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Legalzoom.Com, Inc.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 November 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 2 new, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue exceeded the high end: Revenue grew 13% to $190.2 million. Management said it exceeded the high end of the third-quarter revenue range given in August. Source
  • Full-year revenue growth raised: Management raised full-year 2025 revenue growth expectations to about 10% at the midpoint, from about 8% previously. Source
  • Subscription revenue led by compliance: Subscription revenue rose 13% to $125.4 million, which management attributed to growth in its compliance offerings. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin fell to 24%: Adjusted EBITDA was $46.3 million, close to the prior-year $47.1 million. Its margin fell from 28% to 24% of revenue. Source
  • Sales and marketing costs rose: Sales and marketing expense was $67.8 million against $46.3 million, and general and administrative expense was $34.1 million against $28.1 million. Source
  • Deferred revenue higher than year-end: Current deferred revenue was $213.8 million at September 30, 2025, up from $174.6 million at December 31, 2024. Source
  • Free cash flow $47.0M in quarter: Operating cash flow was $54.2 million and free cash flow was $47.0 million, against $31.6 million and $22.0 million in the prior-year quarter. Source

“Our results further validate the strategic shift we made in our business.”

Jeff Stibel, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of LegalZoom

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue SourceFourth quarter 2025$182 million to $186 million, or 14% year-over-year growth at the midpointNew
Adjusted EBITDA SourceFourth quarter 2025$46 million to $48 million; Adjusted EBITDA margin approximately 26% at the midpointNew
Revenue SourceFull year 2025$748 million to $752 million, or 10% year-over-year growth at the midpointRaised from approximately 8% year-over-year growth
Adjusted EBITDA and margin SourceFull year 2025$168 million to $170 million; margin approximately 23% at the midpointKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2025 revenue growth guidance was raised to about 10% at the midpoint, from about 8% in the prior release. Source
  • New guidance: Management gave its first fourth-quarter 2025 revenue and Adjusted EBITDA ranges in this release. Source
  • New: Management described a broader focus beyond business formation, reaching existing U.S. small businesses. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue exceeded the high end: Revenue grew 13% to $190.2 million. Management said it exceeded the high end of the third-quarter revenue range given in August. Source
  • Full-year revenue growth raised: Management raised full-year 2025 revenue growth expectations to about 10% at the midpoint, from about 8% previously. Source
  • Nine-month revenue up 9%: Revenue for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 was $565.8 million, up 9% from $520.2 million a year earlier. Source
  • Net income fell to 2% margin: Net income was $4.5 million, or 2% of revenue, against $11.1 million, or 7%, a year earlier. Diluted EPS was $0.02, against $0.06. Source

Transaction and subscription revenue

  • Subscription revenue led by compliance: Subscription revenue rose 13% to $125.4 million, which management attributed to growth in its compliance offerings. Source
  • Transaction revenue up 12%: Transaction revenue was $64.8 million in the quarter, up 12% year-over-year. Source
  • Nine-month subscription growth ahead: Over nine months, transaction revenue rose 6% and subscription revenue rose 10%, with subscription growth trailing the quarter's pace. Source

“We are more energized than ever to build on our momentum”

Jeff Stibel, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of LegalZoom

Products and customers

  • Subscription units up 14%: Subscription units at period end reached 1,959, up 14%. Average revenue per subscription unit fell 3% to $256. Source
  • Business formations up 12%: Business formations were 126 in the quarter, up 12% from 113 a year earlier. Source
  • Average order value rose 11%: Average order value was $251 in the quarter, up 11% from $227. Source

Costs, margins and earnings

  • Adjusted EBITDA margin fell to 24%: Adjusted EBITDA was $46.3 million, close to the prior-year $47.1 million. Its margin fell from 28% to 24% of revenue. Source
  • Sales and marketing costs rose: Sales and marketing expense was $67.8 million against $46.3 million, and general and administrative expense was $34.1 million against $28.1 million. Source
  • Gross margin edged lower: Gross margin was 67%, against 68% a year earlier, as cost of revenue rose to $62.3 million from $54.7 million. Source
  • Non-GAAP net income rose slightly: Non-GAAP net income was $31.0 million, or $0.17 diluted per share, against $29.7 million a year earlier. Source

“With continued momentum in our subscription business, we are raising our full-year 2025 revenue guidance”

Noel Watson, LegalZoom’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer

Deferred revenue and bookings

  • Deferred revenue higher than year-end: Current deferred revenue was $213.8 million at September 30, 2025, up from $174.6 million at December 31, 2024. Source
  • Deferred revenue build in cash flow: The nine-month cash flow statement shows a $29.5 million deferred revenue increase, against $17.8 million a year earlier. Source
  • Nine-month transaction units slightly lower: Transaction units were 878 over nine months, down 1%, while the quarter's transaction units were 259, up 2%. Source

Capital, cash and returns to shareholders

  • Cash balance rose to $237.2M: Cash and cash equivalents were $237.2 million at September 30, 2025, up from $142.1 million at December 31, 2024. Source
  • Free cash flow $47.0M in quarter: Operating cash flow was $54.2 million and free cash flow was $47.0 million, against $31.6 million and $22.0 million in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Repurchased 1.8 million shares: Repurchases totaled 1.8 million shares for $17.6 million at an average of $9.91. The prior quarter's repurchases were 2.2 million shares. Source
  • Capital expenditure lower than last year: Capital expenditure was $7.2 million in the quarter, against $9.6 million a year earlier. Nine-month purchases were $24.1 million. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Approach combines AI with expertise: Management described its approach as combining AI and technology with human expertise, in a broader focus on existing small businesses. Source
  • Formation Nation acquisition costs: Nine-month transaction-related expenses of $1.5 million relate to the acquisition of Formation Nation. Source
  • Asset sale gain excluded from EBITDA: A nine-month gain of $14.3 million on the sale of assets held for sale was excluded from Adjusted EBITDA. Source

People and leadership

  • Restructuring tied to headcount cut: Restructuring costs of $88,000 in the quarter related to the U.S. headcount reduction, against $5.9 million a year earlier. Source
  • Watson holds COO and CFO roles: Noel Watson is named as both Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Source
  • Stibel named chairman and CEO: Jeff Stibel is named as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in the release. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 November 2025

  • Fourth-quarter 2025 period ahead: Management gave fourth-quarter revenue and Adjusted EBITDA ranges for the quarter ending December 31, 2025. No reporting date is given in the release. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Subscription revenue Source$125.4 million, up 13% year-over-year
Subscription units at period end Source1,959, up 14%

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said third-quarter revenue exceeded the high end of the range it gave in the prior release. Source
  • Ahead: In the second-quarter release, management said double-digit subscription growth had been reached two quarters ahead of plan.

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.