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CS Disco, Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 25 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 6 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Total revenue rose 11%: Total revenue was $41.2M in the fourth quarter, up 11% from a year earlier. Fiscal 2025 total revenue was $156.8M, up 8%. Source
  • GAAP net loss narrowed: GAAP net loss was $8.5M, against $25.2M a year earlier. The prior-year quarter included a $15.2M impairment of intangible asset and capitalized development. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA loss narrowed: Adjusted EBITDA was $(2.2)M, against $(4.3)M a year earlier. Fiscal 2025 Adjusted EBITDA was $(10.2)M, against $(18.7)M in fiscal 2024. Source
  • Cecilia AI and Auto Review up over 600%: Revenue from the Cecilia AI platform and Auto Review rose over 600% in the fourth quarter compared with a year earlier. Source
  • Agentic AI tool announced for eDiscovery: DISCO announced a scaled agentic AI tool for fact investigation and eDiscovery, which it described as the industry's first. Source
  • New per-gigabyte pricing model: The new commercial model includes DISCO eDiscovery, DISCO Case Builder and the Cecilia AI platform at one per-gigabyte rate, with the formula based on data size as it grows. Source
  • 2026 guidance first issued: Management issued first-quarter and fiscal 2026 ranges for software revenue, total revenue and adjusted EBITDA, based on assumptions it said may change. Source

“DISCO continues to show what's possible as an innovator in legal technology as our AI solutions were significant growth drivers in the fourth quarter”

Eric Friedrichsen, CEO of DISCO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Software revenue Sourcefirst quarter of 2026$33.75 million - $35.25 millionNew
Total revenue Sourcefirst quarter of 2026$39.0 million - $41.5 millionNew
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefirst quarter of 2026$(6.0) million - $(4.0) millionNew
Software revenue Sourcefiscal year 2026$145.5 million - $152.5 millionNew
Total revenue Sourcefiscal year 2026$167.0 million - $177.0 millionNew
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefiscal year 2026$(8.5) million - $(4.5) millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Guidance issued for the first quarter of 2026 and fiscal 2026. The prior release gave guidance for the fourth quarter and fiscal 2025. Source
  • New: Agentic AI tool announced for fact investigation and eDiscovery. Source
  • New: New AI-inclusive platform combining all Cecilia AI platform capabilities into one offering. Source
  • New: New commercial model bundling DISCO eDiscovery, DISCO Case Builder and the Cecilia AI platform at one per-gigabyte rate. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Total revenue rose 11%: Total revenue was $41.2M in the fourth quarter, up 11% from a year earlier. Fiscal 2025 total revenue was $156.8M, up 8%. Source
  • Software revenue grew 14%: Software revenue was $35.1M in the quarter, up 14%, and $134.0M for fiscal 2025, up 12%. Source
  • GAAP net loss narrowed: GAAP net loss was $8.5M, against $25.2M a year earlier. The prior-year quarter included a $15.2M impairment of intangible asset and capitalized development. Source

Profitability and adjusted measures

  • Adjusted EBITDA loss narrowed: Adjusted EBITDA was $(2.2)M, against $(4.3)M a year earlier. Fiscal 2025 Adjusted EBITDA was $(10.2)M, against $(18.7)M in fiscal 2024. Source
  • Stock compensation and litigation excluded: Stock-based compensation was $6.0M in the quarter, against $5.4M. Fiscal 2025 stockholder litigation expenses of $9.2M were excluded from non-GAAP results. Source
  • Fiscal 2025 revenue above November range: Fiscal 2025 total revenue of $156.8M was above the $154.4M to $156.4M range given on November 5, 2025.

“We are continuing that disruptive trend in 2026 with the launch of the industry's first scaled agentic AI solution for eDiscovery”

Eric Friedrichsen, CEO of DISCO

Products and AI adoption

  • Cecilia AI and Auto Review up over 600%: Revenue from the Cecilia AI platform and Auto Review rose over 600% in the fourth quarter compared with a year earlier. Source
  • Agentic AI tool announced for eDiscovery: DISCO announced a scaled agentic AI tool for fact investigation and eDiscovery, which it described as the industry's first. Source
  • New per-gigabyte pricing model: The new commercial model includes DISCO eDiscovery, DISCO Case Builder and the Cecilia AI platform at one per-gigabyte rate, with the formula based on data size as it grows. Source
  • AI-inclusive platform combines Cecilia capabilities: A new AI-inclusive platform combines all Cecilia AI platform capabilities into one offering for the largest and most complex matters. Source

Costs and margins

  • Non-GAAP gross margin reached 77%: Non-GAAP gross margin was 77% in the quarter against 75%, and 76% for fiscal 2025 against 75%. Source
  • Sales and marketing ratio declined: Non-GAAP sales and marketing was 34% of revenue in the quarter against 37%, and 35% for fiscal 2025 against 39%. Source
  • R&D and G&A ratios declined: Non-GAAP research and development was 31% of revenue against 32%, and non-GAAP general and administrative 19% against 20%. Source

“The new offering will be based on the industry standard approach to pricing in which the formula is based on the size of the customer data as it grows over time.”

CS Disco, Inc., press release

Cash, balance sheet and returns

  • Cash and investments total $114.6M: Cash and cash equivalents were $19.7M and short-term investments $94.9M at December 31, 2025, against $52.8M and $76.4M a year earlier. Source
  • Operating cash outflow widened: Net cash used in operating activities was $14.9M in fiscal 2025, against $8.7M in fiscal 2024. Source
  • Legal accrual and insurance receivable: Accrued legal loss was $11.5M at December 31, 2025, against $15.5M at September 30, 2025. The insurance recovery receivable was $8.0M, against $9.2M. Source
  • No buybacks under program in 2025: No stock was repurchased under the share repurchase program in fiscal 2025, against $20.1M in fiscal 2024. Source

Capital spending and share count

  • Capitalized software and capex rose: Purchases of property, equipment and capitalized software development costs were $3.1M in fiscal 2025, against $2.8M in fiscal 2024. Source
  • Shares outstanding rose to 63.3M: Shares outstanding were 63.3M at December 31, 2025, against 60.3M a year earlier. ESPP issuance netted $0.4M in fiscal 2025. Source

Guidance and assumptions

  • 2026 guidance first issued: Management issued first-quarter and fiscal 2026 ranges for software revenue, total revenue and adjusted EBITDA, based on assumptions it said may change. Source
  • No forward adjusted EBITDA reconciliation: The company did not give a forward reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA to GAAP net loss, citing the variability and low visibility of excluded charges. Source
  • Stock price affects compensation charges: Management cited stock-based compensation on awards tied to DISCO's share price, and stockholder litigation expenses, as charges that vary. Source

Coming up, as management said on 25 February 2026

  • Per-gigabyte pricing model rollout: The company said the bundled offering will be included at one per-gigabyte rate, with pricing based on customer data size as it grows. Source
  • Agentic AI solution launch in 2026: The CEO said the company continues into 2026 with the launch of an agentic AI solution for eDiscovery. Source

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management said there is no assurance the guidance results will be achieved, as they depend on assumptions that may change and are partly outside its control. Source
  • Financial: Management expects the variability of excluded charges to have a significant and potentially unpredictable effect on future GAAP results. 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.