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Synopsys Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 26 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 9 raised, 2 lowered, 8 new, 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue reached $2.477 billion: Revenue was $2.477 billion, against $1.740 billion a year earlier and $2.276 billion in the second quarter of fiscal year 2026. Source
  • Non-GAAP EPS was $3.91: Non-GAAP net income was $752.5 million, or $3.91 per diluted share, against $548.9 million and $3.39 a year earlier. Source
  • Design IP margin rose to 26.5%: Design IP adjusted operating income was $125.4 million, with an adjusted operating margin of 26.5%, against 20.1% a year earlier and 24.4% in the second quarter. Source
  • Maintenance and service revenue more than doubled: Maintenance and service revenue was $808.8 million, against $331.0 million. The release gives no cause for the change. Source
  • GAAP operating margin was 14.4%: GAAP operating margin was 14.4% in the quarter. Amortization of acquired intangible assets accounts for 16.2 points of the gap to the non-GAAP figure. Source
  • Cash and short-term investments reached $3.61 billion: Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments were $3,607.7 million, against $2,484.4 million at April 30, 2026 and $2,961.0 million at October 31, 2025. Source
  • Nine-month operating cash flow was $2.30 billion: Net cash provided by operating activities was $2,298.6 million for nine months, against $878.9 million a year earlier. Nine-month capital expenditures were $156.1 million. Source

“AI is driving unprecedented complexity and increasing demand for the silicon IP and engineering solutions necessary to deliver next-generation AI compute, infrastructure and physical AI systems,”

Sassine Ghazi, president and CEO of Synopsys

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Total revenue SourceFiscal year 2026$9,690 million to $9,740 million (midpoint $9.715 billion)Raised from $9,625 million to $9,705 million (midpoint $9.665 billion)
Total revenue SourceFourth quarter of fiscal year 2026 (three months ending October 31, 2026)$2,530 million to $2,580 millionNew
Ansys revenue included in fiscal year 2026 revenue SourceFiscal year 2026$2.98 billionRaised from $2.96 billion
Non-GAAP EPS SourceFiscal year 2026$15.04 to $15.10 (midpoint $15.07)Raised from $14.72 to $14.80 (midpoint $14.76)
Non-GAAP EPS SourceFourth quarter of fiscal year 2026$4.10 to $4.16New
GAAP EPS SourceFourth quarter of fiscal year 2026$0.60 to $0.85New
GAAP EPS SourceFiscal year 2026$3.84 to $4.08Raised from $2.49 to $2.91
GAAP expenses SourceFourth quarter of fiscal year 2026$2,225 million to $2,300 millionNew
GAAP expenses SourceFiscal year 2026$8,667 million to $8,742 millionRaised from $8,469 million to $8,599 million
Non-GAAP expenses SourceFourth quarter of fiscal year 2026$1,450 million to $1,480 millionNew
Non-GAAP expenses SourceFiscal year 2026$5,670 million to $5,700 millionLowered from $5,675 million to $5,725 million
Non-GAAP interest and other income (expense), net SourceFourth quarter of fiscal year 2026$(119) million to $(115) millionNew
Non-GAAP interest and other income (expense), net SourceFiscal year 2026$(485) million to $(481) millionRaised from $(495) million to $(485) million
Non-GAAP tax rate SourceFourth quarter and fiscal year 202618%Kept
Fully diluted shares outstanding SourceFourth quarter and fiscal year 2026192 million to 194 millionKept
GAAP operating margin SourceFiscal year 2026~10.4% at midpoint of targetsNew
Non-GAAP operating margin SourceFiscal year 2026~41.5% at midpoint of targetsRaised
EDA revenue growth SourceFiscal year 2026double-digit growthNew
Operating cash flow SourceFiscal year 2026~$2,800 millionRaised from ~$2,300 million
Free cash flow SourceFiscal year 2026~$2,600 millionRaised from ~$2,000 million
Capital expenditures SourceFiscal year 2026~$225 millionLowered from ~$300 million

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year revenue midpoint raised from $9.665 billion to $9.715 billion. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year non-GAAP EPS midpoint raised from $14.76 to $15.07. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year operating cash flow and free cash flow figures raised. Source
  • Guidance raised: Non-GAAP operating margin guidance raised, per the CFO. The prior release gave no margin figure. Source
  • New guidance: Fourth-quarter targets given for the first time in this release. Source
  • Ended: Processor IP Solutions divestiture completed. The Design IP definition drops embedded processors, which the prior release listed. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue reached $2.477 billion: Revenue was $2.477 billion, against $1.740 billion a year earlier and $2.276 billion in the second quarter of fiscal year 2026. Source
  • GAAP net income rose to $545.8 million: GAAP net income was $545.8 million, or $2.84 per diluted share, against $242.5 million, or $1.50 per diluted share, a year earlier. Source
  • Non-GAAP EPS was $3.91: Non-GAAP net income was $752.5 million, or $3.91 per diluted share, against $548.9 million and $3.39 a year earlier. Source
  • Nine-month revenue reached $7.16 billion: Nine-month revenue was $7,161.6 million, against $4,799.3 million in the same period of fiscal year 2025. Source

Segments and regions

  • Design Automation was 80.9% of revenue: Design Automation revenue was $2,003.0 million, against $1,312.1 million, and 80.9% of total revenue against 75.4%. Source
  • Design Automation margin rose to 45.2%: Design Automation adjusted operating income was $905.0 million, with an adjusted operating margin of 45.2% against 44.5% a year earlier. Source
  • Design IP revenue rose to $473.8 million: Design IP revenue was $473.8 million, against $427.6 million, and 19.1% of total revenue against 24.6%. Source
  • Design IP margin rose to 26.5%: Design IP adjusted operating income was $125.4 million, with an adjusted operating margin of 26.5%, against 20.1% a year earlier and 24.4% in the second quarter. Source

“One year after the transformational acquisition of Ansys, we are executing with focus, extending our leadership and gaining momentum.”

