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Epam Systems, Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 November 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 raised, 1 lowered, 3 narrowed, 11 new, 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 2.3% year over year: Revenue was $1.426 billion, up $32.1 million, or 2.3%. Organic constant currency growth was 2.5%, with foreign exchange adding 0.2 points. Source
  • GAAP operating margin rose to 12.3%: GAAP income from operations was $175.9 million, up 21.4%, at 12.3% of revenues against 10.4%. Cost optimization charges were nil in the quarter, against $11.0 million a year earlier. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating margin reached 16.7%: Non-GAAP income from operations was $238.4 million, up 7.0%, at 16.7% of revenues against 16.0%. The company reports both measures alongside each other. Source
  • GAAP diluted EPS up 32.5%: GAAP diluted EPS was $2.53, up $0.62 or 32.5% from $1.91. Nine-month GAAP diluted EPS was $6.00, against $4.75 a year earlier. Source
  • Full-year EPS ranges raised: Full-year GAAP diluted EPS is now $8.41 to $8.49, against $8.22 to $8.38 previously. Non-GAAP diluted EPS is now $13.23 to $13.31, against $13.08 to $13.24. Source
  • Nine-month operating cash flow lower: Cash from operations was $250.1 million for the first nine months, against $372.0 million a year earlier. Third-quarter operating cash was $288.8 million, against $294.7 million. Source
  • Repurchase program raised to $1.8 billion: The board replaced the prior program, which had $293 million remaining, with up to $1.8 billion of repurchases through December 31, 2029. Source

“We delivered a strong quarter, with better-than-expected results, continued margin expansion, AI-native momentum and traction in our transformation strategy”

Balazs Fejes, CEO & President, EPAM

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue growth, as reported SourceFull year 20263.5% to 3.7%Narrowed from 3.2% to 4.2%
Revenue growth, organic constant currency SourceFull year 20262.5% to 2.7%Narrowed from 2.0% to 3.0%
GAAP income from operations, % of revenues SourceFull year 202610.7% to 10.9%Narrowed from 10.5% to 11.0%
Non-GAAP income from operations, % of revenues SourceFull year 202615.9% to 16.1%Raised from 15.5% to 16.0%
GAAP effective tax rate SourceFull year 2026approximately 27%Kept
Non-GAAP effective tax rate SourceFull year 2026approximately 24%Kept
GAAP diluted EPS SourceFull year 2026$8.41 to $8.49Raised from $8.22 to $8.38
Non-GAAP diluted EPS SourceFull year 2026$13.23 to $13.31Raised from $13.08 to $13.24
Weighted average diluted shares SourceFull year 202652.0 millionLowered from 52.2 million
Revenue SourceFourth quarter 2026$1.405 billion to $1.420 billionNew
Revenue growth, organic constant currency SourceFourth quarter 20260.5% to 1.6%New
GAAP income from operations, % of revenues SourceFourth quarter 202611.5% to 12.5%New
Non-GAAP income from operations, % of revenues SourceFourth quarter 202616.0% to 17.0%New
GAAP effective tax rate SourceFourth quarter 2026approximately 26%New
Non-GAAP effective tax rate SourceFourth quarter 2026approximately 24%New
GAAP diluted EPS SourceFourth quarter 2026$2.43 to $2.51New
Non-GAAP diluted EPS SourceFourth quarter 2026$3.50 to $3.58New
Weighted average diluted shares SourceFourth quarter 202649.9 millionNew
Capital return to shareholders Source2027 through 2029at least 50% of free cash flow, annuallyNew
Share repurchase authorization SourceThrough December 31, 2029up to $1.8 billionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year GAAP diluted EPS range raised to $8.41 to $8.49 from $8.22 to $8.38. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year non-GAAP diluted EPS range raised to $13.23 to $13.31 from $13.08 to $13.24. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year non-GAAP operating margin range raised to 15.9% to 16.1% from 15.5% to 16.0%. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year GAAP operating margin range moved to 10.7% to 10.9% from 10.5% to 11.0%. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year organic constant currency growth range moved to 2.5% to 2.7% from 2.0% to 3.0%. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year reported revenue growth range narrowed to 3.5% to 3.7% from 3.2% to 4.2%. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year weighted average diluted share expectation lowered to 52.0 million from 52.2 million. Source
  • New guidance: Fourth-quarter guidance given for revenue, margins, tax rates, EPS and share count. Source
  • New guidance: Commitment to return at least 50% of free cash flow annually from 2027 through 2029 introduced. Source
  • Guidance kept: Full-year GAAP and non-GAAP effective tax rate expectations were kept at about 27% and 24%. Source
  • New: Board replaced the prior repurchase program with a program of up to $1.8 billion running through December 31, 2029. Source

Revenue growth and currency

  • Revenue rose 2.3% year over year: Revenue was $1.426 billion, up $32.1 million, or 2.3%. Organic constant currency growth was 2.5%, with foreign exchange adding 0.2 points. Source
  • Nine-month growth reported at 4.7%: For the nine months, reported revenue growth was 4.7% and organic constant currency growth was 3.1%. Currency reduced reported growth by 1.6 points. Source
  • Third-quarter revenue above guided range: Third-quarter revenue of $1.426 billion came in above the $1.410 billion to $1.425 billion range given in the prior release.

