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Jacobs Solutions Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 raised, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Gross revenue grew 34.5%: Gross revenue reached $4.1 billion against $3.0 billion, up 34.5%; adjusted net revenue reached $2.4 billion, up 8.3%. Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose 13.6%: Adjusted diluted EPS was $1.84 against $1.62, up 13.6%; adjusted net earnings were $219.3 million against $194.8 million. Source
  • Data Center and semiconductor led growth: Management said I&AF revenue growth was broad-based, led by Data Center, Semiconductor, Energy & Power, Transportation and Water sectors. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin rose to 15.2%: Adjusted EBITDA margin was 15.2% against 14.1%. CFO said top-tier revenue growth and good operating performance drove quarter-over-quarter improvement. Source
  • GAAP tax rate temporarily higher: GAAP effective tax rate was 43.4% against 21.9%; adjusted rate was 26.4% against 24.8%. Management called the GAAP rate temporary and tied it to the PA acquisition transaction. Source
  • Backlog and pipeline both expanded: Management cited the backlog position and a rising pipeline across I&AF and PA Consulting as the basis for confidence in its long-term trajectory. Source
  • Adjusted free cash flow rose to $541 million: Adjusted free cash flow was $540.9 million against $270.5 million; the adjusted figure adds back $109.9 million of PA transaction proceeds paid to employees. Source

“We delivered robust overall third quarter results driven by strength in Infrastructure & Advanced Facilities (I&AF) as segment gross revenue increased 39% year-on-year and adjusted net revenue increased 10% - all organic.”

Bob Pragada, Jacobs' Chair and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Adjusted net revenue growth SourceFiscal 2026, over fiscal 20259.5% to 10.0%Raised from 8.0% to 10.5%
Adjusted EBITDA margin SourceFiscal 202614.7% to 14.8%Kept
Adjusted EPS SourceFiscal 2026$7.20 to $7.30Raised from $7.10 to $7.35
Adjusted free cash flow margin SourceFiscal 2026approximately 8%Raised from 7.0% to 8.5%

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Adjusted net revenue growth midpoint raised from 9.25% to 9.75%, per management's statement on raising guidance midpoints. Source
  • Guidance raised: Adjusted EPS midpoint raised from $7.23 to $7.25, the third consecutive raise this year per management. Source
  • Guidance raised: Adjusted free cash flow margin point figure set at about 8%; midpoint moves up from 7.75%. Source
  • Guidance kept: Adjusted EBITDA margin midpoint unchanged at 14.75%; the range narrowed. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Gross revenue grew 34.5%: Gross revenue reached $4.1 billion against $3.0 billion, up 34.5%; adjusted net revenue reached $2.4 billion, up 8.3%. Source
  • GAAP EPS fell to $1.16: GAAP diluted EPS was $1.16 against $1.56; GAAP net earnings were $137.4 million against $181.2 million. Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose 13.6%: Adjusted diluted EPS was $1.84 against $1.62, up 13.6%; adjusted net earnings were $219.3 million against $194.8 million. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 16.7%: Adjusted EBITDA was $366.8 million against $314.3 million, up 16.7%. Source

Segments: I&AF and PA Consulting

  • I&AF adjusted net revenue rose 10%: I&AF adjusted net revenue was $2.09 billion against $1.90 billion, up about 10%. Source
  • I&AF operating profit increased: I&AF segment operating profit was $268.1 million against $236.0 million; PA Consulting segment operating profit was $73.6 million against $72.4 million. Source
  • PA Consulting revenue slightly lower: PA Consulting adjusted net revenue was $329.5 million, against $332.7 million a year earlier. Source

“Our private sector and utility clients continue to boost capital spending, contributing to accelerating organic growth in our I&AF segment and record performance in our Life Sciences & Advanced Manufacturing end market.”

