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Maximus, Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 7 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 6 raised, 2 lowered, 1 new, 3 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue held to full-year expectations: Revenue was $1.31 billion, compared with $1.36 billion a year earlier. Management said the quarter was consistent with its full fiscal year 2026 expectations. Source
  • Earnings rose on automation gains: Diluted EPS was $1.80 and adjusted diluted EPS $2.07, against $1.69 and $2.01 a year earlier. Management credited automation, including AI-enabled tools, across program areas. Source
  • U.S. Services revenue and margin fell: Revenue was $416 million against $442 million a year earlier. Segment margin was 9.3%, against 12.2% in the prior year period. Source
  • Automation lifted Federal margin: Federal margin rose to 17.6% as automation processed more volume without a matching rise in labor cost. Management raised its full-year Federal margin expectation. Source
  • States acting on three programs: Management said state customers are gaining clarity and starting to act on Medicaid community engagement, SNAP administration and unemployment insurance support services. Source
  • Signed awards rose, pending fell: Year-to-date signed awards were $913 million, up from $246 million at December 31. Contracts awarded but unsigned were $322 million, down from $699 million. Source
  • Free cash flow positive in quarter: Free cash flow was $179 million against $25.5 million a year earlier. First-half free cash flow was an outflow of $71.6 million. Source
  • Second-quarter buybacks totaled $111 million: The company bought about 1.4 million shares for $111 million in the quarter, against $77.9 million of purchases a year earlier. Source

“Our second consecutive earnings guidance increase reflects growing confidence in our ability to leverage in-house AI and other technology capabilities to improve efficiency and support margin expansion.”

Bruce Caswell, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue SourceFiscal year 2026$5.2 billion to $5.35 billionKept
Adjusted EBITDA margin SourceFiscal year 2026approximately 14.2%Raised from approximately 14%
Adjusted EBITDA SourceFiscal year 2026$739 million to $761 millionRaised from $727 million to $749 million
Adjusted diluted EPS SourceFiscal year 2026$8.25 to $8.55 per shareRaised from $8.05 to $8.35 per share
Diluted EPS (GAAP) SourceFiscal year 2026$7.27 to $7.57Raised from $7.09 to $7.39
Free cash flow SourceFiscal year 2026$450 million to $500 millionKept
Operating cash flow and capital expenditure SourceFiscal year 2026$485 million to $535 million operating cash flow; $35 million purchases of property and equipment and capitalized softwareKept
Interest expense SourceFiscal year 2026$84 millionRaised from $75 million
Full-year tax rate SourceFiscal year 202624.0% to 25.0%Lowered from 24.5% to 25.5%
U.S. Federal Services operating margin SourceFiscal year 2026approximately 17.5%Raised from 16.5% to 17%
U.S. Services operating margin SourceFiscal year 2026approximately 10.0%Lowered from 10.5% to 11%
Share repurchase authorization SourceFrom May 11, 2026up to $400 million aggregateNew

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Adjusted EBITDA margin expectation raised by 20 basis points to approximately 14.2%. Source
  • Guidance raised: Adjusted diluted EPS expectation raised by $0.20 to a range of $8.25 to $8.55. Source
  • Guidance raised: U.S. Federal Services full-year operating margin expectation raised to approximately 17.5%. Source
  • Guidance raised: Interest expense estimate raised to $84 million from $75 million. Source
  • Guidance lowered: U.S. Services full-year operating margin expectation lowered to approximately 10.0% from 10.5% to 11%. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Outside the U.S. full-year result now expected to break even, down from a prior 1% to 3% margin range. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year tax rate expectation narrowed to 24.0% to 25.0% from 24.5% to 25.5%. Source
  • Guidance kept: Revenue and free cash flow guidance were reiterated. Source
  • New: Board refreshed the share repurchase program to up to $400 million in aggregate. Source

Results and profit drivers

  • Revenue held to full-year expectations: Revenue was $1.31 billion, compared with $1.36 billion a year earlier. Management said the quarter was consistent with its full fiscal year 2026 expectations. Source
  • Earnings rose on automation gains: Diluted EPS was $1.80 and adjusted diluted EPS $2.07, against $1.69 and $2.01 a year earlier. Management credited automation, including AI-enabled tools, across program areas. Source
  • Operating and adjusted EBITDA margins rose: Operating margin was 11.4% against 11.2% a year earlier. Adjusted EBITDA margin was 14.4% against 13.7%. Source

