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Frontdoor, 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: 1 raised, 1 lowered, 1 narrowed, 3 new, 5 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 6% on price and volume: Revenue increased to $655 million from $618 million, with 3 points from higher realized price and 3 points from higher volume. Source
  • Net income and Adjusted EBITDA both grew: Net income rose 10% to $116 million and Adjusted EBITDA rose 5% to $205 million, compared with the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Operating and free cash flow in nine months: Nine-month operating cash flow was $318 million and free cash flow was $298 million. Source
  • $259 million of buybacks through September: Share repurchases reached $259 million through September, up over 30% year-to-date. Source
  • New $1 billion authorization approved: Board approved a new three-year, $1 billion repurchase authorization on October 30, 2026, starting in November. Source
  • Full-year revenue range raised: Full-year revenue range raised to $2.205 billion to $2.215 billion from $2.19 billion to $2.21 billion. Source
  • Full-year Adjusted EBITDA low end raised: Full-year Adjusted EBITDA range is $590 million to $600 million, up from $585 million at the low end, with margin about 27%. Source

“Our team continues to rise to the challenge and find new ways to improve our operations and elevate the member experience.”

Bill Cobb, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue SourceFull-year 2026$2.205 billion to $2.215 billionRaised from $2.19 billion to $2.21 billion
Adjusted EBITDA SourceFull-year 2026$590 million to $600 millionNarrowed, low end up from $585 million to $600 million
Adjusted EBITDA margin SourceFull-year 2026approximately 27%Kept
Revenue SourceFourth quarter 2026$453 million to $463 millionNew
Adjusted EBITDA SourceFourth quarter 2026$62 million to $72 millionNew
Gross profit margin SourceFull-year 2026approximately 55%Kept
Selling and administrative expenses SourceFull-year 2026$685 million to $695 millionKept
Capital expenditures SourceFull-year 2026approximately $30 millionKept
Annual effective tax rate SourceFull-year 2026approximately 24%Lowered from approximately 25%
Realized price SourceFull-year 2026approximately 4%
Volume SourceFull-year 2026approximately 2%
Number of home warranties SourceFull-year 2026approximately 1% increaseKept
Non-warranty and other revenue SourceFull-year 2026$235 million to $240 million
Renewal channel revenue SourceFull-year 2026approximately 5% increase
Share repurchase authorization SourceThree years, beginning November 2026$1 billionNew
Share repurchase authorization completion SourceThrough November 2026$650 million, 3-year program

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year revenue range raised from $2.19 billion to $2.21 billion to $2.205 billion to $2.215 billion. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year Adjusted EBITDA low end raised from $585 million to $590 million; top end unchanged at $600 million. Source
  • New guidance: Fourth-quarter revenue and Adjusted EBITDA ranges given for the first time in this release. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Annual effective tax rate assumption lowered from about 25% to about 24%. Source
  • Guidance kept: Gross profit margin of about 55% and SG&A of $685 million to $695 million carried forward unchanged. Source
  • New: Board approved a new $1 billion, three-year share repurchase authorization on October 30, 2026. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 6% on price and volume: Revenue increased to $655 million from $618 million, with 3 points from higher realized price and 3 points from higher volume. Source
  • Net income and Adjusted EBITDA both grew: Net income rose 10% to $116 million and Adjusted EBITDA rose 5% to $205 million, compared with the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Diluted and adjusted EPS both increased: Diluted EPS rose 16% to $1.65 and adjusted diluted EPS rose 15% to $1.81, against $1.42 and $1.58 a year earlier. Source

