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Octave Intelligence plc: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 12 November 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 narrowed, 6 new, 5 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Total revenue grew 6%: Total revenue was $415 million, up from $393 million in the third quarter of 2025. Source
  • ARR and SaaS revenue grew: ARR was $1,171 million, up 7% from $1,090 million. SaaS revenue was $91.4 million, up 18%, which management linked to the shift toward recurring revenue. Source
  • Cerebre acquisition announced: Cerebre turns fragmented engineering schematics, plant data and engineering knowledge into a connected plant model. Management said combining the two will strengthen industrial AI use cases. Source
  • Adjusted operating margin reached 28%: Adjusted income from operations was $116 million against $106 million, and adjusted operating margin was 28% against 27%. Source
  • Recurring revenue rose 5%: Recurring revenue, which includes subscription licenses, SaaS and maintenance subscriptions, was $291 million, up 5% from a year earlier. Source
  • Free cash flow held at $65 million: Cash flow from operations was $95 million against $102 million, and free cash flow was $65 million against $64 million, with free cash flow margin at 16% in both periods. Source
  • Share repurchase program approved: The program covers Class B shares and SDRs for up to $200 million in aggregate, to offset dilution from equity compensation and allow other repurchases. Source

“Our third quarter results were in line with our expectations, and we remain on track to achieve our outlook for the full year.”

Mattias Stenberg, CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Total revenue SourceQ4 2026$440 - $460 millionNew
Total revenue SourceFY 2026$1,640 - $1,660 millionKept
Total revenue growth (organic, constant currency) SourceQ4 2026(2) - 2%New
Total revenue growth (organic, constant currency) SourceFY 20260.5 - 2%Narrowed, low end up from 0 - 2%
ARR SourceFY 2026$1,185 - $1,205 millionKept
ARR growth (organic, constant currency) SourceFY 20266 - 8%Kept
Recurring revenue SourceQ4 2026$292 - $297 millionNew
Recurring revenue growth (organic, constant currency) SourceQ4 20265 - 6%New
Recurring revenue SourceFY 2026$1,145 - $1,150 millionNarrowed, low end up from $1,140 - $1,150 million
Recurring revenue growth (organic, constant currency) SourceFY 20265.5 - 6%Narrowed, low end up from 5 - 6%
Adjusted operating margin SourceQ4 202631 - 32%New
Adjusted operating margin SourceFY 2026~30%Kept
Free cash flow margin SourceFY 2026~20%Kept
Share repurchase SourceNovember 13, 2026 through 2029up to $200 millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year recurring revenue range low end raised to $1,145 million from $1,140 million; recurring growth range raised to 5.5% to 6% from 5% to 6%. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year total revenue growth on an organic constant currency basis raised to 0.5% to 2% from 0% to 2%. Source
  • New guidance: Fourth-quarter guidance given for the first time: total revenue, recurring revenue and adjusted operating margin ranges. Source
  • Guidance kept: Full-year ARR, ARR growth, adjusted operating margin and free cash flow margin guidance are the same as in August. Source
  • New: Board approved a share repurchase program of up to $200 million covering Class B shares and SDRs. Source
  • New: Octave announced the acquisition of Cerebre, a U.S.-based software company. Source
  • New: Octave launched Attune Facilities, a cloud-based facilities management solution. Source
  • New: A gain on the sale of the corporate headquarters is among items the company excludes from adjusted measures. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Total revenue grew 6%: Total revenue was $415 million, up from $393 million in the third quarter of 2025. Source
  • ARR and SaaS revenue grew: ARR was $1,171 million, up 7% from $1,090 million. SaaS revenue was $91.4 million, up 18%, which management linked to the shift toward recurring revenue. Source
  • Operating income rose year over year: Income from operations was $56 million against $33 million, and operating margin was 13% against 8%. Other operating expense fell to $4.1 million from $31.0 million. Source
  • Nine-month revenue grew slightly: Nine-month revenue was $1,200 million, up 1% as reported and 2% on an organic constant currency basis, with licenses down 16% and services down 7% as reported. Source

Revenue by category

  • Subscriptions and licenses edged up: Subscriptions and licenses revenue was $324.6 million, up 4%. Licenses revenue was $34.1 million, down 4%. Source
  • Services revenue rose 11%: Services and other revenue was $90.7 million against $81.9 million, up 11%, or 10% on an organic constant currency basis. Source
  • Subscription and maintenance revenue mixed: Subscription licenses were $74.5 million, up 6%. Maintenance subscription revenue was $124.7 million, down 3%. SaaS revenue was $91.4 million, up 18%. Source

“ARR grew 7% over the prior year to $1.17 billion, and SaaS revenue grew 18%, as we continue our focused shift toward recurring revenue.”

