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Frontdoor, Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 30 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 new, 11 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 6% on price and volume: Revenue was $451 million against $426 million; price added 5 points and volume 1 point of the growth. Source
  • Net income and diluted EPS rose: Net income rose 11% to $41 million and diluted EPS rose 18% to $0.57, from $37 million and $0.49 a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 3% to $104 million: Adjusted EBITDA was $104 million against $100 million; adjusted diluted EPS rose 14% to $0.73 from $0.64. Source
  • First-year channel growth accelerated to 3%: Growth in home warranties across first-year channels accelerated to 3%, per the company's first-quarter summary. Source
  • Contract claims costs rose $6 million: Excluding revenue-linked claims, contract claims costs rose $6 million; the company cited more service requests per member, including $1 million of weather. Source
  • Free cash flow was $114 million: Free cash flow was $114 million: operating cash flow of $119 million less $6 million of property additions. Source
  • Share buybacks of $60 million: Financing used $75 million, mainly $60 million of share repurchases and $7 million of scheduled debt payments; shares outstanding fell to 70,527,394. Source

“"Frontdoor delivered an excellent first quarter performance," said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bill Cobb.”

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bill Cobb

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue SourceFull year 2026$2.155 billion to $2.195 billionKept
Adjusted EBITDA SourceFull year 2026$565 million to $580 millionKept
Adjusted EBITDA margin SourceFull year 2026approximately 26%Kept
Realized price SourceFull year 20262% to 3% increaseKept
Volume SourceFull year 20261% to 2% increaseKept
First-year home warranty members SourceFull year 2026approximately 5% increaseKept
Total home warranty members SourceFull year 2026approximately 1% increaseNew
Non-warranty and other revenue SourceFull year 2026$220 million to $240 millionKept
Gross profit margin SourceFull year 202654% to 55%Kept
SG&A SourceFull year 2026$660 million to $680 millionKept
Capital expenditures SourceFull year 2026$30 million to $35 millionKept
Annual effective tax rate SourceFull year 2026approximately 25%Kept
Revenue SourceSecond quarter 2026$635 million to $650 millionNew
Adjusted EBITDA SourceSecond quarter 2026$198 million to $208 millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Second-quarter 2026 guidance given for the first time: revenue of $635 million to $650 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $198 million to $208 million. Source
  • Guidance raised: Real estate channel revenue assumption moved from relatively flat to a low-single digit increase. Source
  • New: Total home warranty member count is now given as an approximately 1% increase for 2026; the prior release said it would turn positive. Source
  • Guidance kept: Full-year revenue and Adjusted EBITDA ranges were reaffirmed at the same figures. Source
  • Guidance kept: Full-year capital expenditure and annual effective tax rate figures match the prior release. Source
  • Ended: First-quarter 2026 guidance from the February release is not repeated; the quarter is now reported.

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 6% on price and volume: Revenue was $451 million against $426 million; price added 5 points and volume 1 point of the growth. Source
  • Net income and diluted EPS rose: Net income rose 11% to $41 million and diluted EPS rose 18% to $0.57, from $37 million and $0.49 a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 3% to $104 million: Adjusted EBITDA was $104 million against $100 million; adjusted diluted EPS rose 14% to $0.73 from $0.64. Source
  • Revenue conversion added $19 million: Higher revenue conversion contributed $19 million to the change in both net income and Adjusted EBITDA. Source

Customer channel revenue

  • Renewal revenue rose 6%: Renewal revenue rose 6% to $352 million on higher price realization. Source
  • Real estate revenue rose 3%: Real estate revenue rose 3% to $28 million on higher volume, partly offset by lower price. Source
  • Direct-to-consumer revenue fell 5%: Direct-to-consumer revenue fell 5% to $31 million, reflecting promotional pricing that partly offset higher volume. Source
  • Other revenue rose 23%: Other revenue rose 23% to $41 million, mainly from the HVAC upgrade program. Source

“Member count trends continued to improve, our operational foundation remains strong, and we delivered exceptional financial results while returning significant capital to shareholders through share repurchases.”

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bill Cobb

Member counts and retention

  • Home warranties flat at 2.10 million: Home warranties totaled 2.10 million at March 31, 2026, the same as a year earlier; renewals were 1.57 million against 1.58 million. Source
  • First-year channel growth accelerated to 3%: Growth in home warranties across first-year channels accelerated to 3%, per the company's first-quarter summary. Source
  • Customer retention was 79.3%: Customer retention rate was 79.3%, against 79.9% a year earlier. Source

Costs, claims and gross margin

  • Contract claims costs rose $6 million: Excluding revenue-linked claims, contract claims costs rose $6 million; the company cited more service requests per member, including $1 million of weather. Source
  • Favorable claims development was $6 million: Favorable claims cost development was $6 million, against $7 million in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Sales and marketing costs rose $6 million: Sales and marketing costs rose $6 million, mainly on marketing to grow the direct-to-consumer channel. Source
  • Gross margin unchanged at 55%: Gross profit margin was unchanged at 55%; gross profit rose 5% to $248 million on revenue growth. Source

“Looking ahead, we are reaffirming our full-year 2026 guidance based on our strong operating performance and the durability of our subscription-based business model.”

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bill Cobb

Cash flow and share repurchases

  • Free cash flow was $114 million: Free cash flow was $114 million: operating cash flow of $119 million less $6 million of property additions. Source
  • Share buybacks of $60 million: Financing used $75 million, mainly $60 million of share repurchases and $7 million of scheduled debt payments; shares outstanding fell to 70,527,394. Source
  • Cash rose to $603 million: Cash was $603 million at March 31, 2026: $154 million restricted net assets and $448 million Unrestricted Cash. Source

Balance sheet movements

  • Deferred revenue rose to $173 million: Current deferred revenue was $173 million at March 31, 2026, against $107 million at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Treasury stock rose to $787 million: Treasury stock at cost rose to $787 million from $727 million; total shareholders' equity fell to $230 million from $242 million. Source
  • Intangible assets fell to $386 million: Intangible assets, net fell to $386 million from $398 million; goodwill was unchanged at $959 million. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Home warranties (millions) Source2.10
Renewal warranties (millions) Source1.57
First-year direct-to-consumer warranties (millions) Source0.32
First-year real estate warranties (millions) Source0.21
Change in number of home warranties, year over year Source0%
Customer retention rate Source79.3%
Service requests handled Sourceapproximately 3.8 million

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Low-single digit cost inflation across the contractor network, replacement parts and equipment raised contract claims costs. Source
  • Demand: Promotional pricing to drive new home warranty members lowered direct-to-consumer price, and that channel's revenue fell 5%. Source
  • Financial: Marketing investment to drive direct-to-consumer growth raised sales and marketing costs by $6 million. Source
  • External: Unfavorable weather added $1 million to contract claims costs through higher service requests per member. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The prior release targeted a turn-positive member count in 2026; this release gives an approximately 1% increase instead.

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.