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ServiceNow, Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 22 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 8 lowered, 10 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Subscription revenue grew 22 percent: Subscription revenues were $3,671 million, up 22% and 19% in constant currency; total revenues were $3,770 million, also up 22%. Source
  • Subscription revenue above Q1 guidance range: Q1 subscription revenues of $3,671 million compared with the $3,650 million to $3,655 million range given when Q1 guidance was set.
  • Autonomous Workforce launched: A new class of AI specialists that run enterprise jobs end-to-end; the first is a Level 1 Service Desk AI Specialist that resolves common IT requests. Source
  • Remaining obligations grew 25 percent: Total RPO reached $27.7 billion, up 25% (23.5% constant currency); cRPO reached $12.64 billion, up 22.5% (21% constant currency). Source
  • Non-GAAP operating margin reached 32%: Income from operations was $503 million, or 13.5% of revenue, against $451 million; non-GAAP income from operations was $1,199 million, or 32%, against $953 million. Source
  • Subscription gross margin declined: GAAP subscription gross margin was 77.5%, against 81.5% a year earlier; non-GAAP was 81.5%, against 84.5%, as amortization of purchased intangibles rose to 1.5% of subscription revenues. Source
  • Free cash flow of $1,665 million: Non-GAAP free cash flow was $1,665 million, a 44% margin, against $1,477 million and 48%; GAAP operating cash flow was $1,670 million. Source
  • Armis closed April 20: The Armis deal combines real-time asset discovery and cyber exposure management with the AI Control Tower and automated workflows to create a unified security platform. Source

“With this foundation, our AI growth is far exceeding even our own expectations, reinforcing our position as one of the fastest growing enterprise software companies ever”

ServiceNow Chairman and CEO Bill McDermott

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Subscription revenues SourceQ2 2026$3,815 - $3,820 million; 22.5% GAAP growth; 21% - 21.5% constant currencyNew
CRPO growth SourceQ2 202619% and 19.5%New
Operating margin, non-GAAP SourceQ2 202626.5%New
Operating margin, GAAP SourceQ2 20263.5%New
Diluted weighted-average shares SourceQ2 20261.04 billionNew
Armis contribution to growth SourceQ2 2026 and FY 2026approximately 125 basis pointsNew
Subscription revenues SourceFY 2026$15,735 - $15,775 million; 22% - 22.5% GAAP growth; 20.5% - 21% constant currencyRaised from $15,530 - $15,570 million; 20.5% - 21% GAAP growth; 19.5% - 20% constant currency
Subscription gross margin, non-GAAP SourceFY 202681.5%Lowered from 82%
Operating margin, non-GAAP SourceFY 202631.5%Lowered from 32%
Free cash flow margin, non-GAAP SourceFY 202635%Lowered from 36%
Operating margin, GAAP SourceFY 202611%Lowered from 15%
Subscription gross margin, GAAP SourceFY 202676%Lowered from 78%
Operating cash flow as % of revenue, GAAP SourceFY 202639%Lowered from 41%
Purchases of property and equipment SourceFY 20265% of total revenuesLowered from 6%
Diluted weighted-average shares SourceFY 20261.04 billionLowered from 1.05 billion
Armis subscription gross margin headwind SourceFY 2026approximately 25 basis pointsNew
Armis operating margin headwind SourceFY 2026approximately 75 basis pointsNew
Armis free cash flow margin headwind SourceFY 2026approximately 200 basis pointsNew
Armis operating margin headwind SourceQ2 2026approximately 125 basis pointsNew

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 subscription revenue guidance raised to $15,735 million to $15,775 million from $15,530 million to $15,570 million. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year non-GAAP operating margin guided at 31.5%, from 32%; free cash flow margin at 35%, from 36%; GAAP operating margin at 11%, from 15%. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year weighted-average diluted share count guided at 1.04 billion, from 1.05 billion. Source
  • New guidance: Second-quarter 2026 guidance given for the first time; the prior release gave guidance for the first quarter only. Source
  • New: Armis acquisition closed April 20, 2026; the prior release said closing was expected in the second half of 2026. Source
  • New: Veza acquisition closed March 2, 2026; the prior release expected closing in the first half of 2026. Source
  • New: Autonomous Workforce launched as a class of AI specialists, the first being a Level 1 Service Desk AI Specialist. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Subscription revenue grew 22 percent: Subscription revenues were $3,671 million, up 22% and 19% in constant currency; total revenues were $3,770 million, also up 22%. Source
  • Subscription revenue above Q1 guidance range: Q1 subscription revenues of $3,671 million compared with the $3,650 million to $3,655 million range given when Q1 guidance was set.
  • Net income and EPS rose: GAAP net income was $469 million, or $0.45 diluted, against $460 million and $0.44; non-GAAP net income was $1,012 million, or $0.97 diluted, against $846 million and $0.81. Source
  • Reported growth above constant currency: Reported growth ran above constant-currency growth; management gave Q1 2026 average rates of 1 USD to 0.85 Euros and 0.74 GBP. Source

Products and AI offerings

  • Now Assist large-contract growth: Customers spending over $1 million in annual contract value on Now Assist grew more than 130% year over year. Source
  • Autonomous Workforce launched: A new class of AI specialists that run enterprise jobs end-to-end; the first is a Level 1 Service Desk AI Specialist that resolves common IT requests. Source
  • EmployeeWorks front door launched: EmployeeWorks combines Moveworks AI and enterprise search with ServiceNow autonomous workflows to turn plain-language requests into completed actions. Source

“With agentic AI, workflow orchestration, security, and data fabric converging on a single platform, we believe the most compelling chapter in ServiceNow's growth story is just beginning.”