Mattias Stenberg, CEO

Products and acquisitions

  • Cerebre acquisition announced: Cerebre turns fragmented engineering schematics, plant data and engineering knowledge into a connected plant model. Management said combining the two will strengthen industrial AI use cases. Source
  • Attune Facilities launched: Attune Facilities is a cloud-based facilities management product for organizations running multiple sites, with AI tools to help facilities teams operate more efficiently. Source
  • Alto adds live video: A new Alto release, the geospatial solution for 2D, 3D and 4D visualization and digital twins, brought live drone and camera video onto maps and terrain in October. Source
  • Analyst recognition in asset management: ARC Advisory Group classified Octave as a Transformation Pioneer in Enterprise Asset Management. Source
  • Workforce research report published: A September report surveyed more than 750 industrial leaders, finding widespread retirements and workforce shortages and AI reshaping the skills needed. Source

Costs and operating expense

  • R&D spending rose 21%: Research and development expense was $56.2 million against $46.4 million. Nine-month R&D was $158.3 million against $136.3 million. Source
  • Sales, marketing and admin roughly flat: Sales and marketing was $103.2 million against $100.9 million, and general and administrative expense was $45.4 million against $44.8 million. Source
  • Amortization expense increased: Amortization of intangible assets was $48.3 million against $39.6 million in the quarter, and $135.9 million in nine months against $115.3 million. Source
  • Restructuring charges much lower: Restructuring charges excluded from adjusted measures were $0.4 million against $38.8 million, and stand-up costs were $3.1 million against $0.3 million. Source

“Product innovation and go-to-market improvements continued to gain traction this quarter, and we’re carrying that momentum into the fourth quarter”

Mattias Stenberg, CEO

Margins and earnings

  • Adjusted operating margin reached 28%: Adjusted income from operations was $116 million against $106 million, and adjusted operating margin was 28% against 27%. Source
  • Diluted EPS up, adjusted EPS flat: Diluted EPS was $0.22 against $0.05, and adjusted diluted EPS was $0.32 in both quarters. Adjusted net income was $86 million against $87 million. Source
  • Building sale gain removed from adjusted: Net income was $59 million against $14 million. A $25.9 million gain on sale of buildings is removed in the adjusted net income reconciliation. The tax provision was $14.6 million against $2.4 million. Source
  • Nine-month loss reflects impairments: Nine-month net loss was $1,864.3 million, including $2,134.7 million of impairment charges, which the company adds back in its adjusted net income reconciliation. Source

Demand and recurring revenue

  • Recurring revenue rose 5%: Recurring revenue, which includes subscription licenses, SaaS and maintenance subscriptions, was $291 million, up 5% from a year earlier. Source
  • Deferred revenue above year-end: Deferred revenue was $419.9 million at September 30, against $380.6 million at December 31, 2025 and $437.0 million at June 30, 2026. Source
  • Nine-month subscriptions up 6%: Nine-month subscriptions revenue was $852.6 million against $802.2 million, up 6% as reported and on an organic constant currency basis. Source

Cash, debt and buyback

  • Free cash flow held at $65 million: Cash flow from operations was $95 million against $102 million, and free cash flow was $65 million against $64 million, with free cash flow margin at 16% in both periods. Source
  • Nine-month free cash flow slightly lower: Nine-month free cash flow was $240.5 million against $242.6 million, and nine-month cash flow from operations was $336.3 million against $350.5 million. Source
  • Long-term debt reduced: Long-term debt was $518.5 million at September 30, down from $621.3 million at June 30, and cash and cash equivalents were $297.0 million. Source
  • Hexagon payment in nine months: Nine-month financing cash flows included a $625 million cash payment to Hexagon in connection with the Distribution. Source
  • Share repurchase program approved: The program covers Class B shares and SDRs for up to $200 million in aggregate, to offset dilution from equity compensation and allow other repurchases. Source

Coming up, as management said on 12 November 2026

  • Share repurchases begin November 13: Purchases may be made from November 13, 2026 and continue through the end of 2029, in open-market, privately negotiated or other permitted transactions. Source
  • Fourth-quarter momentum carried forward: Management said its product and go-to-market momentum is being carried into the fourth quarter. Source

In management's words

“our Board of Directors recently approved a $200 million share repurchase program, a decision that reflects its confidence in our company strategy, medium-term financial targets, and ability to grow free cash flow.”

Mattias Stenberg, CEO

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Annualized recurring revenue (ARR) Source$1,171 million, up 7%
SaaS revenue Source$91,431 thousand, up 18%

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Guidance assumes customer retention at historical levels, successful cross-selling and upselling, ongoing SaaS adoption, and no material adverse change in macroeconomic conditions or end-market demand. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said third-quarter results were in line with its expectations. 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.