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Pegasystems Inc.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 21 October 2025: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 17% in the quarter: The company reported total revenue of $381.35M for the third quarter, up 17% from $325.05M. Nine-month revenue was $1,241.50M, up 23% from $1,006.35M. Source
  • GAAP net income was positive this year: GAAP net income was $43.36M, against a loss of $14.39M a year earlier. Diluted GAAP EPS was $0.24, against $(0.08). Per-share amounts reflect the two-for-one stock split distributed June 20, 2025. Source
  • Pega Cloud revenue rose 28%: Pega Cloud revenue was $184.55M, or 48% of total revenue, up 28% from $144.11M. Nine-month Pega Cloud revenue was $502.42M, up 23%. Source
  • ACV grew 14% to $1,557M: Annual contract value was $1,556.93M at September 30, 2025, up 14% from $1,360.01M, and also up 14% in constant currency. Source
  • Pega Cloud ACV rose 27%: Pega Cloud ACV was $815.37M, up 27% as reported and in constant currency. The prior release showed Pega Cloud ACV up 28% as reported and 25% in constant currency at June 30, 2025. Source
  • Backlog reached $1,754.5M: Remaining performance obligations, or backlog, were $1,754.53M, up 19% from $1,475.28M, and up 18% in constant currency. The prior release showed backlog of $1,835.33M at June 30, 2025. Source
  • Operating cash flow rose 38%: Nine-month cash provided by operating activities was $346.80M, up 38%. Free cash flow was $338.31M, also up 38%, after $8.49M of investment in property and equipment. Source
  • Share repurchases reached 8.7M shares: The company repurchased 8.7 million shares for $393 million year to date. Source

“Our differentiated AI strategy continues to resonate deeply with clients, prospects, and partners, unlocking new levels of speed, predictability, and scale in enterprise applications,”

Alan Trefler, founder and CEO

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 17% in the quarter: The company reported total revenue of $381.35M for the third quarter, up 17% from $325.05M. Nine-month revenue was $1,241.50M, up 23% from $1,006.35M. Source
  • GAAP net income was positive this year: GAAP net income was $43.36M, against a loss of $14.39M a year earlier. Diluted GAAP EPS was $0.24, against $(0.08). Per-share amounts reflect the two-for-one stock split distributed June 20, 2025. Source
  • Non-GAAP earnings rose sharply: Non-GAAP net income was $55.16M, up 59%. Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $0.30, against $0.19. Nine-month non-GAAP diluted EPS was $1.34, up 94%. Source
  • Operating income turned to a profit: Income from operations was $14.47M, against a loss of $11.66M a year earlier. Nine-month income from operations was $158.74M, against a loss of $19.11M. Source

Revenue by category

  • Pega Cloud revenue rose 28%: Pega Cloud revenue was $184.55M, or 48% of total revenue, up 28% from $144.11M. Nine-month Pega Cloud revenue was $502.42M, up 23%. Source
  • Subscription license revenue rose 33%: Subscription license revenue was $60.60M, up 33%. Nine-month subscription license revenue was $327.12M, up 69% from $193.41M. Source
  • Consulting revenue rose 4%: Consulting revenue was $56.39M, up 4%. Perpetual license revenue was $0.16M in the quarter. Source
  • Maintenance revenue edged lower: Maintenance revenue was $79.65M, down 1% from $80.70M, and 21% of total revenue. Nine-month maintenance revenue was $235.29M, down 3%. Source

“Pega Cloud ACV growth accelerated again, and we’ve generated $347M in operating cash flow allowing us to have a significant year of buybacks.”

Ken Stillwell, Pega COO and CFO

Costs, margins and earnings

  • Gross profit rose with revenue: Gross profit was $275.46M, against $228.34M. Total cost of revenue was $105.89M, against $96.71M. Consulting cost of revenue was $62.60M, against $59.45M. Source
  • Operating expense increased across lines: Selling and marketing expense was $140.13M, against $127.67M, and research and development was $78.76M, against $74.16M. General and administrative expense was $42.11M, against $35.69M. Source
  • Stock-based compensation rose: Stock-based compensation was $43.04M in the quarter, against $37.21M. Non-GAAP results exclude this expense, which the company describes as a key incentive offered to employees. Source

