AI transformation with the right architecture, the right products, and the right execution”

George Kurtz, CrowdStrike's Founder and CEO

Costs, margins and charges

  • Subscription gross margin steady at 78%: Non-GAAP subscription gross margin was 81%, compared with 80% a year earlier. GAAP subscription gross margin was 78% in both periods. Source
  • Professional services margin rose: GAAP professional services gross margin was 24%, compared with 18% a year earlier. Non-GAAP professional services gross margin was 39%, compared with 35%. Source
  • Sales and marketing ratio fell: GAAP sales and marketing expense was 39% of revenue, against 40%. GAAP research and development was 28%, against 27%, and G&A was 14%, against 13%. Source
  • July 19 Incident costs continued: Costs associated with the July 19 Incident and related matters, net, were $26.2 million, against $33.9 million. Nine-month costs were $101.6 million. Source
  • Strategic plan charges in nine months: Strategic plan related charges, net, were $0.5 million in the quarter and $45.5 million for nine months, with no comparable charges in the prior-year period. Source

Demand and net new ARR

  • Net new ARR growth accelerated to 73%: Management described record third-quarter net new ARR as accelerating to 73% year-over-year growth. Source
  • Pipeline reached an all-time high: Management attributed the pipeline to AI-driven demand and customers consolidating on the Falcon platform. Source

“We delivered outstanding third quarter results, exceeding expectations across all guided metrics.”

Burt Podbere, CrowdStrike's CFO

Cash flow and balance sheet

  • Record operating cash flow and free cash flow: Net cash generated from operations was a record $397.5 million, against $326.1 million. Free cash flow was $295.9 million, against $230.6 million. Source
  • Free cash flow margin reached 24%: Free cash flow margin was 24% in the quarter, against 23%. For the nine months it was 24%, against 29%. Source
  • Cash balance at $4.80 billion: Cash and cash equivalents were $4.80 billion at October 31, 2025, compared with $4.97 billion at July 31, 2025 in the prior-quarter release. Source
  • Property and equipment purchases rose: Purchases of property and equipment were $83.4 million in the quarter, against $78.7 million, and $199.6 million for nine months, against $167.6 million. Source

Acquisitions and strategy

  • Business acquisitions used $380.9 million: Business acquisitions, net of cash and restricted cash acquired, totaled $380.9 million for nine months, against $96.4 million in the prior-year period. Source

Analyst recognition and certifications

  • Gartner and Forrester recognitions: Named a Visionary in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for SIEM, and a Leader in The Forrester Wave for managed detection and response services in Europe. Source
  • Charlotte AI reached FedRAMP High: Charlotte AI achieved Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program High Authorization, as announced in the quarter. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Ending annual recurring revenue Source$4.92 billion, up 23% year-over-year
Net new ARR Source$265.3 million
Falcon Flex accounts ending ARR SourceExceeds $1.35 billion, growing more than 200% year-over-year
Module adoption, six or more modules Source49%
Module adoption, seven or more modules Source34%
Module adoption, eight or more modules Source24%
Subscription revenue Source$1.17 billion, up 21%

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said the third quarter exceeded expectations on all guided metrics. 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.