Dave Inc.: 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: 4 raised, 1 new. The quarter’s numbers.
Key takeaways
- Revenue grew 31% on faster MTM growth: Total operating revenues, net were $197.7 million, up from $150.8 million a year earlier. Management attributed the acceleration to faster MTM growth and continued ARPU expansion. Source
- Adjusted EBITDA rose 39% to $82 million: Net income was $63.8 million against $92.0 million a year earlier. Adjusted EBITDA was $81.5 million, up from $58.7 million, a 41% margin. Source
- New members rose 35% to 1,135,000: Customer acquisition cost was $22 per new member. The company reported record new member acquisition in the quarter. Source
- MTMs reached 3.15 million, up 18%: Monthly Transacting Members grew 18% year-over-year. The count now excludes members whose only activity was low-engagement Goals account activity, and prior periods were recast. Source
- 28-day past due rate improved to 2.09%: The rate was 2.09%, improved from 2.15% a year earlier and from 2.12% in the second quarter. Management said it fell below 2.00% in September. Source
- Provision can diverge from static pools: Management said provision reflects portfolio growth, mix and credit performance, so it can move differently from static pool delinquency and loss rates, which it views as more direct measures of credit quality. Source
- Non-GAAP gross margin fell to 70%: Non-GAAP gross margin was 70%, up from 69% a year ago and down from 72% in the second quarter. Coastal funding and provision explained the sequential change. Source
- Dave Flex actives reached double-digit thousands: Dave Flex actives moved from single- to double-digit thousands during Q3, through cross-selling and direct acquisition at better-than-expected acquisition costs. Source
“Based on this momentum, we are raising our full-year 2026 guidance for Revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Diluted EPS.”
Jason Wilk, Founder and CEO of Dave
Guidance
| Area | Period | Figure | Against last quarter |
|---|---|---|---|
| GAAP operating revenues, net Source | Full-year 2026 | $746 - $750 | Raised from $725 - $735 |
| Year-over-year revenue growth Source | Full-year 2026 | 35% | Raised from 31% - 33% |
| Adjusted EBITDA Source | Full-year 2026 | $327 - $330 | Raised from $315 - $325 |
| Adjusted diluted net income per share Source | Full-year 2026 | $17.45 - $17.65 | Raised from $17.00 - $17.50 |
| 28-day past due rate Source | Fourth quarter 2026 | below 2.00% | New |
| Non-GAAP gross margin Source | Fourth quarter 2026 | above Q2 levels |
What changed from last quarter
- Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 guidance was raised for GAAP revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Diluted EPS. Source
- New: From the third quarter of 2026, MTMs exclude members whose only monthly activity was low-engagement, non-monetized Goals account activity. Prior periods were recast. Source
- New: CashAI v6.0 was fully deployed in September 2026. The prior quarter described an early rollout. Source
- New: Dave Flex moved from test cohorts to direct customer acquisition during the third quarter, alongside cross-selling to existing members. Source
- Ended: Management said the company repaid the $75 million outstanding under its Victory Park debt facility in early October 2026, after quarter end. Source
Results and growth drivers
- Revenue grew 31% on faster MTM growth: Total operating revenues, net were $197.7 million, up from $150.8 million a year earlier. Management attributed the acceleration to faster MTM growth and continued ARPU expansion. Source
- Adjusted EBITDA rose 39% to $82 million: Net income was $63.8 million against $92.0 million a year earlier. Adjusted EBITDA was $81.5 million, up from $58.7 million, a 41% margin. Source
- Nine-month revenue rose to $527 million: Total operating revenues, net for the nine months were $526.9 million against $390.5 million a year earlier. Nine-month net income was $128.4 million against $129.9 million. Source
- Adjusted diluted EPS slightly below prior year: Adjusted diluted EPS was $4.39 in the third quarter against $4.45 a year earlier. GAAP diluted EPS was $3.30 against $6.34. Source
Members, originations and monetization
- New members rose 35% to 1,135,000: Customer acquisition cost was $22 per new member. The company reported record new member acquisition in the quarter. Source
- MTMs reached 3.15 million, up 18%: Monthly Transacting Members grew 18% year-over-year. The count now excludes members whose only activity was low-engagement Goals account activity, and prior periods were recast. Source
- ExtraCash originations up 23% to $2.5 billion: ExtraCash originations reached $2.5 billion. Net monetization rate expanded about 40 basis points to 5.2%, its highest level in five years, per the headline. Source
- Debit card spend rose 5%: Dave Debit Card spend reached $533 million in the quarter, up 5% year-over-year. Source
“Q3 demonstrated the operating leverage of our model.”
