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Flywire Corp.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 2 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue grew 41% year over year: Revenue was $188.1 million, up from $133.5 million. Revenue Less Ancillary Services rose 43.0% to $184.0 million, and FX-neutral growth was 37.2%. Source
  • Growth ran above prior guidance: FX-neutral Revenue Less Ancillary Services growth of 37.2% compared with the 26-30% range given for the first quarter in the prior release. Source
  • Payment volume rose 36.5%: Total Payment Volume was $11.4 billion, up from $8.4 billion in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Over 200 new clients signed: New clients were signed across all verticals, excluding properties added through the Sertifi hospitality business. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin expanded: Adjusted EBITDA rose 81.8% to $39.3 million, and the margin was 21.4%, up 452 bps from 16.8%. Source
  • Up to $50 million buyback announced: An accelerated share repurchase of up to $50 million was announced, the single largest capital return action in the company's history as a public company. Source
  • Moving toward higher education infrastructure: Management said the work with Scholarship America moves Flywire closer to becoming the end-to-end financial infrastructure layer for higher education. Source
  • AI cut development time: Management said AI embedded in product development cut weeks off development time, sped issue fixes, and reduced payment processing time by 20%. Source

“The results reflect what we have been building toward: a durable, scalable business, diversified across verticals and geographies”

Mike Massaro, Flywire's CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
FX-neutral Revenue Less Ancillary Services growth SourceFiscal year 202618-24% YoYRaised from 15-21% YoY
Adjusted EBITDA margin growth SourceFiscal year 2026+175 to 375 bps YoYRaised from +150 to 350 bps YoY
FX-neutral Revenue Less Ancillary Services growth SourceSecond quarter of 202618-24% YoYNew
Adjusted EBITDA margin growth SourceSecond quarter of 20260 to +150 bps YoYNew

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year FX-neutral Revenue Less Ancillary Services growth guidance raised by 300 bps at the midpoint, from 15-21% to 18-24%. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year Adjusted EBITDA margin growth guidance raised by 25 bps at the midpoint, from +150 to +350 bps to +175 to +375 bps. Source
  • New guidance: Second-quarter 2026 guidance was issued with this release; the prior release gave guidance for the first quarter only. Source
  • New: Announced an accelerated share repurchase program of up to $50 million, described as the single largest capital return action in Flywire's history as a public company. Source
  • New: Partnership with Scholarship America, which the release describes as embedding Flywire deeper into the student financial journey. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue grew 41% year over year: Revenue was $188.1 million, up from $133.5 million. Revenue Less Ancillary Services rose 43.0% to $184.0 million, and FX-neutral growth was 37.2%. Source
  • Growth ran above prior guidance: FX-neutral Revenue Less Ancillary Services growth of 37.2% compared with the 26-30% range given for the first quarter in the prior release. Source
  • Operating income positive this year: Income from operations was $10.8 million, against a loss of $11.0 million a year earlier. Diluted EPS was $0.10, compared with $(0.03). Source
  • Net income turned positive: Net income was $12.5 million, compared with a net loss of $4.2 million in the first quarter of 2025. Source

Revenue mix by type

  • Transaction revenue carried most growth: Transaction Revenue Less Ancillary Services was $155.1 million, up from $108.2 million, and 84.3% of the total compared with 84.0%. Source
  • Platform and other revenue grew: Platform and other Revenue Less Ancillary Services was $28.8 million, up from $20.6 million, and 15.7% of the total compared with 16.0%. Source

“Gross profit dollar growth converted into adjusted EBITDA margin expansion, demonstrating the operating leverage in this model.”

Cosmin Pitigoi, Flywire's CFO

Clients and payment volume

  • Payment volume rose 36.5%: Total Payment Volume was $11.4 billion, up from $8.4 billion in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Over 200 new clients signed: New clients were signed across all verticals, excluding properties added through the Sertifi hospitality business. Source
  • Client base near 5,100: Flywire supports approximately 5,100 clients, excluding Sertifi and Invoiced acquisitions, up from approximately 5,000 in the prior release. Source
  • Inspired Education expansion continues: Work with Inspired Education Group extended into premium international schools in Europe, adding clients in Switzerland, Portugal, Latvia and Belgium. Source

Products and partner programs

  • Scholarship disbursements digitized: The Scholarship America partnership automates scholarship disbursements and replaces paper checks with digital delivery, alongside tuition collection. Source
  • Workday Student integration certified: Integration with Workday Student certified; management said it reduces administrative inquiries by 40% for institutions. Source
  • Travel platform migration started: First hospitality client migrated onto the new core Flywire travel platform. Source
  • Student financial software additions: Added automated custom emails to student groups, due-date visibility, digitized US loan disbursements, and multiple account types in Collection Management. Source

“The ASR program reflects our conviction in the intrinsic value of the business”

Cosmin Pitigoi, Flywire's CFO

Costs and margins

  • Adjusted EBITDA margin expanded: Adjusted EBITDA rose 81.8% to $39.3 million, and the margin was 21.4%, up 452 bps from 16.8%. Source
  • Gross margin fell as costs rose: Gross margin was 56.8% against 60.3%, and adjusted gross margin was 60.1% against 64.1%. Payment processing services costs were $77.5 million, up from $50.6 million. Source
  • Operating expense lines increased: Selling and marketing was $40.5 million, up from $36.6 million; general and administrative was $40.0 million, up from $33.1 million; technology and development was $19.4 million. Source
  • Prior-year restructuring and deal costs absent: The first quarter of 2025 included $7.3 million of restructuring and $2.5 million of acquisition-related transaction costs; neither appears in 2026. Source

Cash, capital and share repurchases

  • Up to $50 million buyback announced: An accelerated share repurchase of up to $50 million was announced, the single largest capital return action in the company's history as a public company. Source
  • Quarterly repurchases of $10 million: About 0.9 million shares were repurchased for about $10 million excluding commissions, leaving about $172 million in the program. Source
  • Operating cash outflow narrowed: Net cash used in operating activities was $15.8 million, against $80.8 million a year earlier; funds payable to clients showed a $109.6 million outflow. Source
  • Cash and investments declined: Cash and cash equivalents were $311.9 million and short-term investments $13.2 million, down from $330.3 million and $24.7 million at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Software capitalization rose: Capitalized internally developed software was $3.4 million, against $1.3 million a year earlier. Source

Strategy and guidance

  • Moving toward higher education infrastructure: Management said the work with Scholarship America moves Flywire closer to becoming the end-to-end financial infrastructure layer for higher education. Source
  • AI cut development time: Management said AI embedded in product development cut weeks off development time, sped issue fixes, and reduced payment processing time by 20%. Source
  • Full-year guidance raised on Q1 results: Management said the full-year figures were raised on the first-quarter results, and second-quarter guidance is included for the first time. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 May 2026

  • Q2 2026 Form 10-Q filing: The Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2026 is expected to be filed in the second quarter of 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Total Payment Volume Source$11.4 billion
Clients supported (approximate) Source5,100

Risks management discussed

  • External: Foreign exchange moved reported growth: FX-neutral Revenue Less Ancillary Services growth was 37.2%, against 43.0% on a reported basis. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Management said the team is on track to launch the unified Sign and Pay product. 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.