greeksoup/ stock research

Cushman & Wakefield Ltd.: 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: 1 raised. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 11% to $2.8 billion: Second-quarter revenue of $2.8 billion increased 11%, with Services up 8% and Leasing up 27%, which management named as the main drivers. Source
  • Net income and diluted EPS declined: Net income was $52.7 million, down 8%. Diluted EPS was $0.22 against $0.25 a year earlier, on 236.3 million diluted weighted average shares. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EPS rose: Adjusted EBITDA was $183.6 million, up 14%. Adjusted net income was $83.6 million, up 20%, and Adjusted EPS of $0.35 rose 17%. Source
  • EMEA Adjusted EBITDA fell 18%: EMEA total revenue was $295.1 million, up 14%, while EMEA Adjusted EBITDA was $28.0 million, down 18%, against $34.2 million a year earlier. Source
  • Greystone JV recorded $9.0 million provision: The Greystone JV recorded a non-cash loan-loss provision of $9.0 million in the quarter. The company's 40% share was $3.6 million, included in equity-method results. Source
  • Leasing demand kept growing: Leasing revenue was $628.5 million, up 27%, with Americas growth across deal sizes. Management cited continued strength in office and industrial leasing, including data centers. Source
  • Notes principal cut by $450 million: Proceeds of the June term loan increase partly redeemed the 2028 notes. With the May redemption, notes principal fell by $450.0 million in the quarter. Source
  • Free cash flow was negative: First-half net cash used in operating activities was $189.5 million, with $20.7 million of capital expenditure, giving free cash flow of negative $210.2 million, against negative $166.3 million a year earlier. Source

“We didn't just meet the bar this quarter - we moved it, with record second quarter leasing, services and total revenues, and our lowest gross debt balance ever”

Michelle MacKay, Chief Executive Officer of Cushman & Wakefield

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Adjusted EPS growth Source2026 annual18%-23%Raised from 15%-20%

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: The 2026 annual Adjusted EPS growth guidance range moved up from 15%-20% to 18%-23%. Source
  • New: In June 2026 the company amended its credit agreement: the term loan was repriced, its maturity extended to 2033, and principal increased by $352.5 million. Source
  • New: After quarter end, on August 4, 2026, the company partially redeemed $50.0 million of its 6.750% senior secured notes due May 2028. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 11% to $2.8 billion: Second-quarter revenue of $2.8 billion increased 11%, with Services up 8% and Leasing up 27%, which management named as the main drivers. Source
  • Net income and diluted EPS declined: Net income was $52.7 million, down 8%. Diluted EPS was $0.22 against $0.25 a year earlier, on 236.3 million diluted weighted average shares. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EPS rose: Adjusted EBITDA was $183.6 million, up 14%. Adjusted net income was $83.6 million, up 20%, and Adjusted EPS of $0.35 rose 17%. Source
  • First-half revenue and earnings: First-half revenue was $5.3 billion, up 11%. First-half net income of $40.1 million fell 32%, while first-half Adjusted EPS of $0.50 rose 28%. Source

Segments and regions

  • Americas revenue and Adjusted EBITDA rose: Americas total revenue was $1,997.8 million, up 11%, and Americas Adjusted EBITDA was $136.0 million, up 23%. Source
  • EMEA Adjusted EBITDA fell 18%: EMEA total revenue was $295.1 million, up 14%, while EMEA Adjusted EBITDA was $28.0 million, down 18%, against $34.2 million a year earlier. Source
  • APAC revenue and Adjusted EBITDA rose: APAC total revenue was $469.7 million, up 12%. APAC Adjusted EBITDA was $19.6 million, up 14%, against $17.2 million a year earlier. Source

“That breadth, combined with a century of earned trust, is why we're raising our 2026 annual Adjusted EPS growth target to 18%-23% just two quarters into our three-year plan.”

