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Liquidity Services Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 5 new, 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • GMV rose 3% to $398.0 million: GMV was $398.0 million against $386.1 million, up 3%. Revenue was $121.2 million, down 1% from $122.3 million. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 38%: Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA was $18.1 million, up $5.0 million from $13.1 million, which management attributed to leveraging its proprietary technology platform. Source
  • RSCG direct profit set a record: RSCG revenue fell 6% on a milder cut in inventory purchases, while segment direct profit rose 16% to $21.5 million, another quarterly record. Source
  • CAG GMV fell 10%: CAG GMV fell 10%. Revenue rose 17% on industrial spot purchases and heavy equipment consignment activity, partly offset by a prior-year energy project. Source
  • Consignment mix expected to rise: For the second quarter, management expects a slightly higher share of consignment GMV, with solid buyer demand and margins and fall-through to Adjusted EBITDA. Source
  • Cash of $181.4 million, no debt: Cash and short-term investments totalled $181.4 million at December 31, 2025, with zero financial debt. Source

“With a healthy pipeline entering the second quarter, we remain confident in our ability to deliver year-over-year growth and create long-term value for customers and shareholders”

Bill Angrick, CEO of Liquidity Services

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
GMV SourceQ2-FY26$375 to $415New
GAAP net income SourceQ2-FY26$6.5 to $9.5New
Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA SourceQ2-FY26$14.0 to $17.0New
GAAP diluted EPS SourceQ2-FY26$0.20 to $0.29New
Non-GAAP Adjusted diluted EPS SourceQ2-FY26$0.29 to $0.38New
Annual effective tax rate SourceFY26approximately 28% to 34%Kept
Diluted weighted average shares Sourcenot statedapproximately 32.5 to 33.0 millionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Second-quarter fiscal 2026 guidance ranges were issued, with double-digit Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA growth noted against the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Ended: The first-quarter fiscal 2026 guidance period closed; the quarter's results are reported against the ranges set in the prior release.
  • New: The second-quarter guidance excludes prior-year industrial sales events in the CAG segment, which the company does not expect to repeat. Source
  • New: The second-quarter guidance includes a Retail product mix change expected to lower Retail direct profit margin slightly from the first quarter. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • GMV rose 3% to $398.0 million: GMV was $398.0 million against $386.1 million, up 3%. Revenue was $121.2 million, down 1% from $122.3 million. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 38%: Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA was $18.1 million, up $5.0 million from $13.1 million, which management attributed to leveraging its proprietary technology platform. Source
  • GAAP net income rose 29%: GAAP net income was $7.5 million, or $0.23 per diluted share, against $5.8 million, or $0.18, a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted diluted EPS rose 39%: Non-GAAP Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.39 on Adjusted Net Income of $12.4 million, against $0.28 and $8.9 million a year earlier. Source

Segment results

  • GovDeals GMV rose 7%: GovDeals GMV rose 7%. Revenue rose 9% on higher commission rates with selected sellers, and segment direct profit rose 13%. Source
  • RSCG direct profit set a record: RSCG revenue fell 6% on a milder cut in inventory purchases, while segment direct profit rose 16% to $21.5 million, another quarterly record. Source
  • CAG GMV fell 10%: CAG GMV fell 10%. Revenue rose 17% on industrial spot purchases and heavy equipment consignment activity, partly offset by a prior-year energy project. Source
  • Machinio and software revenue rose 27%: Machinio & Software Solutions revenue rose 27%, from higher Machinio subscriptions and pricing plus the acquired Auction Software business. Source

“Our Retail segment’s strong performance was driven by growing multi-channel buyer participation, while GovDeals and our CAG heavy equipment category benefited from continued momentum in market share expansion.”

Bill Angrick, CEO of Liquidity Services

Products, buyers and transactions

  • Consignment was 81% of GMV: Consignment sales were 81% of consolidated GMV in the quarter, compared with 83% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025. Source
  • Buyer and auction activity grew: Registered buyers, auction participants and completed transactions each rose year over year, with registered buyers growing fastest. Source
  • Retail Rush consumer channel launched: The Software Solutions auction suite supported the launch of Retail Rush, a consumer auction channel, during the quarter. Source

Operating costs

  • Sales and marketing costs rose: Sales and marketing rose to $17.0 million from $14.8 million. General and administrative rose to $9.8 million from $8.3 million. Source
  • Technology and operations costs rose: Technology and operations cost $18.3 million against $17.4 million a year earlier, an increase of about 5%. Source
  • Operating income rose to $9.4 million: Income from operations was $9.4 million against $7.1 million, as total costs and expenses fell to $111.8 million from $115.2 million. Source

Margins and pricing

  • Cost of goods sold fell 11%: Cost of goods sold was $64.2 million, down from $72.2 million, while total revenue was $121.2 million, down 1%. Source
  • Transaction margins improved: Management attributed higher GMV and improved transaction margins to expanding seller share, multi-channel buyer participation and operating leverage. Source
  • Segment profit share of revenue: Segment direct profit as a share of revenue was 95% for GovDeals (92% a year earlier), 26% for RSCG (21%), 82% for CAG (89%) and 92% for Machinio & Software Solutions (95%). Source

Demand and second-quarter expectations

  • Consignment mix expected to rise: For the second quarter, management expects a slightly higher share of consignment GMV, with solid buyer demand and margins and fall-through to Adjusted EBITDA. Source
  • Heavy equipment sales expected to continue: Management expects continued heavy equipment asset sales in the second quarter. Source
  • GovDeals seller base expansion expected: GovDeals is expected to extend its growth trajectory through ongoing seller base expansion and its marketplace services. Source
  • Second-quarter sales mix and margin similar: Management expects the second-quarter sales mix to remain generally consistent, with segment direct profit margin similar to the first quarter. Source

Cash, capital and shareholder returns

  • Cash of $181.4 million, no debt: Cash and short-term investments totalled $181.4 million at December 31, 2025, with zero financial debt. Source
  • Operating cash use narrowed: Net cash used in operating activities was $0.5 million, against $12.1 million a year earlier. Capital spending, including capitalized software, was $2.3 million. Source
  • Buyback authorization remaining: Common stock repurchases totalled $1.5 million in the quarter. $15.0 million of repurchase authorization remained at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Cash taxes expected to rise: Management expects cash paid for income taxes to increase in FY26, after the federal net operating loss carryforward was fully used in FY25. Source

Strategy and product direction

  • Systems offerings drive software growth: Machinio and Software Solutions growth is expected to come from adoption of their systems-based offerings. Source
  • RSCG direct-to-consumer plans: Management lists RSCG's expanded direct-to-consumer sales plans among the growth expectations for coming periods. Source
  • AI and automation support operating leverage: Management said it deployed AI and automation to improve efficiency and decision making, supporting operating leverage across the business. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 February 2026

  • Second-quarter operating expenses: Second-quarter operating expenses are expected to reflect seasonal patterns and cost factors specific to that quarter. Source
  • Retail warehouse streamlining in Q2: The second quarter includes one-time streamlining at a Retail warehouse and annual expense increases that typically occur early in the fiscal year. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Registered buyers Sourceapproximately 6.2 million, up 9%
Auction participants Sourceapproximately 983,000, up 2%
Completed transactions Sourceapproximately 264,000, up 4%

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: The FY26 tax rate range excludes any impacts from legislative changes. Source
  • Financial: Stock compensation and tax effects can vary with option exercises and the stock price, and are excluded from the tax range. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said first-quarter profitability was ahead of its expectations. Source
  • Not stated: Investment is expected to continue and may influence the near-term quarterly cadence of 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.