Bob Pragada, Jacobs' Chair and CEO

End markets and client spending

  • Data Center and semiconductor led growth: Management said I&AF revenue growth was broad-based, led by Data Center, Semiconductor, Energy & Power, Transportation and Water sectors. Source
  • Private and utility clients raising spend: Management said private sector and utility clients continue to raise capital spending, and cited Life Sciences & Advanced Manufacturing performance. Source
  • AI build-out drives complex facility work: CFO said AI build-out spending let the company apply its cross-cutting solutions to more complex manufacturing and compute facilities. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Adjusted EBITDA margin rose to 15.2%: Adjusted EBITDA margin was 15.2% against 14.1%. CFO said top-tier revenue growth and good operating performance drove quarter-over-quarter improvement. Source
  • Gross and operating profit increased: Gross profit was $810.7 million against $758.4 million; operating profit was $286.7 million against $235.0 million; SG&A was $524.0 million against $523.4 million. Source
  • Pass-through revenue more than doubled: Pass-through revenue, excluded from adjusted net revenue, was $1.66 billion against $800.5 million a year earlier. Source
  • Direct costs of contracts rose: Direct cost of contracts was $3.27 billion against $2.27 billion a year earlier. Source

“As spending on the AI build-out has ramped up, we have been able to leverage our cross-cutting portfolio of solutions to help deliver increasingly complex manufacturing and compute facilities.”

Venk Nathamuni, Jacobs' CFO

Tax rate and transaction charges

  • GAAP tax rate temporarily higher: GAAP effective tax rate was 43.4% against 21.9%; adjusted rate was 26.4% against 24.8%. Management called the GAAP rate temporary and tied it to the PA acquisition transaction. Source
  • Transaction and restructuring charges recorded: Transaction costs were $7.1 million and restructuring, integration, separation and other charges were $21.4 million in the quarter, pre-tax. Source
  • Nine-month PA compensation costs: Nine-month pre-tax compensation costs tied to the PA Consulting Transaction were $123.9 million, plus a $20.5 million foreign exchange forward loss. Source

Demand and order book

  • Backlog and pipeline both expanded: Management cited the backlog position and a rising pipeline across I&AF and PA Consulting as the basis for confidence in its long-term trajectory. Source
  • Book-to-bill above one: Trailing book-to-bill was above one on both gross and adjusted net revenue bases; the fiscal Q3 adjusted net revenue ratio was also above one. Source
  • I&AF makes up most of backlog: I&AF accounts for nearly all of total backlog, with PA Consulting a small share. Source

Cash, debt and shareholder returns

  • Operating cash flow rose: Net cash provided by operating activities was $456.1 million for the quarter against $292.6 million; nine-month figure was $352.8 million. Source
  • Adjusted free cash flow rose to $541 million: Adjusted free cash flow was $540.9 million against $270.5 million; the adjusted figure adds back $109.9 million of PA transaction proceeds paid to employees. Source
  • Share repurchases of $142 million: The company repurchased $142.2 million of shares in Q3 and $614.1 million year-to-date, against $653.2 million in the prior-year nine months. Source
  • Net leverage below year-end target: CFO said higher free cash flow reduced net leverage to below the year-end target, while repurchases continued. Source
  • Long-term debt higher than September: Long-term debt was $3.58 billion at June 26, 2026, against $2.24 billion at September 26, 2025. Source
  • Receivables and contract assets rose: Receivables and contract assets were $3.76 billion at June 26, 2026, against $2.99 billion at September 26, 2025. Source

Recognition and transaction timing

  • ENR ranks Jacobs first in 18 categories: Engineering News-Record ranks Jacobs #1 in 18 categories, including data centers; the release shows this as up 6 y/y. Source
  • PA Consulting closed March 20, 2026: Vesting of subsidiary-level compensation agreements followed the PA Consulting Transaction close; the vesting expense sits in the nine-month figures. Source

Coming up, as management said on 4 August 2026

  • Positioning for next fiscal year: CFO said the company is preparing for the next fiscal year from its current position. Source

In management's words

“The resulting increase in free cash flow helped reduce our net leverage to below our year-end target, even as we repurchased $614 million of our shares year-to-date.”

Venk Nathamuni, Jacobs' CFO

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Management noted that pass-through revenue can be volatile from period to period, which is why it reports measures with and without it. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: CFO said the company remains on track to reach or exceed all of its FY29 targets. Source
  • Ahead: CFO said results are now well ahead of the initial FY26 expectations. Source
  • Ahead: Management said net leverage is below its year-end target. 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.