Operating margin and costs

  • GAAP operating margin rose to 12.3%: GAAP income from operations was $175.9 million, up 21.4%, at 12.3% of revenues against 10.4%. Cost optimization charges were nil in the quarter, against $11.0 million a year earlier. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating margin reached 16.7%: Non-GAAP income from operations was $238.4 million, up 7.0%, at 16.7% of revenues against 16.0%. The company reports both measures alongside each other. Source
  • Non-GAAP adjustments narrowed year over year: Total adjustments to GAAP operating income were $62.5 million, against $77.9 million a year earlier. Stock-based compensation and acquired intangible amortization were the largest items. Source
  • Nine-month GAAP margin at 10.5%: Nine-month GAAP income from operations was $444.9 million, 10.5% of revenues, against 9.2%. Non-GAAP operating margin for the nine months was 15.8%, against 14.9%. Source

“We continued to scale our strategic partnerships and forward-deployed engineering network, launched our new Frontier AI Services and increased capital return to shareholders.”

Balazs Fejes, CEO & President, EPAM

Earnings per share

  • GAAP diluted EPS up 32.5%: GAAP diluted EPS was $2.53, up $0.62 or 32.5% from $1.91. Nine-month GAAP diluted EPS was $6.00, against $4.75 a year earlier. Source
  • Full-year EPS ranges raised: Full-year GAAP diluted EPS is now $8.41 to $8.49, against $8.22 to $8.38 previously. Non-GAAP diluted EPS is now $13.23 to $13.31, against $13.08 to $13.24. Source
  • Non-GAAP EPS up 14.0%: Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $3.51, up $0.43 or 14.0% from $3.08 a year earlier. Source

Cash flow and balance sheet

  • Nine-month operating cash flow lower: Cash from operations was $250.1 million for the first nine months, against $372.0 million a year earlier. Third-quarter operating cash was $288.8 million, against $294.7 million. Source
  • Cash balance down since December: Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash totaled $969.9 million at September 30, down $331.4 million from December 31, 2025. Source
  • Receivables higher than December: Trade receivables and contract assets were $1.213 billion at September 30, against $1.108 billion at December 31, 2025. Source

Share repurchases and returns

  • Repurchase program raised to $1.8 billion: The board replaced the prior program, which had $293 million remaining, with up to $1.8 billion of repurchases through December 31, 2029. Source
  • Buybacks of $489 million year to date: Share repurchases totaled about $489 million in the first nine months, including about $80 million in the third quarter. Source
  • About $1.7 billion returned since 2023: Cumulative capital returned to shareholders since the repurchase programs began in 2023 is about $1.7 billion. Source

Headcount and delivery staff

  • Headcount about 63,650 at quarter end: Total headcount was about 63,650 at September 30, 2026, of which about 57,350 were delivery professionals, up 1.2% from June 30. Source
  • Headcount up from June quarter: Headcount at June 30, 2026 was about 62,850, so the company reported roughly 800 more people in the quarter.

Fourth-quarter guidance and currency

  • Fourth-quarter revenue range given: Fourth-quarter revenue is guided to $1.405 billion to $1.420 billion, a change of (0.2)% to 0.9%, with organic constant currency growth of 0.5% to 1.6%. Source
  • Currency to add to Q4 growth: Foreign exchange is expected to add 0.7 points to fourth-quarter reported growth, and to reduce full-year reported growth by 1.0 point. Source
  • Fourth-quarter margin range given: Fourth-quarter GAAP operating margin is guided at 11.5% to 12.5% of revenues, and non-GAAP at 16.0% to 17.0%. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 November 2026

  • $500 million accelerated buyback next week: The company expects to enter a $500 million accelerated share repurchase during the week of November 9, 2026. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Cash has declined, and the accelerated repurchase will be funded partly by borrowings under the existing credit facility. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management described the quarter as better than expected. Revenue of $1.426 billion came in above the $1.410 billion to $1.425 billion range given in August. Source
  • Not stated: Management restated a three-year commitment to return at least half of free cash flow to shareholders each year. Source
  • Not stated: Management said it continues to expect the full-year GAAP effective tax rate at about 27%, as in the prior release. 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.