ServiceNow President and CFO Gina Mastantuono

Demand and customers

  • Large-deal transactions up nearly 80 percent: Sixteen transactions over $5 million in net new ACV closed in Q1, nearly 80% above a year earlier. Source
  • Customers above $5 million ACV: 630 customers held more than $5 million in ACV at quarter end, up about 22% year over year. Source
  • Remaining obligations grew 25 percent: Total RPO reached $27.7 billion, up 25% (23.5% constant currency); cRPO reached $12.64 billion, up 22.5% (21% constant currency). Source

Margins and costs

  • Non-GAAP operating margin reached 32%: Income from operations was $503 million, or 13.5% of revenue, against $451 million; non-GAAP income from operations was $1,199 million, or 32%, against $953 million. Source
  • Subscription gross margin declined: GAAP subscription gross margin was 77.5%, against 81.5% a year earlier; non-GAAP was 81.5%, against 84.5%, as amortization of purchased intangibles rose to 1.5% of subscription revenues. Source
  • Operating expenses rose in each function: Sales and marketing was $1,216 million, research and development $823 million, and general and administrative $288 million, up from $1,054 million, $703 million and $229 million. Source
  • Professional services loss widened: Professional services and other gross loss was $21 million, against $7 million a year earlier; non-GAAP gross loss was $9 million. Source

Cash flow and capital returns

  • Free cash flow of $1,665 million: Non-GAAP free cash flow was $1,665 million, a 44% margin, against $1,477 million and 48%; GAAP operating cash flow was $1,670 million. Source
  • Repurchased 20.1 million shares: The company repurchased about 20.1 million shares in Q1, including 18.5 million through the $2B accelerated share repurchase and 1.6 million for $225 million in open market transactions. Source
  • About $4.2 billion left in buyback: Approximately $4.2 billion remained under the share repurchase program at quarter end. Source
  • Acquisition payments lifted goodwill: Business combinations used $1,325 million net of cash acquired, against $18 million a year earlier; goodwill rose to $4,541 million from $3,578 million. Source

Strategy and acquisitions

  • Armis closed April 20: The Armis deal combines real-time asset discovery and cyber exposure management with the AI Control Tower and automated workflows to create a unified security platform. Source
  • Veza closed March 2: Veza extends security capabilities to give enterprises visibility and control over who and what can access critical data, applications and AI agents. Source
  • Unified end-to-end security stack aim: The two closed acquisitions are designed to give enterprises a unified, end-to-end security stack that can see, decide and act across the technology footprint. Source

Partners and industry deployments

  • Google Cloud AI solutions expanded: ServiceNow and Google Cloud unveiled AI solutions for 5G networks, retail and IT operations, and Google Cloud named ServiceNow its 2026 Partner of the Year. Source
  • TridentCare reported automation gains: TridentCare reported 96% scheduling automation and a 57% reduction in patient wait times across 5.4 million annual patient visits. Source
  • Healthcare and industrial solutions launched: Healthcare Operations embeds an operational system of record in the electronic medical record; Industrial Connected Workforce links quality, warranty, orders and quoting systems. Source

Analyst and workplace recognition

  • Named leader in analyst reports: ServiceNow was named a leader in several analyst reports, including Forrester Wave reports for Public Sector and Customer Service and an IDC MarketScape for AIOps. Source
  • Named to innovation and ethics lists: Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies 2026 list in Applied AI and Ethisphere's World's Most Ethical Companies list included ServiceNow. Source
  • Workplace rankings received: ServiceNow earned a place on Glassdoor's Best Places to Work in Tech and AI 2026 list and a second workplace list. Source

Coming up, as management said on 22 April 2026

  • Financial Analyst Day on May 4: Financial Analyst Day 2026 in Las Vegas will include executive updates on financial results and AI-driven workflows, with a livestream and replay. Source
  • Executives at investor conferences: Fireside chats at JP Morgan on May 19, Jefferies on May 27, and William Blair, Bank of America and Evercore on June 3. Source
  • FY 2027 margin expansion to normalize: Management said AI efficiencies and platform leverage are expected to normalize operating and free cash flow margin expansion in FY 2027, after near-term FY 2026 headwinds. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Subscription revenue Source$3,671 million, up 22% (19% constant currency)
CRPO Source$12.64 billion, up 22.5% (21% constant currency)
RPO Source$27.7 billion, up 25% (23.5% constant currency)
Customers with more than $5 million ACV Source630, up about 22%
Transactions over $5 million net new ACV in quarter Source16, up nearly 80%
Now Assist customers over $1 million ACV, growth Sourceup over 130%

Risks management discussed

  • External: Delayed closings of large on-premise Middle East deals cut about 75 basis points from Q1 subscription growth; guidance reflects geopolitical effects on deal timing. Source
  • Operational: Management expects near-term margin headwinds while integrating Armis during FY 2026. Source
  • Financial: Some Armis contracts allow termination for convenience, which limits the contract value counted in cRPO. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said Q1 exceeded the high end of topline and profitability guidance, with free cash flow growth and capital returned. Source
  • Ahead: Management said the Armis acquisition closed early, versus the second-half 2026 closing timing given in the prior release. 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.