Demand and contracted revenue

  • ACV grew 14% to $1,557M: Annual contract value was $1,556.93M at September 30, 2025, up 14% from $1,360.01M, and also up 14% in constant currency. Source
  • Pega Cloud ACV rose 27%: Pega Cloud ACV was $815.37M, up 27% as reported and in constant currency. The prior release showed Pega Cloud ACV up 28% as reported and 25% in constant currency at June 30, 2025. Source
  • Exchange rates lowered reported ACV: Foreign exchange rate changes reduced reported ACV by $5M, giving constant-currency ACV of $1,552M. Foreign exchange also reduced backlog by $10M in the constant-currency reconciliation. Source
  • Backlog reached $1,754.5M: Remaining performance obligations, or backlog, were $1,754.53M, up 19% from $1,475.28M, and up 18% in constant currency. The prior release showed backlog of $1,835.33M at June 30, 2025. Source
  • Most backlog due within one year: Backlog due within one year was $899.53M, or 51% of total. Backlog due in more than three years was $242.79M, or 14% of total. Source

“The results speak for themselves as clients and partners embrace Pega Blueprint and commit to strategic transformation with Pega.”

Alan Trefler, founder and CEO

Cash flow and share repurchases

  • Operating cash flow rose 38%: Nine-month cash provided by operating activities was $346.80M, up 38%. Free cash flow was $338.31M, also up 38%, after $8.49M of investment in property and equipment. Source
  • Share repurchases reached 8.7M shares: The company repurchased 8.7 million shares for $393 million year to date. Source
  • Cash and securities declined: Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities totaled $351.36M at September 30, 2025, against $739.97M at December 31, 2024. Nine-month financing activities used $756.39M. Source

Balance sheet and debt repayment

  • Convertible notes repaid at maturity: Convertible senior notes of $467.47M at December 31, 2024 were due March 1, 2025, and no balance was shown at September 30, 2025. The notes accrued interest at 0.75% per year. Source
  • Receivables fell, long-term unbilled rose: Accounts receivable, net fell to $160.92M from $305.47M. Long-term unbilled receivables rose to $105.86M from $61.41M, and deferred revenue was $404.76M, against $423.91M. Source
  • Equity rose while liabilities fell: Total stockholders’ equity was $596.83M, against $585.48M at December 31, 2024. Total liabilities were $695.96M, against $1,182.79M, and total assets were $1,292.79M, against $1,768.27M. Source

Non-operating items and taxes

  • Interest income fell year on year: Interest income was $2.66M, against $6.77M a year earlier. Nine-month interest income was $11.24M, against $18.84M. Source
  • Other income reported for nine months: Other loss, net was $0.04M in the quarter, against nil a year earlier. Nine-month other income, net was $19.25M, against $1.68M. The company excludes venture investment gains and losses from non-GAAP results. Source
  • GAAP tax line moved to a benefit: GAAP income taxes were a benefit of $19.27M, against a $2.77M provision a year earlier. Nine-month GAAP effective tax rate was 10%, against a non-GAAP rate of 22%. Source
  • Legal fees excluded from non-GAAP: Legal fees were $10.02M in the quarter, against $9.86M a year earlier. The company excludes these fees from non-GAAP results. Source

AI strategy and Pega Blueprint

  • Pega Blueprint momentum cited for sales: Management linked the quarter's sales performance to momentum from Pega Blueprint. Source
  • Predictable AI framing in prior release: The prior release described a Predictable AI approach that applies AI in workflow design and runs execution through the Pega Infinity workflow engine. The Q3 release refers to a differentiated AI strategy.
  • Autonomous enterprise named in profile: The company profile now describes helping clients reach the autonomous enterprise. The prior release described AI decisioning and workflow automation as its core offering. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Annual contract value (ACV) Source$1,556.93M, up 14%
Pega Cloud ACV Source$815.37M, up 27%
Remaining performance obligations Source$1,754.53M, up 19%
Cloud revenue Source$184.55M, up 28%
Subscription revenue Source$324.80M, up 20%

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management notes that foreign currency transaction gains and losses fluctuate and are affected by market rates. The quarter showed a $7.15M gain, against a $4.41M loss a year earlier. 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.