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Cloudflare, Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 November 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 4 raised, 4 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue grew 39% year over year: Third-quarter revenue was $782.5 million, up from $562.0 million a year earlier. Second-quarter revenue had grown 36%. Nine-month revenue reached $2,118.3 million. Source
  • Restructuring charges recorded again: Restructuring and other charges were $11.0 million in the third quarter and $161.7 million for the nine months. The second quarter carried $150.7 million. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating margin expanded: Non-GAAP operating margin was 17.5%, against 15.3% a year earlier. Non-GAAP income from operations was $137.1 million. The second-quarter non-GAAP margin was 13.8%. Source
  • Gross margin fell year over year: GAAP gross margin was 71.2%, against 74.0%. Non-GAAP gross margin was 72.4%, against 75.3%. Non-GAAP cost of revenue was $215.9 million, against $138.9 million. Source
  • Current RPO growth rose: Current remaining performance obligations grew 37% year over year, against 35% in the second quarter. Source
  • Free cash flow rose: Free cash flow was $82.1 million, or 10% of revenue, against $75.0 million, or 13%. Second-quarter free cash flow was $56.4 million, or 8% of revenue. Source
  • Convertible notes balance increased: Convertible senior notes, net, were $4,441.9 million at September 30, against $1,977.0 million non-current at June 30. Nine-month capped call purchases were $259.5 million. Source

“The third quarter was Cloudflare's best quarter ever.”

Matthew Prince, co-founder & CEO of Cloudflare

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Total revenue SourceFourth quarter fiscal 2026$845.0 to $846.0 millionNew
Non-GAAP income from operations SourceFourth quarter fiscal 2026$156.0 to $157.0 millionNew
Non-GAAP net income per share SourceFourth quarter fiscal 2026$0.43New
Weighted average common shares SourceFourth quarter fiscal 2026approximately 379 millionNew
Total revenue SourceFull year fiscal 2026$2,963.0 to $2,964.0 millionRaised from $2,864.0 to $2,870.0 million
Non-GAAP income from operations SourceFull year fiscal 2026$462.0 to $463.0 millionRaised from $443.0 to $445.0 million
Non-GAAP net income per share SourceFull year fiscal 2026$1.35Raised from $1.25 to $1.26
Weighted average common shares SourceFull year fiscal 2026approximately 376 millionRaised from approximately 374 million

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year total revenue guidance was raised compared with the previous release. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year non-GAAP income from operations guidance was raised compared with the previous release. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year non-GAAP diluted EPS guidance was raised compared with the previous release. Source
  • New guidance: Fourth-quarter guidance was given for the first time; the previous release gave no fourth-quarter figures. Source
  • New: Nine-month cash flows show convertible senior notes issued and the current portion repaid; the six-month cash flows showed no issuance. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue grew 39% year over year: Third-quarter revenue was $782.5 million, up from $562.0 million a year earlier. Second-quarter revenue had grown 36%. Nine-month revenue reached $2,118.3 million. Source
  • Annualized revenue crossed $3 billion: Management said the company passed $3 billion in annualized revenue during the quarter. Source
  • Revenue above earlier third-quarter range: The previous release gave a third-quarter revenue range of $736.0 to $737.0 million. Reported revenue was above that range.

Products and customers

  • AI-powered Internet development platform: The CEO said the company has built a development platform for the AI-powered Internet and that organizations continue to rely on it for protection as threats escalate. Source
  • Trusted by organizations of all sizes: The company's standard description says it is trusted by millions of organizations, from the largest brands to small businesses, nonprofits and governments. Source
  • Connectivity cloud spans products and tools: The company describes its connectivity cloud as a unified platform of cloud-native products and developer tools for work, development and business acceleration. Source

“We accelerated growth, delivering our fastest revenue growth in nearly four years, while expanding profitability,”

