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CS Disco, Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 November 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 narrowed, 3 new, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Total and software revenue both grew: Total revenue was $45.3 million, up 11%, or 15% excluding the Q3 2025 contingent matter. Software revenue was $38.6 million, up 10%, or 13% on the same basis. Source
  • Large customer count reached 374: Customers with more than $100,000 of revenue over the previous 12 months numbered 374 at September 30, 2026, up from 354 at June 30, 2026. Source
  • DISCO Platform has grown tenfold: Management said the DISCO Platform has grown 10x since Q1 2026. The release gives no revenue or usage split for that growth. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA turned positive: Adjusted EBITDA was $0.1 million, against $(0.3) million a year earlier. Non-GAAP loss from operations was $(0.9) million against $(1.3) million. Source
  • First fourth-quarter guidance issued: Fourth-quarter 2026 software revenue, total revenue and Adjusted EBITDA ranges were given for the first time, alongside updated full-year 2026 ranges. Source
  • Full-year total revenue range raised: Full-year total revenue range is $176.1 million to $178.1 million, up from $172.0 million to $179.0 million in August. Low end and midpoint rose; high end fell. Source

“rapid growth in our DISCO Platform, which has grown 10x since Q1 2026, and continued customer enthusiasm for our unified litigation solution which just added a second cohort to our pilot program”

Eric Friedrichsen, CEO of DISCO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Software revenue SourceQ4 2026$39.4 million - $40.4 millionNew
Total revenue SourceQ4 2026$45.8 million - $47.8 millionNew
Adjusted EBITDA SourceQ4 2026$0.0 million - $1.5 millionNew
Software revenue SourceFiscal year 2026$149.5 million - $150.5 millionKept
Total revenue SourceFiscal year 2026$176.1 million - $178.1 millionNarrowed from $172.0 million - $179.0 million
Adjusted EBITDA SourceFiscal year 2026$(6.8) million - $(5.3) millionNarrowed from $(8.0) million - $(5.0) million

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 total revenue range rose at the low end and midpoint, and the high end was lowered. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 Adjusted EBITDA range rose at the low end and midpoint, and the high end was lowered. Source
  • New: Advanced Research, an agentic AI application for case strategy and evidence analysis, reached general availability. Source
  • New: The unified litigation solution pilot program added a second cohort. Source

Revenue growth and contingent matter

  • Total and software revenue both grew: Total revenue was $45.3 million, up 11%, or 15% excluding the Q3 2025 contingent matter. Software revenue was $38.6 million, up 10%, or 13% on the same basis. Source
  • Prior-year contingent contract revenue: Contracts whose consideration depended on a legal matter recognized no revenue until resolution. The matter resolved in Q3 2025, adding $1.3 million of total revenue and $1.2 million of software revenue that quarter. Source

Customers and platform adoption

  • Large customer count reached 374: Customers with more than $100,000 of revenue over the previous 12 months numbered 374 at September 30, 2026, up from 354 at June 30, 2026. Source
  • DISCO Platform has grown tenfold: Management said the DISCO Platform has grown 10x since Q1 2026. The release gives no revenue or usage split for that growth. Source
  • Pilot program adds second cohort: Management described continued customer interest in the unified litigation solution, which now has a second cohort in its pilot program. Source

“Importantly, we also reached break-even Adjusted EBITDA in Q3 - a full quarter ahead of schedule.”

Eric Friedrichsen, CEO of DISCO

Non-GAAP costs and gross margin

  • Non-GAAP gross margin held at 77%: Non-GAAP gross margin was 77% in the third quarter, the same as a year earlier. Non-GAAP cost of revenue was $10.6 million against $9.4 million. Source
  • Research and development ratio eased: Non-GAAP research and development was 27% of revenue against 28% a year earlier. Expense was $12.5 million against $11.5 million. Source
  • Sales and marketing ratio rose: Non-GAAP sales and marketing was 34% of revenue against 33% a year earlier. Expense was $15.2 million against $13.6 million. Source
  • General and administrative ratio fell: Non-GAAP general and administrative was 17% of revenue against 19% a year earlier. Expense was $7.9 million against $7.7 million. Source

Profitability and net loss

  • Adjusted EBITDA turned positive: Adjusted EBITDA was $0.1 million, against $(0.3) million a year earlier. Non-GAAP loss from operations was $(0.9) million against $(1.3) million. Source
  • GAAP net loss narrowed: GAAP net loss was $5.0 million against $13.7 million. GAAP loss from operations was $(5.6) million against $(14.5) million. Source
  • Nine-month Adjusted EBITDA loss narrowed: For the nine months, Adjusted EBITDA was $(6.8) million against $(8.1) million. GAAP net loss was $(23.3) million against $(35.9) million. Source

Cash, investments and shares

  • Operating cash use held near prior level: Net cash used in operating activities was $15.8 million for the nine months, against $15.7 million. Purchases of property, equipment and capitalized software were $4.2 million, up from $2.5 million. Source
  • Cash and investments declined: At September 30, 2026, cash and cash equivalents were $12.5 million and short-term investments were $84.2 million. At December 31, 2025 they were $19.7 million and $94.9 million. Source
  • Shares outstanding increased: Shares issued and outstanding were 65,676 thousand at September 30, 2026, against 63,264 thousand at December 31, 2025. Source

Legal loss and insurance recovery

  • No stockholder litigation expense this quarter: Stockholder litigation expense was nil in Q3 2026, against $7.0 million in Q3 2025 and $9.2 million for the nine months of 2025. Source
  • Insurance recovery receivable steady: Insurance recovery receivable related to legal loss was $8.2 million at September 30, 2026, against $8.0 million at December 31, 2025. Accrued legal loss stayed at $11.5 million. Source

Guidance ranges and changes

  • First fourth-quarter guidance issued: Fourth-quarter 2026 software revenue, total revenue and Adjusted EBITDA ranges were given for the first time, alongside updated full-year 2026 ranges. Source
  • Full-year total revenue range raised: Full-year total revenue range is $176.1 million to $178.1 million, up from $172.0 million to $179.0 million in August. Low end and midpoint rose; high end fell. Source
  • Full-year software range narrowed: Full-year software revenue range narrowed to $149.5 million to $150.5 million from $147.5 million to $152.5 million. Midpoint remained $150.0 million. Source
  • Full-year Adjusted EBITDA range shifted: Full-year Adjusted EBITDA range is $(6.8) million to $(5.3) million, against $(8.0) million to $(5.0) million. Low end and midpoint rose; high end fell. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Customers with revenue over $100,000 in trailing 12 months Source374 at September 30, 2026, up 15% year over year
Consecutive quarters of double-digit software growth Source6
DISCO Platform growth since Q1 2026 Source10x

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Management expects variability in excluded charges, including stock-based compensation tied to share price and stockholder litigation costs, to affect future GAAP results significantly. Source
  • External: Guidance rests on assumptions that may change, many outside the company's control, and actual results may differ from the ranges. Source
  • Financial: Revenue on contracts whose consideration depends on a legal matter is recognized only after the matter resolves, so revenue timing depends on legal outcomes. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Positive Adjusted EBITDA was reached one quarter earlier than expected. 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.