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Jacobs Solutions Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 4 raised, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Gross revenue rose 27% year on year: Gross revenue was $3.69 billion, up 27.0% from the prior-year quarter. Adjusted net revenue, which excludes pass-through amounts, was $2.33 billion, up 8.8%. Source
  • GAAP loss tied to PA transaction: GAAP results from continuing operations were a loss of $43.0 million, or $0.32 per diluted share, against net earnings of $11.2 million a year earlier. The company cited the PA acquisition transaction. Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose 22.4%: Adjusted EPS from continuing operations was $1.75, up 22.4% from $1.43 in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Backlog reached $27.0 billion: Backlog was $27.0 billion at March 27, 2026, up 21.7% from $22.2 billion a year earlier. Backlog is shown for I&AF and PA Consulting. Source
  • Compensation agreement charges rose: The company recorded $214.9 million in the quarter for subsidiary-level compensation agreements, and $237.5 million for the six months, within restructuring, transaction and other charges. Source
  • Operating cash flow negative in quarter: Net cash used for operating activities was $484.1 million in the quarter and $103.4 million for the six months. Adjusted free cash flow was negative $272.4 million for the quarter and $92.6 million for the six months. Source
  • PA Consulting remaining stake acquired: The transaction to acquire the remaining stake in PA Consulting closed on March 20, 2026. The company had announced it in the prior quarter. Source

“We delivered excellent second quarter results driven by revenue strength in both Infrastructure & Advanced Facilities (I&AF) and PA Consulting.”

Bob Pragada, Chair and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Adjusted net revenue growth Sourcefiscal 2026 over fiscal 20258.0% to 10.5%Raised from 6.5% to 10.0%
Adjusted EBITDA margin Sourcefiscal 202614.6% to 14.9%Raised from 14.4% to 14.7%
Adjusted EPS Sourcefiscal 2026$7.10 to $7.35Raised from $6.95 to $7.30
Adjusted free cash flow margin Sourcefiscal 20267.0% to 8.5%Kept
PA Consulting cost synergies Sourcewithin 24 months of closeat least $20 million per yearRaised from $16-20 million

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Fiscal 2026 guidance raised for adjusted net revenue growth, adjusted EBITDA margin and adjusted EPS. Source
  • Guidance kept: Fiscal 2026 adjusted free cash flow margin range kept at 7.0% to 8.5%. Source
  • Guidance raised: Cost synergy estimate from the PA Consulting transaction raised to at least $20 million per year. Source
  • New: Acquisition of the remaining stake in PA Consulting closed on March 20, 2026, after being announced in the prior quarter. Source
  • New: Adjusted free cash flow measure introduced, excluding employee-related payments tied to the PA Consulting consideration. The prior release reported FCF margin only. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Gross revenue rose 27% year on year: Gross revenue was $3.69 billion, up 27.0% from the prior-year quarter. Adjusted net revenue, which excludes pass-through amounts, was $2.33 billion, up 8.8%. Source
  • GAAP loss tied to PA transaction: GAAP results from continuing operations were a loss of $43.0 million, or $0.32 per diluted share, against net earnings of $11.2 million a year earlier. The company cited the PA acquisition transaction. Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose 22.4%: Adjusted EPS from continuing operations was $1.75, up 22.4% from $1.43 in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 14.2%: Adjusted EBITDA was $327.2 million, up 14.2% from the prior-year quarter. Source

Segments and regions

  • I&AF growth broad across sectors: Infrastructure & Advanced Facilities revenue growth was broad-based. Named sectors were Data Center, Semiconductor, Water, Energy & Power and Transportation. Source
  • PA Consulting revenue up 17%: PA Consulting revenue grew 17% year on year, its fourth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth. PA Consulting revenue from external customers was $358.6 million. Source
  • Prior-year I&AF charges lower: I&AF revenue and operating profit were compared with a prior year that carried a reserve tied to the Consolidated JV Matter. This year's charges in connection with that matter were lower. Source

“We're very pleased with our Q2 performance. We are ahead of our initial FY26 expectations and are on track to reach or exceed all of our FY29 targets.”

