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Inspire Medical Systems, Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 raised, 6 lowered, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue grew 1.6% to $204.6 million: Revenue rose from $201.3 million a year earlier. Management attributed growth to higher market penetration, offset by reimbursement disruption and the WISeR program. Source
  • Medicare no longer pays prior CPT code: The CPT code used for about 10,000 Inspire V cases in 2025 is no longer available for Medicare reimbursement. Physicians, centers and the company are navigating coding alternatives this quarter. Source
  • Coding uncertainty expected through 2026: Management expects the challenges from the coding uncertainty to persist through the balance of 2026. Source
  • Gross margin up 180 basis points: Gross margin rose to 86.5%. Management attributed the increase to higher sales mix of Inspire V, which carries a higher gross margin than Inspire IV. Source
  • Operating expenses rose 3.4%: Operating expenses reached $178.0 million, with higher marketing, legal and employee costs partly offset by lower R&D expenses. Source
  • Operating cash flow turned positive: Operating cash inflow was $12.8 million, against $6.7 million used a year earlier. Management attributed the change to better working capital in payables and receivables, partly offset by a higher net loss. Source
  • Revenue guidance lowered to $825M-$875M: Revenue guidance for 2026 is $825 million to $875 million, a decline of 4% to 10% from 2025, against $950 million to $1.0 billion previously. Source
  • Margin and EPS guidance lowered: Adjusted operating margin is now 2% to 4%, from 6% to 8%. Diluted EPS is $0.07 to $0.62, from $1.23 to $1.81; adjusted diluted EPS is $0.75 to $1.25, from $1.85 to $2.35. Source

“Our first quarter results reflect revenue growth and improved adjusted operating income and cash flow,”

Tim Herbert, Chairman and CEO of Inspire Medical Systems

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue SourceFull year 2026$825 million to $875 millionLowered from $950 million to $1.0 billion
Adjusted operating margin SourceFull year 20262% to 4%Lowered from 6% to 8%
Diluted EPS SourceFull year 2026$0.07 to $0.62Lowered from $1.23 to $1.81
Adjusted diluted EPS SourceFull year 2026$0.75 to $1.25Lowered from $1.85 to $2.35
Effective tax rate SourceFull year 2026approximately 65% to 70%Raised from approximately 44% to 49%
Adjusted effective tax rate SourceFull year 202627% to 29%Raised from 26% to 28%
Weighted average diluted shares outstanding SourceFull year 2026approximately 29.4 millionKept
Capital expenditures SourceFull year 2026$40 million to $45 millionLowered from $45 million to $50 million
Legal fees per diluted share (EPS bridge) SourceFull year 2026$0.20 to $0.22Raised from $0.08 to $0.12
Tax impact of stock-based compensation per diluted share (EPS bridge) SourceFull year 2026$0.43 to $0.46Lowered from $0.46 to $0.50

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Full-year 2026 revenue guidance was revised to $825 million to $875 million, from $950 million to $1.0 billion. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Adjusted operating margin, diluted EPS and adjusted diluted EPS guidance were all lowered from the prior release. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Capital expenditures guidance was lowered to $40 million to $45 million, from $45 million to $50 million. Source
  • Guidance kept: Estimated weighted average diluted shares outstanding were kept at approximately 29.4 million. Source
  • Guidance raised: The effective tax rate assumption rose to approximately 65% to 70%, from approximately 44% to 49% in the prior release. Source
  • New: The CPT code used for about 10,000 Inspire V cases in 2025 is no longer available for Medicare reimbursement. The prior release had said the code would transition to CPT 64582 with a -52 modifier. Source
  • New: The implementation of the WISeR program is cited as one of the factors that offset revenue growth in the quarter. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue grew 1.6% to $204.6 million: Revenue rose from $201.3 million a year earlier. Management attributed growth to higher market penetration, offset by reimbursement disruption and the WISeR program. Source
  • Net loss on higher tax expense: The company reported a net loss of $11.3 million, against net earnings of $3.0 million a year earlier. Income tax expense was $13.7 million on pre-tax earnings of $2.4 million. Source
  • Adjusted diluted EPS of $0.10: Diluted EPS was $(0.39), against $0.10 a year earlier. Adjusted diluted EPS excluded $1.4 million of legal fees and a $13.1 million tax impact of stock-based compensation. Source
  • Operating loss narrowed slightly: Operating loss was $1.1 million against $1.5 million a year earlier, an operating margin of (0.5)%. Adjusted operating income was $0.3 million. Source
  • Tax rate rose on stock shortfalls: The effective tax rate was 571.2%, against 28.1%. Management attributed the rise to stock-based compensation shortfalls from a lower share price at award vesting and exercise. Source