Michelle MacKay, Chief Executive Officer of Cushman & Wakefield

Service lines and products

  • Services revenue up 8% across segments: Services revenue was $1,801.3 million, up 8%, with growth in all segments led by facilities management and project management revenue. Source
  • Facilities management led Services growth: Facilities management revenue rose about $55.0 million, including new client wins and expanded mandates. Project management rose about $27.0 million in the Americas and $20.0 million in EMEA. Source
  • Valuation and other revenue up 10%: Valuation and other revenue was $126.4 million, up 10%, or 8% in local currency. Source

Costs and expenses

  • Cost of services rose 12%: Costs of services were $2.3 billion, up 12%. Cost of services provided to clients rose 14%, mainly from about $120.0 million of higher employment costs, including commissions on higher brokerage revenue. Source
  • Operating expenses up 10%: Operating, administrative and other expenses were $349.3 million, up 10%, with employment costs of about $14.0 million from higher salaries and bonuses. Source
  • Interest expense rose 12%: Interest expense, net, was $59.6 million, up 12%, including $4.5 million of credit agreement amendment costs and a $2.0 million loss on debt extinguishment. Source

“We are builders, and we'll keep proving it every quarter.”

Michelle MacKay, Chief Executive Officer of Cushman & Wakefield

Equity investments and one-time charges

  • Greystone JV recorded $9.0 million provision: The Greystone JV recorded a non-cash loan-loss provision of $9.0 million in the quarter. The company's 40% share was $3.6 million, included in equity-method results. Source
  • First-half equity-method loss: Equity-method investments produced a $1.8 million loss in the first half, against $11.3 million of earnings a year earlier, mainly on lower Greystone JV earnings and higher loan-loss provisions. Source
  • UK pension buy-out settlement loss: The first-half decline in other income reflected a non-cash settlement loss of $17.2 million on a U.K. pension buy-out arrangement. Source
  • Securitization servicing liability recorded: A non-cash servicing liability of $11.8 million was recorded in March 2026 on the amendment of the revolving accounts receivables securitization. Source

Demand and capital markets

  • Leasing demand kept growing: Leasing revenue was $628.5 million, up 27%, with Americas growth across deal sizes. Management cited continued strength in office and industrial leasing, including data centers. Source
  • Americas capital markets declined: Capital markets revenue was $206.4 million, down 1%. The Americas fell 6%, mainly on mid-sized transactions, notably in multi-family, partly offset by EMEA and APAC. Source
  • First-half capital markets rose 6%: First-half capital markets revenue was $388.0 million, up 6%, with growth in every segment compared with the first half of 2025. Source

Balance sheet and debt

  • Net debt at $2.1 billion: At June 30, 2026, term loans totaled $2.0 billion, senior secured notes $0.6 billion and cash $0.5 billion, giving net debt of $2.1 billion. Source
  • Notes principal cut by $450 million: Proceeds of the June term loan increase partly redeemed the 2028 notes. With the May redemption, notes principal fell by $450.0 million in the quarter. Source
  • Liquidity held at $1.5 billion: Liquidity was $1.5 billion, made up of $1.0 billion undrawn on the revolving credit facility and $0.5 billion of cash and cash equivalents. Source
  • Lowest term loan borrowing spread: The company reported its lowest borrowing spread on term loan debt in company history. Source

Cash flow and capital returns

  • Free cash flow was negative: First-half net cash used in operating activities was $189.5 million, with $20.7 million of capital expenditure, giving free cash flow of negative $210.2 million, against negative $166.3 million a year earlier. Source
  • Employee-tax share repurchases rose: Shares repurchased to pay employee taxes on stock awards were $23.1 million in the first half, against $10.4 million a year earlier. Source

Leadership, strategy and people

  • CEO describes business beyond real estate: The CEO said the company advises and operates across the built world, including data centers, infrastructure, energy and housing. Source
  • Ongoing investment in hiring talent: Management linked capital markets platform work to ongoing investment in hiring top talent and strengthening the platform, partly offset by multi-family declines. Source
  • CEO Michelle MacKay gave the statements: Michelle MacKay, Chief Executive Officer, is quoted in the release describing the quarter and the raised Adjusted EPS guidance. Source
  • About 53,000 employees worldwide: The company describes itself as having approximately 53,000 employees across its offices in its boilerplate. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 August 2026

  • Securitization liability amortizes to 2029: The non-cash servicing liability from the March 2026 A/R Securitization amendment will be amortized through March 2029. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Management said the Greystone JV's loan-loss provision may change with future expectations and forecasts, which may affect equity-method earnings. Source
  • Regulatory: Management cited higher accruals for uncertain tax positions among the discrete tax adjustments that raised the second-quarter tax provision. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management ties the raised 2026 Adjusted EPS target to the company's three-year plan, two quarters into that plan. 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.