Segments and regions

  • Federal revenue dipped, margin rose: Revenue was $753 million against $778 million a year earlier. Organic growth, excluding prior-year support work, was 1.5%. Segment margin was 17.6% against 15.3%. Source
  • U.S. Services revenue and margin fell: Revenue was $416 million against $442 million a year earlier. Segment margin was 9.3%, against 12.2% in the prior year period. Source
  • Outside the U.S. swung to a loss: Revenue was $137 million against $142 million. The segment now comprises the United Kingdom, Canada and the Gulf Region, following earlier reshaping actions. Source

“We continue to execute our capital deployment strategy, as highlighted by the refresh of our share repurchase authorization up to an aggregate of $400 million”

Bruce Caswell, President and Chief Executive Officer

Margins, costs and automation

  • Automation lifted Federal margin: Federal margin rose to 17.6% as automation processed more volume without a matching rise in labor cost. Management raised its full-year Federal margin expectation. Source
  • Interest and tax charges moved: Interest expense was $22.1 million against $21.5 million. The tax provision was $28.5 million against $35.9 million in the prior year period. Source

Customers and state programs

  • States acting on three programs: Management said state customers are gaining clarity and starting to act on Medicaid community engagement, SNAP administration and unemployment insurance support services. Source
  • Company helping shape state solutions: Management said it is pleased to play a role in devising these solutions and expects momentum to continue to build. Source
  • Prior-year disaster work not recurring: Prior-year revenue benefited from natural disaster support and temporary clinical volume surges in both domestic segments. Management said that absence was anticipated in fiscal 2026 guidance. Source

Demand and sales pipeline

  • Signed awards rose, pending fell: Year-to-date signed awards were $913 million, up from $246 million at December 31. Contracts awarded but unsigned were $322 million, down from $699 million. Source
  • Pipeline totaled $56.8 billion: Proposals pending were $4.55 billion and proposals in preparation $1.48 billion, with $50.7 billion being tracked. Source
  • Pipeline was $59.1 billion in December: At December 31, 2025 the pipeline was $59.1 billion, with proposals pending of $3.82 billion and proposals in preparation of $2.36 billion.

Cash flow and balance sheet

  • Free cash flow positive in quarter: Free cash flow was $179 million against $25.5 million a year earlier. First-half free cash flow was an outflow of $71.6 million. Source
  • Collections expected to rise in second half: Management expects collections to increase in the second half, which it said supports full-year free cash flow guidance. DSO was 78 days, unchanged from December 31. Source
  • Leverage steady at 1.8x: Debt net of allowed cash to consolidated EBITDA was 1.8x, unchanged from December 31 and below the 2x to 3x target range. Source
  • Cash and gross debt at quarter end: Cash was $157 million and gross debt was $1.55 billion at March 31, 2026. Source

Capital and shareholder returns

  • Second-quarter buybacks totaled $111 million: The company bought about 1.4 million shares for $111 million in the quarter, against $77.9 million of purchases a year earlier. Source
  • Further buybacks through May 1: After quarter end and through May 1, 2026, the company bought an additional 0.6 million shares for $39.9 million. Source
  • Repurchase authorization refreshed to $400 million: The Board authorized a refresh of the repurchase program up to $400 million in aggregate, which takes effect May 11, 2026. Management described it as part of its capital deployment strategy. Source

Coming up, as management said on 7 May 2026

  • Dividend payable June 1: A $0.33 quarterly cash dividend is payable June 1, 2026 to shareholders of record on May 15, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Sales pipeline at March 31, 2026 Source$56.8 billion
Year-to-date signed contract awards Source$913 million
Contracts pending (awarded but unsigned) Source$322 million

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: A non-cash impairment charge lowered U.S. Services operating income by $6.9 million, or $0.09 per share, offset by a $4.2 million R&D tax benefit. Source
  • Demand: Management named challenges in Medicaid community engagement, SNAP administration and unemployment insurance support as items state customers are working through. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Second-quarter revenue was described as on track with full fiscal year 2026 expectations. Source
  • On track: Management said U.S. Services was on track to improve segment revenue growth by the end of the fiscal year. Source
  • Not stated: Management continues to expect margin improvement over time in Outside the U.S., with the full year now expected to break even. 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.