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Garmin Ltd.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 October 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 4 raised, 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Record revenue and operating income: Net sales rose 12% to $1.99 billion and operating income rose 34% to $612 million, both compared with the prior year quarter. Source
  • Pro forma EPS up 39%: Pro forma diluted EPS was $2.76, up 39% from $1.99; GAAP diluted EPS was $2.80, up 35% from $2.08. Source
  • Outdoor up 20% on adventure watches: Outdoor revenue rose 20% to $597 million; operating income was $233 million, with 68% gross and 39% operating margins. Source
  • Auto OEM revenue down 20%: Auto OEM revenue fell 20% to $132 million, mainly on domain controllers; the segment recorded a $12 million operating loss at a 16% gross margin. Source
  • Gross margin up 420 basis points: Consolidated gross margin rose 420 basis points to 63.3%, attributed to segment mix, lower product cost and about $33 million of tariff refunds. Source
  • Free cash flow of $293 million: Operating cash flow was $394 million and free cash flow $293 million in the quarter; nine-month free cash flow was $1.04 billion. Source

“We achieved another quarter of record operating results driven by strength across markets and product categories, with meaningful contributions from recently launched products.”

Cliff Pemble, President and Chief Executive Officer of Garmin Ltd.

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Consolidated revenue SourceFiscal 2026 full yearapproximately $8.15 billionRaised from approximately $8.05 billion
Pro forma diluted EPS SourceFiscal 2026 full year$10.80Raised from $10.00
Gross margin SourceFiscal 2026 full year61.0%Raised from 59.7%
Operating margin SourceFiscal 2026 full year29.0%Raised from 27.0%
Effective tax rate SourceFiscal 2026 full year16.5%Kept
Quarterly dividend installment SourceDecember 2026 and March 2027 payments$1.05 per share eachKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 guidance was raised for revenue to about $8.15 billion, pro forma EPS to $10.80, gross margin to 61.0% and operating margin to 29.0%. Source
  • New: The CIRQA Smart Band, described as recently announced in the prior quarter, was launched in the third quarter. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Record revenue and operating income: Net sales rose 12% to $1.99 billion and operating income rose 34% to $612 million, both compared with the prior year quarter. Source
  • Pro forma EPS up 39%: Pro forma diluted EPS was $2.76, up 39% from $1.99; GAAP diluted EPS was $2.80, up 35% from $2.08. Source
  • Nine-month net sales up 13%: For the 39 weeks, net sales were $5.76 billion, up 13% from $5.12 billion, and operating income was $1.66 billion, up 31%. Source

Segments and regions

  • Fitness revenue up 16%: Fitness revenue rose 16% to $694 million, with operating income of $231 million, 63% gross margin and 33% operating margin. Source
  • Outdoor up 20% on adventure watches: Outdoor revenue rose 20% to $597 million; operating income was $233 million, with 68% gross and 39% operating margins. Source
  • Marine up 16% on sonar: Marine revenue rose 16% to $310 million, led by sonar; operating income was $94 million, with 64% gross and 30% operating margins. Source
  • Aviation up 5% on OEM categories: Aviation revenue rose 5% to $253 million; operating income was $66 million, with 78% gross and 26% operating margins. Source
  • Auto OEM revenue down 20%: Auto OEM revenue fell 20% to $132 million, mainly on domain controllers; the segment recorded a $12 million operating loss at a 16% gross margin. Source
  • Regional sales growth: Americas sales rose 15% to $913 million and EMEA rose 12% to $778 million; APAC sales rose 4% to $295 million. Source

“We are raising our 2026 outlook based on the results we have achieved so far and the momentum we are experiencing”

Cliff Pemble, President and Chief Executive Officer of Garmin Ltd.

Products and launches

  • Fēnix 9 adventure watch launched: The fēnix 9 and fēnix 9 Pro series launched with an all-titanium case option and the largest available AMOLED screen in the flagship lineup. Source
  • G2000 PRIME unveiled for piston aircraft: The G2000 PRIME was unveiled, bringing PRIME flight deck functionality to high-performance piston and electric aircraft. Source
  • LiveScope 2 sonar launched: LiveScope 2 launched, delivering live sonar images with improved range and clarity. Source
  • Garmin Drive navigators launched: The Garmin Drive GPS navigators launched with high-resolution ultrawide format displays and an elevated user experience. Source

Margins and costs

  • Gross margin up 420 basis points: Consolidated gross margin rose 420 basis points to 63.3%, attributed to segment mix, lower product cost and about $33 million of tariff refunds. Source
  • Tariff refunds added to margin: The refunds of previously paid tariffs were about $33 million in the quarter, compared with about $21 million in the second quarter. Source
  • Operating expenses up 10%: Total operating expenses were $646 million; R&D rose 9% and SG&A rose 10%, both driven mainly by personnel-related costs, with SG&A also including advertising. Source
  • Operating margin expanded: Operating margin was 30.8%, up from 25.8% a year earlier, as operating income grew faster than net sales. Source

Tax and earnings measures

  • Effective tax rate lower: The effective tax rate was 18.1%, against 21.2% a year earlier, reflecting expected U.S. deductions under 2025 legislation effective in 2026. Source
  • Currency gains excluded from pro forma EPS: Pro forma EPS excludes foreign currency gains and related tax effects; the quarter's currency gain was $9.8 million pre-tax, so GAAP EPS of $2.80 sat above pro forma $2.76. Source

Cash, capital and shareholder returns

  • Free cash flow of $293 million: Operating cash flow was $394 million and free cash flow $293 million in the quarter; nine-month free cash flow was $1.04 billion. Source
  • Nine-month capital spending higher: Nine-month purchases of property and equipment were $295 million, against $146 million a year earlier. Source
  • Dividend paid and shares repurchased: The company paid a $202 million quarterly dividend and repurchased $41 million of shares; $407 million remains of the $500 million program through December 2028. Source
  • Cash and securities about $4.1 billion: Cash and marketable securities ended the quarter at about $4.1 billion. Source

Awards and recognition

  • Manufacturer of the Year, 12th time: The National Marine Electronics Association named Garmin 2026 Manufacturer of the Year for the 12th consecutive year; six Product of Excellence awards were also received. Source
  • Autoland certified on two more aircraft: Pilatus Aircraft and Epic Aircraft announced Garmin Autoland certification on the PC-12 Pro and the e1000 airplanes. Source

Coming up, as management said on 28 October 2026

  • Holiday selling season ahead: Management said the company is entering the holiday selling season, with no dated targets given in the release. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Aircraft equipped with Garmin Autoland Sourcemore than 2,500
G1000 retrofits delivered on King Air aircraft Source1,000th delivered

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: The first and second dividend installments were paid on June 26 and September 25, 2026, the dates set in the prior quarter. 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.