Matthew Prince, co-founder & CEO of Cloudflare

Costs and restructuring

  • Restructuring charges recorded again: Restructuring and other charges were $11.0 million in the third quarter and $161.7 million for the nine months. The second quarter carried $150.7 million. Source
  • Sales and marketing costs rose: Non-GAAP sales and marketing expense was $270.2 million, against $201.2 million a year earlier. GAAP sales and marketing expense was $338.0 million, against $236.3 million. Source
  • Research and development spending rose: GAAP research and development expense was $168.2 million, against $121.0 million. Non-GAAP research and development was $101.7 million, against $82.5 million. Source
  • Stock-based compensation rose: Stock-based compensation and related employer payroll taxes were $174.1 million, against $119.7 million. Amortization of acquired intangible assets was $9.2 million. Source
  • Legal reserve recorded in general and administrative: General and administrative expense included $10.7 million of legal reserve and settlements, which the company excludes from non-GAAP results. Source

Margins and profitability

  • Non-GAAP operating margin expanded: Non-GAAP operating margin was 17.5%, against 15.3% a year earlier. Non-GAAP income from operations was $137.1 million. The second-quarter non-GAAP margin was 13.8%. Source
  • Gross margin fell year over year: GAAP gross margin was 71.2%, against 74.0%. Non-GAAP gross margin was 72.4%, against 75.3%. Non-GAAP cost of revenue was $215.9 million, against $138.9 million. Source
  • GAAP net loss increased: GAAP net loss was $34.1 million, or $0.10 per share, against a net loss of $1.3 million a year earlier. Nine-month GAAP net loss was $227.0 million. Source
  • Non-GAAP earnings per share rose: Non-GAAP net income was $143.7 million, against $102.6 million. Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $0.38, against $0.27. Source
  • Interest income rose: Interest income was $45.4 million, against $42.5 million. Total non-operating income, net, was $40.6 million. Source

“Our engine is firing on all cylinders, and we've found an even higher gear for this next phase of growth.”

Matthew Prince, co-founder & CEO of Cloudflare

Demand and order book

  • Current RPO growth rose: Current remaining performance obligations grew 37% year over year, against 35% in the second quarter. Source
  • Current deferred revenue rose: Current deferred revenue was $876.8 million at September 30, against $812.2 million at June 30 and $684.2 million at December 31. Source
  • Receivables grew over the quarter: Accounts receivable, net, was $478.3 million, against $422.9 million at June 30. Noncurrent deferred revenue was $39.4 million. Source

Cash flow and balance sheet

  • Free cash flow rose: Free cash flow was $82.1 million, or 10% of revenue, against $75.0 million, or 13%. Second-quarter free cash flow was $56.4 million, or 8% of revenue. Source
  • Operating cash flow rose: Net cash from operating activities was $215.4 million, against $167.1 million. Nine-month net cash from operating activities was $491.3 million. Source
  • Cash and securities balance rose: Cash, cash equivalents and available-for-sale securities were $5,128.7 million at September 30, against $4,162.8 million at June 30. Source
  • Share count and tax withholding: Weighted-average basic shares were 357.1 million, against 349.3 million. Nine-month tax withholding on RSU and PSU settlements was $48.6 million. Source

Capital, debt and investment

  • Convertible notes balance increased: Convertible senior notes, net, were $4,441.9 million at September 30, against $1,977.0 million non-current at June 30. Nine-month capped call purchases were $259.5 million. Source
  • Capital spending increased: Purchases of property and equipment were $121.8 million, against $84.6 million. Capitalized internal-use software was $11.5 million, against $7.5 million. Source
  • Acquisitions and goodwill over nine months: Nine-month asset acquisitions and business combinations used $74.3 million net of cash acquired. Goodwill was $375.8 million at September 30, against $226.6 million at December 31. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 November 2026

  • Fourth-quarter results are next: The next reported period is the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, for which management gave guidance in this release. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Current remaining performance obligations (RPO), year-over-year growth Source37%

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: Litigation-related legal reserve and settlements were recorded this quarter and excluded from non-GAAP measures. Source
  • Operational: Restructuring and other charges are excluded from non-GAAP measures because management says they are not indicative of the ongoing cost structure. 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.