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Docusign, Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 December 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 5 raised, 6 new, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue grew eight percent: Total revenue was $818.4 million, up 8% year-over-year, including about 0.5 points from favorable foreign exchange. Revenue was above the $804 million to $808 million range given with the second-quarter release. Source
  • IAM customers hold large contract sets: Customers on the AI-native IAM platform average over 5,000 contracts each in the Docusign Navigator repository, according to the release. Source
  • Non-GAAP gross margin eased: Non-GAAP gross margin was 81.8%, down from 82.5%. GAAP gross margin was 79.2%, against 79.3%. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating margin rose: Non-GAAP operating margin was 31.4%, up from 29.6%. GAAP operating margin was 10.4%, up from 7.8%. Source
  • Billings grew ten percent: Billings rose 10% year-over-year, including about 0.5 points of favorable currency effect. Source
  • Free cash flow increased: Free cash flow was $262.9 million, up from $210.7 million. Nine-month free cash flow was $708.4 million. Source
  • Share repurchases stepped up: Repurchases of common stock totaled $215.1 million, up from $172.7 million. Nine-month repurchases were $600.0 million. Source

“growing customer investment into the IAM platform, where we now have more than 25,000 customers”

Allan Thygesen, CEO of Docusign

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Total revenue SourceFiscal year ended January 31, 2026$3,208 to $3,212 millionRaised from $3,189 to $3,201 million
Subscription revenue SourceFiscal year ended January 31, 2026$3,140 to $3,144 millionRaised from $3,121 to $3,133 million
Billings SourceFiscal year ended January 31, 2026$3,379 to $3,389 millionRaised from $3,325 to $3,355 million
Non-GAAP gross margin SourceFiscal year ended January 31, 202681.7% to 81.8%Raised from 81.0% to 82.0%
Non-GAAP operating margin SourceFiscal year ended January 31, 202629.8% to 29.9%Raised from 28.6% to 29.6%
Non-GAAP diluted weighted-average shares SourceFiscal year ended January 31, 2026208 to 211 millionKept
Total revenue SourceThree months ending January 31, 2026$825 to $829 millionNew
Subscription revenue SourceThree months ending January 31, 2026$808 to $812 millionNew
Billings SourceThree months ending January 31, 2026$992 to $1,002 millionNew
Non-GAAP gross margin SourceThree months ending January 31, 202680.8% to 81.2%New
Non-GAAP operating margin SourceThree months ending January 31, 202628.3% to 28.7%New
Non-GAAP diluted weighted-average shares SourceThree months ending January 31, 2026203 to 208 millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year revenue, subscription revenue and billings ranges were raised from the prior quarter's ranges. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year non-GAAP operating margin range was raised from the prior quarter's range. Source
  • New guidance: Fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 ranges were provided. The prior release gave ranges for the third quarter only. Source
  • Guidance kept: Full-year diluted share range midpoint was unchanged from the prior quarter. Source
  • New: IAM will be available in ChatGPT, and is in beta through an MCP server with several AI platforms. Source
  • New: Navigator and Maestro APIs were launched at the October developer event. Source
  • New: The company achieved FedRAMP Moderate and GovRAMP authorization during the quarter. Source

Revenue and profit growth

  • Revenue grew eight percent: Total revenue was $818.4 million, up 8% year-over-year, including about 0.5 points from favorable foreign exchange. Revenue was above the $804 million to $808 million range given with the second-quarter release. Source
  • Subscription revenue drove the increase: Subscription revenue rose 9% to $801.0 million. Professional services and other revenue fell 14% to $17.4 million. Source
  • Earnings per share rose: GAAP diluted EPS was $0.40, against $0.30 a year earlier, and GAAP income from operations was $85.4 million, against $59.0 million. Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $1.01, against $0.90. Source

Products and customer base

  • IAM customers hold large contract sets: Customers on the AI-native IAM platform average over 5,000 contracts each in the Docusign Navigator repository, according to the release. Source
  • Agentforce integration announced: Docusign for Agentforce, announced at Dreamforce, brings agreement generation, management and AI insights into Salesforce to speed deal cycles. Source
  • Identity verification features expanded: The company expanded its identity portfolio with ID Verification with CLEAR and a Risk-Based Verification feature. Source