Channels and member count

  • Renewal revenue up on realized price: Renewal revenue rose 4% to $479 million, driven by higher realized price. Source
  • Direct-to-consumer revenue down 1%: Direct-to-consumer revenue fell 1% to $54 million, as promotional pricing lowered realized price; higher member volume partly offset this. Source
  • Other revenue rose 32% on HVAC program: Other revenue rose 32% to $78 million, primarily due to the New HVAC upgrade program. Source
  • Real estate revenue rose on volume: Real estate first-year revenue rose 3% to $44 million, due to higher volume. Source
  • Home warranties reached 2.14 million: Home warranties rose 1% to 2.14 million from 2.11 million a year earlier. Source
  • Customer retention rate edged higher: Customer retention rate was 79.7%, against 79.4% a year earlier. Source

“We delivered higher revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and earnings per share again in the third quarter,”

Jason Bailey, Chief Financial Officer

Costs, margins and claims

  • Weather raised HVAC service requests: Contract claims costs rose $7 million excluding revenue-related claims, mainly from about $9 million of unfavorable HVAC weather. Source
  • Favorable claims development repeated: Favorable claims cost development was $6 million, compared with $5 million favorable in the third quarter of 2025. Source
  • Marketing spend rose for direct-to-consumer: Sales and marketing costs rose $4 million, mainly on marketing investment to drive direct-to-consumer channel growth. Source
  • Gross margin at 55% in quarter: Gross profit margin was 55% this quarter, against 59% in the second quarter; gross profit rose 3% to $362 million. Source
  • Administrative costs fell on personnel: Other general and administrative costs fell $6 million, due to lower personnel costs. Source
  • Process improvements offset cost inflation: Normal cost inflation across contractors, parts and equipment was largely offset by process improvement initiatives. Source

Cash flow and balance sheet

  • Operating and free cash flow in nine months: Nine-month operating cash flow was $318 million and free cash flow was $298 million. Source
  • Working capital absorbed cash: Earnings adjusted for non-cash charges were $393 million, partly offset by $74 million of cash used for working capital. Source
  • Cash split between restricted and unrestricted: Cash at September 30 was $581 million, of which $151 million was restricted net assets and $430 million unrestricted. Source

“These outcomes reflect the value we provide homeowners, the dedication of our people, and the durability of our business model.”

Bill Cobb, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Share repurchases and capital returns

  • $259 million of buybacks through September: Share repurchases reached $259 million through September, up over 30% year-to-date. Source
  • New $1 billion authorization approved: Board approved a new three-year, $1 billion repurchase authorization on October 30, 2026, starting in November. Source
  • Current $650 million program finishes early: The existing $650 million program is expected to finish in November, nearly a year ahead of its schedule. Source
  • Debt payments continued on schedule: Nine-month financing included $22 million of scheduled debt payments. Source

Full-year and fourth-quarter guidance

  • Full-year revenue range raised: Full-year revenue range raised to $2.205 billion to $2.215 billion from $2.19 billion to $2.21 billion. Source
  • Full-year Adjusted EBITDA low end raised: Full-year Adjusted EBITDA range is $590 million to $600 million, up from $585 million at the low end, with margin about 27%. Source
  • Fourth-quarter ranges given: Fourth-quarter revenue guidance is $453 million to $463 million and Adjusted EBITDA guidance is $62 million to $72 million. Source
  • Price and volume assumptions narrowed: Realized price assumption is about 4%, from 3% to 4%; volume assumption is about 2%, from 1% to 2%. Source
  • Tax rate assumption lowered, capex steady: Capital expenditures are about $30 million and the annual effective tax rate is about 24%, down from about 25%. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 November 2026

  • Current buyback completes in November: Management expects to complete the current authorization in November 2026, ahead of the three-year schedule. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Home warranties (millions) Source2.14 million
Renewals Source1.59 million
First-year direct-to-consumer warranties Source0.33 million
First-year real estate warranties Source0.22 million
Customer retention rate Source79.7%
Contractor network Sourceapproximately 17,000 service contractors

Risks management discussed

  • External: Weather drove higher HVAC service requests per member during the hottest summer on record. Source
  • Demand: Promotional pricing lowered realized price in the direct-to-consumer channel, partly offset by higher member volume. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said the current authorization completes in November 2026, nearly one year ahead of schedule. 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.