Dave’s CFO and COO, Kyle Beilman
Credit and provision
- 28-day past due rate improved to 2.09%: The rate was 2.09%, improved from 2.15% a year earlier and from 2.12% in the second quarter. Management said it fell below 2.00% in September. Source
- Provision can diverge from static pools: Management said provision reflects portfolio growth, mix and credit performance, so it can move differently from static pool delinquency and loss rates, which it views as more direct measures of credit quality. Source
- Static pool loss rates flat to lower: Management said static pool loss rates are tracking flat to down year-over-year. Source
- Q4 credit tracking with September: Management said fourth-quarter credit is tracking in line with the September level. Source
Gross margin and cost base
- Non-GAAP gross margin fell to 70%: Non-GAAP gross margin was 70%, up from 69% a year ago and down from 72% in the second quarter. Coastal funding and provision explained the sequential change. Source
- Coastal funding drove about 100 basis points: Management said Coastal funding costs accounted for about 100 basis points of the sequential change because the transition moved faster than expected. Provision explains most of the rest. Source
- Marketing spend raised above prior plan: Management said returns at higher spend levels supported marketing investment above its prior plan. Marketing spend rose more than 50% year-over-year. Source
- Compensation and stock pay rose: Compensation and benefits were $43.3 million, up from $24.8 million. Stock-based compensation was $22.0 million, up from $7.2 million. Source
- Operating leverage cited by management: Management said the quarter showed the operating leverage of the model, with Adjusted EBITDA growing faster than revenue. Source
“We are also seeing solid early traction with Dave Flex, our new Pay in Four credit card that gives members greater flexibility in managing everyday purchases.”
Jason Wilk, Founder and CEO of Dave
Liquidity, funding and capital return
- Cash and investments rose to $315 million: Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and investments were $315 million, up from $254 million at June 30, 2026. Source
- Coastal funding rose to $159 million: Coastal Community Bank funding was about $159 million at quarter end, up from $93 million at June 30, 2026. Source
- About $20 million spent reducing share count: About $20 million went to restricted stock unit net settlements and open market repurchases, leaving $88 million under the repurchase authorization. Source
Dave Flex and CashAI product updates
- Dave Flex actives reached double-digit thousands: Dave Flex actives moved from single- to double-digit thousands during Q3, through cross-selling and direct acquisition at better-than-expected acquisition costs. Source
- Dave Flex is a Pay in Four card: Management described Dave Flex as a new Pay in Four credit card that gives members greater flexibility in managing everyday purchases. Source
- CashAI v6.0 fully deployed in September: Average ExtraCash size reached $225 in September, and gross monetization was about 7.0% as legacy fee caps were relaxed. Source
Net income items and tax
- Warrant gains excluded from diluted EPS: For the quarter, $17.9 million of warrant fair-value gains were excluded from net income used for diluted EPS, with the warrants treated as equity for that calculation. Source
- Legal costs rose to $6.2 million: Legal settlement and litigation expenses were $6.2 million in the quarter, against $4.5 million a year earlier. The company excludes these expenses from its adjusted measures. Source
- Tax provision compared with prior benefit: The third-quarter provision was $10.7 million, against a $33.6 million benefit a year earlier. That period included a $27.4 million benefit from release of the valuation allowance. Source
Coming up, as management said on 4 November 2026
- Dave Flex broader rollout in 2027: Management plans a broader Dave Flex rollout in 2027, after continuing to expand access to more members. Source
- Growth and capital return to accelerate: Management said credit performance, higher monetization, cohort seasoning and more capital-efficient funding position the company to accelerate growth and capital return. Source
Figures management reported
| Figure | Reported |
|---|---|
| New members Source | 1,135,000 |
| Monthly Transacting Members Source | 3.15 million |
| ExtraCash originations Source | $2.5 billion |
| Dave Debit Card spend Source | $533 million |
Risks management discussed
- Financial: Management said its prior provision forecast assumed a larger improvement than static pool loss rates are now showing, so the forecast was recalibrated. Source
Earlier plans management reported on
- Not stated: In the second quarter, management said it planned to invest above its original plan in the second half. In the third quarter, marketing investment rose over 50%.
- Not stated: Third-quarter MTMs grew 18%, against 17% in the second quarter. Management attributed the revenue acceleration to faster MTM growth.
- Not stated: The second-quarter release expected non-GAAP gross margin to continue expanding into the mid-70s. The third-quarter margin was 70%.
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.