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Etsy Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 29 April 2026: letter to shareholders. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 3 new, 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Etsy marketplace GMS grew 5.5%: GMS was $2.46 billion, up 5.5% year-over-year; currency-neutral growth was 3.6%, with FX tailwinds and a softer prior-year period cited as contributors. Source
  • Mobile app GMS accelerated: App GMS grew 11.2% year-over-year, up from 6.6% last quarter; the app reached about 47% of total GMS, roughly 240 bps higher year-over-year. Source
  • Spend per active buyer rose: Trailing twelve month GMS per active buyer reached $122, the first year-over-year increase since late 2022 and a fourth straight sequential gain; purchase frequency stayed modestly lower. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin 29.3%: Adjusted EBITDA margin was 29.3%, up 100 bps on continuing operations and up 20 bps for the Etsy marketplace; Adjusted EBITDA was $184.7 million. Source
  • Temporary factors lifted order value: Average order value rose from FX tailwinds, the end of the de minimis tariff exemption and seller price increases; management expects these to moderate as the year progresses. Source
  • $145 million of buybacks: Etsy repurchased about $145 million of stock in the quarter, reducing shares outstanding by about 2.7 million. Source
  • Depop sale to eBay agreed: Etsy agreed on February 15 to sell Depop to eBay for $1.2 billion; Depop is reported as discontinued operations in all periods shown. Source

“We saw encouraging signals during the first quarter that our growth priorities are taking hold.”

Kruti Patel Goyal, Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
GMS, Etsy marketplace Sourcesecond quarter of 2026$2.48B to $2.53BNew
Revenue take rate Sourcesecond quarter of 2026~25.7%New
Adjusted EBITDA margin Sourcesecond quarter of 202627-29%New
GMS, Etsy marketplace Sourcefull year 2026+3-5% Y/Y growthRaised from slight year-over-year growth
Revenue take rate Sourcefull year 2026Roughly equal to 1H 2026
Gross debt Sourceongoing3x current Adjusted EBITDAKept
Cash held against debt maturities Sourceongoingnext 18-24 months of debt maturitiesKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year Etsy marketplace GMS commentary moved from slight growth to low single-digit growth; the letter cites an improved view since mid-February. Source
  • New guidance: Second-quarter 2026 guidance provided for the first time, covering GMS, take rate and Adjusted EBITDA margin for continuing operations. Source
  • New: US and German regulatory clearance received for the Depop sale; reviews in progress in the United Kingdom and Australia. Source
  • New: Two AI agents built, one for buyers focused on gift-finding and one for sellers; conversational AI functionality is in testing. Source
  • New: Targeted improvements planned for Etsy Purchase Protection to make it more effective for buyers and sellers. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Etsy marketplace GMS grew 5.5%: GMS was $2.46 billion, up 5.5% year-over-year; currency-neutral growth was 3.6%, with FX tailwinds and a softer prior-year period cited as contributors. Source
  • Continuing diluted EPS turned positive: Diluted EPS from continuing operations was $0.89, against $(0.33) a year earlier, when Reverb was still included and an asset impairment was recorded. Source
  • Total net income includes Depop loss: Total net income was $69.7 million after a $35.0 million net loss from discontinued operations, which covers Depop. Source

Buyers, app and regional mix

  • Mobile app GMS accelerated: App GMS grew 11.2% year-over-year, up from 6.6% last quarter; the app reached about 47% of total GMS, roughly 240 bps higher year-over-year. Source
  • Non-app GMS turned positive: Non-app GMS grew 1.0% year-over-year, compared with a 4.8% decline in the prior quarter. Source
  • Non-US buyers grew at constant FX: Both US and non-US buyer GMS grew; non-US buyer GMS was positive on a constant currency basis for the first time since 2023. Source
  • Growth broad across income groups: GMS growth was broad across income cohorts, with the highest household income segment continuing to show the strongest performance. Source

“We are executing with discipline and measuring progress through observable changes in customer behavior.”

Kruti Patel Goyal, Chief Executive Officer

Buyers, sellers and merchandise

  • Active buyers up sequentially: Active buyers grew sequentially for the first time in two years but remained below prior year; new buyers, active sellers and GMS per buyer grew year-over-year. Source
  • Spend per active buyer rose: Trailing twelve month GMS per active buyer reached $122, the first year-over-year increase since late 2022 and a fourth straight sequential gain; purchase frequency stayed modestly lower. Source
  • Search moving toward relevance: Search is shifting from favoring likely conversions toward relevance, using ML models that draw on past behavior and real-time intent; early tests show higher add-to-cart rates. Source
  • Gift occasions drove demand: Birthdays were the largest and fastest-growing gift segment; Valentine's, Easter and wedding categories also grew, with personalization and heirloom items cited. Source
  • AI tools simplify seller listings: AI listing tools built last year are being extended into more automated workflows, so sellers spend less time on manual listing inputs. Source

Products and agentic commerce

  • Etsy app added in ChatGPT: An Etsy app was recently developed in ChatGPT, aligned with OpenAI's move toward retailer-run apps for agentic shopping. Source
  • Agentic search brings high-intent buyers: Management said data shows growth in traffic and high-intent engagement from buyers arriving through agentic search. Source
  • Build cycles cut to weeks: Experiences can now be built and iterated in weeks rather than months, using modeling advances, which management says speeds learning. Source
  • Seller identity cues tested: Early tests show that more visible craftsmanship and maker-story cues lead buyers to engage more deeply and decide with more confidence; these cues are moving into core shopping surfaces. Source