“improved efficiency led to one of the most robust top line growth and profitability quarters over the past two years”

Allan Thygesen, CEO of Docusign

Regions and industry recognition

  • Navigator added two languages and Japan: Navigator now supports Brazilian-Portuguese and Spanish and is available in one additional region, Japan. Source
  • Gartner named CLM a Leader: Gartner named Docusign CLM a Leader in its Magic Quadrant for Contract Lifecycle Management for the sixth consecutive year. Source
  • Inc. and Salesforce awards received: Docusign was named an Inc. Power Partner Award winner and received a Salesforce Partner Innovation Award for Docusign for Agentforce. Its AI work was also listed on Fortune's 2025 Future 50. Source

Operating expense trends

  • Sales and marketing share fell: Non-GAAP sales and marketing was 29.7% of revenue, down from 31.3%. GAAP sales and marketing expense was $296.5 million, or 36.2% of revenue, against 38.4%. Source
  • R&D spending rose in dollars: GAAP research and development expense was $167.6 million, or 20.5% of revenue, against $151.1 million and 20.0%. Non-GAAP research and development held at 12.8% of revenue. Source
  • G&A share of revenue declined: Non-GAAP general and administrative expense was 7.9% of revenue, down from 8.8%. Source
  • Stock compensation rose slightly: Stock-based compensation expense was $160.6 million, against $153.2 million, and is excluded from the non-GAAP measures. Source

Gross and operating margins

  • Non-GAAP gross margin eased: Non-GAAP gross margin was 81.8%, down from 82.5%. GAAP gross margin was 79.2%, against 79.3%. Source
  • Subscription gross margin declined: Non-GAAP subscription gross margin was 83.4%, against 84.3%. GAAP subscription gross margin was 81.2%, against 81.7%. Source
  • Services gross margin negative on GAAP: GAAP professional services and other gross margin was (16.0)%, against (9.1)%. Non-GAAP professional services gross margin was 8.6%, against 16.2%. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating margin rose: Non-GAAP operating margin was 31.4%, up from 29.6%. GAAP operating margin was 10.4%, up from 7.8%. Source

Billings and demand

  • Billings grew ten percent: Billings rose 10% year-over-year, including about 0.5 points of favorable currency effect. Source
  • Contract liabilities rose year over year: Contract liabilities and refund liability at quarter-end were $1,479.5 million, against $1,332.8 million a year earlier. Source
  • Upfront annual payments drive billings: Most customers pay in annual installments a year in advance, while most revenue is recognized ratably. Management uses billings to track working capital from those upfront payments. Source

Cash flow and capital returns

  • Free cash flow increased: Free cash flow was $262.9 million, up from $210.7 million. Nine-month free cash flow was $708.4 million. Source
  • Operating cash flow rose: Net cash from operating activities was $290.3 million, up from $234.3 million. Nine-month operating cash flow was $787.8 million. Source
  • Share repurchases stepped up: Repurchases of common stock totaled $215.1 million, up from $172.7 million. Nine-month repurchases were $600.0 million. Source
  • Cash and investments declined: Cash, cash equivalents and investments were $1.0 billion at quarter-end, down from $1.1 billion in the prior quarter. Source
  • Capital spending rose: Purchases of property and equipment were $27.4 million, against $23.6 million a year earlier. Source
  • Diluted share count edged down: Diluted weighted-average shares were 208.1 million, against 208.7 million. Basic shares were 202.0 million, against 203.6 million. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
IAM platform customers SourceMore than 25,000
Total customers SourceNearly 1.8 million
Navigator opted-in agreements SourceApproximately 150 million
Billings Source$829.5 million

Risks management discussed

  • External: Excluding currency effects, guided fourth-quarter revenue growth would be about 0.7 percentage points lower, so currency is adding to the guided rate. Source
  • Financial: No GAAP reconciliation is provided for guidance, because future expenses are uncertain and variable. 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.