greeksoup/ stock research

PJT Partners Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 3 November 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Third-quarter revenue fell 14%: Revenues were $385.1 million, down 14% from $447.1 million a year earlier. Source
  • Nine-month revenue and pretax income rose: Nine-month revenues were $1.29 billion, up 9%. GAAP pretax income was $251 million, up 14%, and adjusted pretax income was $262 million, also up 14%. Source
  • Quarter EPS fell, nine-month EPS rose: GAAP diluted EPS was $1.15, down 22%, and adjusted EPS was $1.41, down 24%. Nine-month GAAP diluted EPS was $5.02, up 7%, and adjusted EPS was $4.92, up 11%. Source
  • Compensation fell with revenue and accrual rate: Third-quarter GAAP compensation and benefits were $258.4 million, down from $303.3 million, attributed to lower revenues and a lower accrual rate. Source
  • Non-compensation expense rose 10%: Third-quarter GAAP non-compensation expense was $57.9 million, up 10%, lifting it to 15.0% of revenues from 11.8%. Source
  • Quarter pretax margin fell to 17.9%: GAAP pretax margin was 17.9% of revenues, against 20.3%; adjusted pretax margin was 18.8%, against 21.0%. Source
  • Cash and short-term investments reached $766 million: Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments were $766 million at September 30, 2026, up from $535 million, with no funded debt. Source

“We continue to invest in our business to enhance our footprint, our capabilities, and our brand with the goal of better serving our clients and continuing to expand our market share.”

Paul J. Taubman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Results and growth drivers

  • Third-quarter revenue fell 14%: Revenues were $385.1 million, down 14% from $447.1 million a year earlier. Source
  • Nine-month revenue and pretax income rose: Nine-month revenues were $1.29 billion, up 9%. GAAP pretax income was $251 million, up 14%, and adjusted pretax income was $262 million, also up 14%. Source
  • Quarter EPS fell, nine-month EPS rose: GAAP diluted EPS was $1.15, down 22%, and adjusted EPS was $1.41, down 24%. Nine-month GAAP diluted EPS was $5.02, up 7%, and adjusted EPS was $4.92, up 11%. Source
  • Quarter pretax income fell 24%: GAAP pretax income was $68.8 million, down 24%, and adjusted pretax income was $72.4 million, down 23%. Source

Revenue by business line

  • Advisory, restructuring and private capital declined: Third-quarter revenue decreased on lower strategic advisory, restructuring and private capital solutions revenues. Source
  • Primary fundraising partly offset the decline: Higher primary fundraising revenues partly offset the third-quarter decline. Source
  • Nine-month growth from advisory and restructuring: For the nine months, revenue growth came from higher strategic advisory, restructuring and private capital solutions revenues. Source

“Our results continue to reflect this investment as we delivered record Revenues, record Pretax Income, and record EPS for the nine-month period.”

Paul J. Taubman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Compensation expense and accrual rate

  • Compensation fell with revenue and accrual rate: Third-quarter GAAP compensation and benefits were $258.4 million, down from $303.3 million, attributed to lower revenues and a lower accrual rate. Source
  • Compensation ratio lower on both bases: Compensation was 67.1% of GAAP revenues in the quarter, against 67.8% a year earlier; adjusted compensation was 66.5%, against 67.5%. Source
  • Nine-month compensation rose with revenue: Nine-month GAAP compensation and benefits were $864.2 million, up 8%, driven by higher revenues partly offset by a lower accrual rate. Source

Non-compensation costs rose on investment

  • Non-compensation expense rose 10%: Third-quarter GAAP non-compensation expense was $57.9 million, up 10%, lifting it to 15.0% of revenues from 11.8%. Source
  • Technology and market data costs rose: Continued technology infrastructure investment and higher market data expense increased Communications and Information Services expense. Source
  • Office build-out raised occupancy and amortization: Expansion of the global office footprint and its build-out increased occupancy and depreciation and amortization expense. Source
  • Travel costs rose with business activity: Elevated business-related activity and higher travel costs increased travel and related expense. Source

“As before, we remain highly confident in our future growth prospects.”

Paul J. Taubman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Margins, tax rate and ownership

  • Quarter pretax margin fell to 17.9%: GAAP pretax margin was 17.9% of revenues, against 20.3%; adjusted pretax margin was 18.8%, against 21.0%. Source
  • Nine-month pretax margin rose: Nine-month GAAP pretax margin was 19.5% of revenues, against 18.7%; adjusted pretax margin was 20.3%, against 19.5%. Source
  • Effective tax rate rose in the quarter: The effective tax rate on GAAP net income was 18.6% for the quarter, against 17.6%, and 9.8% for nine months, against 4.3%. Source
  • Company ownership of Holdings slipped: The company owned 64.6% of PJT Partners Holdings LP at September 30, 2026, against 64.7% at June 30, 2026. Source

Cash, repurchases and authorization

  • Cash and short-term investments reached $766 million: Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments were $766 million at September 30, 2026, up from $535 million, with no funded debt. Source
  • Third-quarter buybacks of 0.2 million shares: The company repurchased 0.2 million shares and share equivalents in the third quarter at an average price of $156.74; nine months totaled 2.3 million at $154.07. Source
  • Repurchase authorization down to $739 million: Remaining repurchase authorization was $739 million at September 30, 2026, down from $760 million at June 30, 2026. Source

Share count and earnings measures

  • Diluted share count included partnership units: Third-quarter GAAP diluted weighted-average shares were 42.7 million, against 28.6 million a year earlier, with partnership units counted in dilution. Source
  • Fully-diluted shares outstanding declined: Fully-diluted shares outstanding were 44.9 million at September 30, 2026, against 45.8 million a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted measures exclude specified items: Adjusted measures remove acquisition-related compensation, acquisition intangible amortization and the net change in amounts payable to former Parent. Source

Coming up, as management said on 3 November 2026

  • Partnership unit exchange on November 5: Cash price for 75 thousand Partnership Units will be set by the volume-weighted average price on November 5, 2026, subject to board approval. Source
  • Dividend payment on December 16: The $0.25 quarterly dividend is payable December 16, 2026 to Class A holders of record on December 2, 2026. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management referred back to its earlier stated confidence in future growth prospects. 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.