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Gartner Inc.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 November 2025: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 2.7% as reported: Revenues were $1,524 million against $1,484 million a year earlier, up 2.7% as reported. Source
  • Contract value up 3% FX neutral: Total contract value was $5.0 billion, up 3.0% year on year on an FX neutral basis. Source
  • Insights revenue up 5.1%: Insights revenue was $1,271 million, up 5.1% as reported and 3.6% FX neutral. Conferences, Consulting and Other revenue each declined. Source
  • US Federal business weighed on growth: Excluding the US Federal business, contract value growth was 6%, against 3% including it. Source
  • Digital Markets goodwill impairment: A $150 million goodwill impairment related to Digital Markets was recorded. It is added back in Adjusted EBITDA. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 1.9%: Adjusted EBITDA was $347 million, up 1.9% as reported, compared with $340 million a year earlier. Source
  • Operating cash flow fell 49.4%: Operating cash flow was $299 million, down 49.4%. Free cash flow was $269 million, down 52.3%. Source
  • Record quarterly buyback of $1.1 billion: The company repurchased 4.0 million common shares for $1.1 billion in the quarter. Source

“Third quarter financial results were ahead of expectations.”

Gene Hall, Gartner’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2025 Adjusted EBITDA and margin guidance was increased. Source
  • New: AskGartner moved from rollout start to a completed beta launch for licensed users globally. Source
  • New: The share repurchase authorization was increased by $1 billion in September 2025. Source
  • New: Digital Markets moved from Insights into Other. It is an operating segment but not a reportable segment, and prior periods were recast. Source

Results and contract value

  • Revenue rose 2.7% as reported: Revenues were $1,524 million against $1,484 million a year earlier, up 2.7% as reported. Source
  • Contract value up 3% FX neutral: Total contract value was $5.0 billion, up 3.0% year on year on an FX neutral basis. Source
  • Net income fell on prior-year gain: Net income was $35 million, against $415 million a year earlier, when a $300 million insurance gain was recorded. Source

Segments and revenue mix

  • Insights revenue up 5.1%: Insights revenue was $1,271 million, up 5.1% as reported and 3.6% FX neutral. Conferences, Consulting and Other revenue each declined. Source
  • Contribution margins by segment: Contribution margin was 76.7% for Insights, 36.6% for Conferences, 28.5% for Consulting and 36.3% for Other. Source
  • Conferences and Consulting declined: Conferences revenue fell 4.1% and Consulting revenue fell 4.8%, both FX neutral. Conferences gross contribution fell 10.4%. Source

“we repurchased more than $1 billion of stock, a Gartner record for a single quarter.”

Gene Hall, Gartner’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Contract value by business

  • Technology sales contract value up 1.7%: Global Technology Sales contract value was $3.8 billion, up 1.7% year on year on an FX neutral basis. Source
  • Business sales contract value up 7.1%: Global Business Sales contract value was $1.2 billion, up 7.1% year on year on an FX neutral basis. Source
  • US Federal business weighed on growth: Excluding the US Federal business, contract value growth was 6%, against 3% including it. Source

AskGartner rollout

  • AskGartner beta launch completed: The beta launch of AskGartner, an AI-powered tool, was completed for licensed users globally. Source
  • Rollout had begun in second quarter: The second-quarter release said the AskGartner rollout had begun, giving clients faster access to insights.
  • Client value from existing licenses: Gene Hall said clients will realize more value from their licenses as AskGartner rolls out.

Costs, margins and earnings per share

  • SG&A rose; cost of services flat: Selling, general and administrative expense was $762.6 million, up from $711.7 million. Cost of services and product development was $474.2 million, against $475.3 million. Source
  • Digital Markets goodwill impairment: A $150 million goodwill impairment related to Digital Markets was recorded. It is added back in Adjusted EBITDA. Source
  • Acquisition and integration charges rose: Acquisition and integration charges and other non-recurring items were $25 million, against $6 million a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 1.9%: Adjusted EBITDA was $347 million, up 1.9% as reported, compared with $340 million a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose 10.4%: Adjusted EPS was $2.76, up 10.4%, on 75.0 million diluted shares, against 78.0 million a year earlier. Source
  • Diluted EPS fell to $0.47: Diluted EPS was $0.47, against $5.32 a year earlier. Source

Cash flow and capital returns

  • Operating cash flow fell 49.4%: Operating cash flow was $299 million, down 49.4%. Free cash flow was $269 million, down 52.3%. Source
  • Capital spending slightly higher: Capital expenditures were $29 million, against $26 million a year earlier. Source
  • Record quarterly buyback of $1.1 billion: The company repurchased 4.0 million common shares for $1.1 billion in the quarter. Source
  • Authorization increased in July: The board raised the repurchase authorization by $700 million in July 2025, before the September increase.
  • Accelerated buybacks since first quarter: The second-quarter release said buybacks had been accelerated since the end of the first quarter.

Coming up, as management said on 4 November 2025

  • Contract value expected to accelerate in 2026: Management said it continues to expect contract value to accelerate in 2026. No figure is given in the documents. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Contract value Source$5.0 billion, +3.0% YoY FX Neutral
Global Technology Sales contract value Source$3.8 billion, +1.7% YoY FX Neutral
Global Business Sales contract value Source$1.2 billion, +7.1% YoY FX Neutral
Contract value excluding US Federal business Source+6%

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Excluding the US Federal business, contract value growth was 6%, against 3% including it. The US Federal business reduced reported growth. Source
  • Financial: A $150 million goodwill impairment related to Digital Markets was recorded in the quarter. Source
  • External: Currency effects were shown on an FX neutral basis. Adjusted EBITDA fell 0.8% FX neutral while rising 1.9% as reported. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: The company said its third-quarter financial results were ahead of expectations. Source
  • Not stated: The company said it had accelerated buybacks since the end of the first quarter, to increase shareholder value.

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.