Medicare coding and WISeR disruption

  • Medicare no longer pays prior CPT code: The CPT code used for about 10,000 Inspire V cases in 2025 is no longer available for Medicare reimbursement. Physicians, centers and the company are navigating coding alternatives this quarter. Source
  • WISeR program added to disruption: Management cited the WISeR program implementation together with coding uncertainty that arose at the start of the year as disruption affecting the quarter. Source
  • Coding uncertainty expected through 2026: Management expects the challenges from the coding uncertainty to persist through the balance of 2026. Source

“That said, we believe that these challenges are temporary, and we expect to return to revenue growth in 2027 by leveraging the strength of the positive clinical outcomes of the Inspire V system.”

Tim Herbert, Chairman and CEO

Margins and operating costs

  • Gross margin up 180 basis points: Gross margin rose to 86.5%. Management attributed the increase to higher sales mix of Inspire V, which carries a higher gross margin than Inspire IV. Source
  • Operating expenses rose 3.4%: Operating expenses reached $178.0 million, with higher marketing, legal and employee costs partly offset by lower R&D expenses. Source
  • Legal costs excluded from adjusted results: Legal fees of $1.4 million tied to a Department of Justice civil investigative demand and patent suits with Nyxoah were excluded from adjusted results. Source

Cash, investments and interest income

  • Operating cash flow turned positive: Operating cash inflow was $12.8 million, against $6.7 million used a year earlier. Management attributed the change to better working capital in payables and receivables, partly offset by a higher net loss. Source
  • Cash and investments declined $4.9 million: Cash, cash equivalents and investments fell from December 31, 2025 to $399.7 million at March 31, 2026. Source
  • Interest income fell $1.3 million: Interest and dividend income decreased on lower average interest rates and lower average cash and investment balances. Source

Full-year 2026 guidance

  • Revenue guidance lowered to $825M-$875M: Revenue guidance for 2026 is $825 million to $875 million, a decline of 4% to 10% from 2025, against $950 million to $1.0 billion previously. Source
  • Margin and EPS guidance lowered: Adjusted operating margin is now 2% to 4%, from 6% to 8%. Diluted EPS is $0.07 to $0.62, from $1.23 to $1.81; adjusted diluted EPS is $0.75 to $1.25, from $1.85 to $2.35. Source
  • Tax rate assumptions raised: The effective tax rate is assumed at about 65% to 70%, against 44% to 49% before. The adjusted effective tax rate is 27% to 29%, against 26% to 28%. Source
  • Capital expenditures guidance lowered: Capital expenditures are guided to $40 million to $45 million, against $45 million to $50 million before. Diluted shares are assumed at about 29.4 million, unchanged. Source
  • EPS adjustment estimates updated: Legal fees are estimated at $0.20 to $0.22 per diluted share, up from $0.08 to $0.12. The tax impact of stock-based compensation is $0.43 to $0.46, down from $0.46 to $0.50. Source

Strategy, adoption and team

  • Focus on controllable factors: Management said it is focused on factors within its control, prioritizing revenue-generating activities and disciplined cost management, while continuing targeted investments. Source
  • Inspire V adoption continued: Management said the company continued to advance Inspire V adoption, citing its simplified procedure and advanced features, despite the disruption. Source
  • Team credited for navigating uncertainty: Management said it was proud of the team for delivering results and helping physicians and customers through the coding uncertainty. Source

Coming up, as management said on 4 May 2026

  • Coding solutions work with stakeholders: The company is working with key stakeholders to implement solutions to resolve the coding and reimbursement uncertainty for Inspire V. No date was given. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: The CPT code previously used for Inspire V procedures is no longer available for Medicare reimbursement, requiring coding alternatives. Source
  • Regulatory: Implementation of the WISeR program weighed on revenue alongside the reimbursement disruption. Source
  • Demand: Management expects coding and reimbursement uncertainty to continue through the rest of 2026. Source
  • Financial: Stock-based compensation tax shortfalls from a lower share price drove the effective tax rate sharply higher this quarter. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management referred to the Medicare coding change as previously discussed. 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.