Venk Nathamuni, CFO

Demand and the order book

  • Backlog reached $27.0 billion: Backlog was $27.0 billion at March 27, 2026, up 21.7% from $22.2 billion a year earlier. Backlog is shown for I&AF and PA Consulting. Source
  • Book-to-bill at 1.2x for quarter: Quarterly book-to-bill was 1.2x and trailing twelve-month book-to-bill was 1.4x. Adjusted net revenue book-to-bill was 1.2x for the quarter and 1.2x trailing twelve months. Source
  • AI and infrastructure build-out cited: The CFO linked accelerating top-line growth to the company's central position in building out AI and related infrastructure. Source

Costs, margins and tax

  • Adjusted EBITDA margin widened: Adjusted EBITDA margin was 14.1% in the quarter, against 13.4% a year earlier. For the six months it was 13.7%, against 13.5%. The CFO cited solid margin expansion. Source
  • Compensation agreement charges rose: The company recorded $214.9 million in the quarter for subsidiary-level compensation agreements, and $237.5 million for the six months, within restructuring, transaction and other charges. Source
  • Cost synergies already being delivered: The CFO said the company has started delivering cost synergies from the PA Consulting acquisition. Source
  • Adjusted tax rate lower year on year: Adjusted effective tax rate was 24.3% against 26.0% a year earlier. The GAAP effective tax rate was 34.5% against 90.6%. Source

“As a result, we are again increasing our guidance for FY26.”

Bob Pragada, Chair and CEO

Capital, cash and returns

  • Operating cash flow negative in quarter: Net cash used for operating activities was $484.1 million in the quarter and $103.4 million for the six months. Adjusted free cash flow was negative $272.4 million for the quarter and $92.6 million for the six months. Source
  • Share repurchases of $220 million: Common stock repurchases were $219.8 million in the quarter and $471.8 million for the six months, per the cash flow statement. Source
  • Quarterly dividend raised 12.5%: The CFO said the 12.5% dividend increase was announced in the prior quarter and cited it among year-to-date capital actions, along with lower weighted average interest rate. Source
  • Long-term debt rose to $4.08 billion: Long-term debt was $4,084.2 million at March 27, 2026, up from $2,236.5 million at September 26, 2025. The company repurchased $883.2 million of redeemable noncontrolling interests in the quarter. Source

PA Consulting and strategy

  • PA Consulting remaining stake acquired: The transaction to acquire the remaining stake in PA Consulting closed on March 20, 2026. The company had announced it in the prior quarter. Source
  • PA transaction costs reported: The company reported $120.4 million in costs relating to the PA Consulting Transaction for the quarter, and noted $123.9 million of consideration to be distributed to PA Consulting employees as compensation expense. Source
  • Synergistic growth expected after close: Management said that with the transaction complete, it sees increased ability to drive synergistic growth moving forward. Source

Recognition, workforce and reporting

  • Engineering News-Record ranking: The release said Engineering News-Record ranked Jacobs number one design firm and number one in manufacturing. Source
  • Talent force of almost 47,000: The company boilerplate describes a talent force of almost 47,000. The prior quarter's release described almost 43,000. Source
  • Adjusted FCF excludes PA payouts: Adjusted FCF excludes employee-related payments that formed part of the initial PA Consulting consideration. The release shows a $232.5 million payout in the quarter under this adjustment. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 May 2026

  • Second-half momentum expected: Management said it sees continued momentum in the second half of the year. Source
  • Runway for H2 and beyond: The CFO said the company sees runway for profitable growth in the second half and beyond. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Backlog, total Source$26,965 million
Backlog, Infrastructure & Advanced Facilities Source$26,538 million
Backlog, PA Consulting Source$427 million
Book-to-bill, quarter Source1.2x
Adjusted net revenue book-to-bill, quarter Source1.2x

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: CFO said the company is ahead of initial FY26 expectations and on track to reach or exceed FY29 targets. Source
  • Not stated: Synergy estimate compared with the $16-20 million given at announcement. The CFO said delivery of cost synergies has started. 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.