“Our updated full year view incorporates stronger-than-expected first quarter GMS as well as the progress we are making on our growth priorities”

Etsy Inc., letter to shareholders

Costs and operating expenses

  • Product development gained leverage: Product development gained leverage as modestly higher employee costs were offset by savings in other areas. Source
  • Marketing leverage and paid search: Marketing gained leverage from shifts in portfolio mix; paid search rose where returns were strong, while lower-funnel paid social and linear TV spend were reduced. Source
  • Paid social brought in-house: Paid social is now fully in-sourced, which management says increases control and efficiency and positions the channel for accelerated growth. Source
  • G&A leverage on larger revenue: G&A gained leverage year-over-year as employee costs were stable on a larger revenue base; a one-time reversal of non-income tax expense also contributed. Source

Margins, take rate and pricing

  • Adjusted EBITDA margin 29.3%: Adjusted EBITDA margin was 29.3%, up 100 bps on continuing operations and up 20 bps for the Etsy marketplace; Adjusted EBITDA was $184.7 million. Source
  • Take rate up 180 bps: Take rate was 25.7%, up 180 bps; about 130 bps came from the Reverb sale, leaving roughly 50 bps on the Etsy marketplace basis. Source
  • Etsy Ads lifted take rate: Etsy Ads led Etsy marketplace take rate expansion, helped by machine learning improvements to relevance and seller budget pacing. Source
  • Offsite Ads and Payments contributed: Offsite Ads benefited from paid marketing shifting toward higher-monetizing channels; Etsy Payments continued to benefit from expansion efforts made in 2025. Source
  • Temporary factors lifted order value: Average order value rose from FX tailwinds, the end of the de minimis tariff exemption and seller price increases; management expects these to moderate as the year progresses. Source

Demand and macro conditions

  • Macro trends seen as stable: As of the letter date, trends were relatively stable, though management is watching consumer confidence and discretionary spending closely. Source
  • Full-year macro assumptions set: Full-year view assumes macro factors remain relatively consistent, currency tailwinds moderate, and comparisons become tougher through the year. Source
  • Progress expected to be uneven: Management said progress is not always linear and will take time to translate into sustained, durable growth, while focus stays on controllable priorities. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Cash and investments $1.6 billion: Cash, cash equivalents and short- and long-term investments totaled $1.6 billion at March 31, 2026. Source
  • Operating cash flow of $102.5 million: Operating cash flow from continuing operations was $102.5 million; trailing twelve month free cash flow was $671.2 million, down 2.0%. Source
  • Cash conversion more than doubled: Half of Adjusted EBITDA converted to free cash flow in the quarter, more than twice the rate of the year-ago quarter. Source
  • $145 million of buybacks: Etsy repurchased about $145 million of stock in the quarter, reducing shares outstanding by about 2.7 million. Source
  • $827.9 million buyback capacity left: At March 31, 2026, $827.9 million remained under current Board-authorized share repurchase programs. Source
  • Shares down 19% in two years: Over the past 24 months, repurchases reduced shares outstanding by about 19%, net of new issuances. Source

Depop sale and growth priorities

  • Depop sale to eBay agreed: Etsy agreed on February 15 to sell Depop to eBay for $1.2 billion; Depop is reported as discontinued operations in all periods shown. Source
  • Four priorities drive the plan: Priorities include discovery, matching, loyalty and human connection; the matching priority is to use machine learning to pair shoppers with the right inventory. Source
  • Discovery and matching contributing: Management said discovery and matching are positively contributing to performance, with the app central to personalization and direct buyer relationships. Source
  • Agentic partners named: Partnerships with OpenAI, Microsoft and Google are used to reach agentic shopping, which management describes as a driver of incremental traffic. Source

People and leadership

  • CEO has over 15 years at Etsy: Kruti Patel Goyal, now CEO, has more than 15 years at Etsy and has completed her first quarter in the role. Source
  • Loyalty ownership spread across teams: Loyalty initiatives now span product, engineering, marketing and operations, with programs such as the Etsy Insider beta and more personalized offers. Source
  • Targeted support tested for top users: Customer support testing targets issue resolution for the highest-value buyers and sellers. Source

Coming up, as management said on 29 April 2026

  • Depop sale closing by quarter end: Closing is expected by the end of the third quarter of 2026, later than the second quarter given in February; UK and Australia reviews are still in progress. Source
  • Faster buybacks after Depop: Management expects the Depop sale to speed direct returns of capital to shareholders through share repurchases. Source
  • Loyalty tests to deepen engagement: Activities are being tested to learn the most effective ways to deepen engagement with the highest-value buyers and sellers. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Etsy marketplace GMS Source$2.46 billion
Mobile app share of total GMS Source~47%
Mobile app GMS growth Source+11.2% Y/Y
TTM GMS per active buyer Source$122

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management is monitoring consumer confidence and discretionary spending, which could affect buyer demand. Source
  • External: Guidance assumes currency tailwinds moderate and comparisons get tougher through the year. Source
  • Demand: Management says progress may be uneven and may take time to become sustained growth. Source
  • Financial: Adjusted EBITDA margin guidance is not reconciled to GAAP because excluded charges are variable and hard to forecast. Source
  • Regulatory: Depop sale reviews remain open in the United Kingdom and Australia, which could affect closing timing. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Management continues to expect year-over-year Etsy GMS growth in every quarter of 2026. Source
  • Met: Management said the company has delivered two consecutive quarters of year-over-year Etsy marketplace GMS growth. 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.