Sassine Ghazi, president and CEO of Synopsys

Products and revenue types

  • Upfront products revenue rose: Upfront products revenue was $665.2 million, against $516.4 million, and $1,953.0 million for nine months against $1,395.2 million. Source
  • Time-based products revenue rose: Time-based products revenue was $1,002.8 million, against $892.4 million, and $2,899.9 million for nine months against $2,548.9 million. Source
  • Maintenance and service revenue more than doubled: Maintenance and service revenue was $808.8 million, against $331.0 million. The release gives no cause for the change. Source

Costs and operating expenses

  • R&D and sales spending increased: Research and development expense was $719.7 million, against $625.3 million. Sales and marketing was $385.9 million, against $259.5 million. Source
  • G&A fell to $177.0 million: General and administrative expense was $177.0 million, against $280.6 million. Nine-month G&A was $532.1 million, against $584.1 million. Source
  • Acquired-intangible amortization jumped: Amortization of acquired intangible assets was $402.4 million in the quarter, against $74.9 million, and $1,210.3 million for nine months against $99.2 million. Source
  • Restructuring charges concentrated in nine months: Restructuring charges were $236.3 million for nine months and $2.2 million in the quarter. Fourth-quarter restructuring is targeted at $145 million to $175 million. Source
  • Interest expense fell; other income rose: Interest expense was $133.2 million, against $146.5 million. Other income (expense), net was $459.7 million, against $170.5 million. Source

“Results were driven by broad-based strength across the business, led by EDA”

Shelagh Glaser, CFO of Synopsys

Margins and tax rate

  • GAAP operating margin was 14.4%: GAAP operating margin was 14.4% in the quarter. Amortization of acquired intangible assets accounts for 16.2 points of the gap to the non-GAAP figure. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating margin was 41.6%: Non-GAAP operating margin was 41.6% after adding back amortization, stock-based compensation, restructuring, acquisition items and deferred compensation changes. Source
  • Tax rate: GAAP 20.2%, non-GAAP 18.0%: GAAP effective tax rate was 20.2% for the quarter and 19.8% for nine months. The non-GAAP rate is a three-year normalized 18.0%. Source

Order book, receivables and inventory

  • Receivables fell from year-end: Accounts receivable, net was $1,318.7 million, against $1,505.4 million at October 31, 2025 and $1,267.3 million at April 30, 2026. Source
  • Inventories rose from year-end: Inventories were $479.1 million, against $365.2 million at October 31, 2025. The release gives no reason for the change. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Cash and short-term investments reached $3.61 billion: Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments were $3,607.7 million, against $2,484.4 million at April 30, 2026 and $2,961.0 million at October 31, 2025. Source
  • Nine-month operating cash flow was $2.30 billion: Net cash provided by operating activities was $2,298.6 million for nine months, against $878.9 million a year earlier. Nine-month capital expenditures were $156.1 million. Source
  • Debt repaid and long-term debt reduced: Nine-month debt repayment was $3,463.7 million. Long-term debt was $9,017.1 million, against $13,462.4 million at October 31, 2025, while short-term debt was $1,020.2 million. Source
  • $2.0 billion private placement and $300 million buyback: Nine-month common stock issuance for a private placement was $2,000.0 million, and purchases of treasury stock were $300.0 million. Shares outstanding were 191.6 million. Source

Strategy, divestitures and leadership

  • Divestiture proceeds reached $440.0 million: Proceeds from business divestiture, net of cash divested, were $440.0 million for nine months, against $142.5 million a year earlier. Source
  • Optical Solutions and PowerArtist divestitures in revenue: Fiscal year 2026 revenue reflects an impact of about $110 million from the divested Optical Solutions Group and PowerArtist RTL businesses. Source
  • Divestiture items deducted in non-GAAP results: The non-GAAP reconciliation deducts $402.6 million of acquisition and divestiture related items for the quarter. The release says some divestiture items were recorded in other income. Source
  • Same CEO and CFO named: The release names Sassine Ghazi as president and CEO and Shelagh Glaser as CFO. No change to either role is stated. Source

Coming up, as management said on 26 August 2026

  • Quarterly 10-Q due by September 9: Final third-quarter financial statements will be filed on Form 10-Q with the SEC on or before September 9, 2026. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: Future U.S. tax law changes affect the company's expensing of research costs and foreign-derived intangible income in later years. Source
  • Financial: The company says it cannot fully reconcile some fourth-quarter and full-year non-GAAP targets because excluded items are variable and hard to predict. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management says third-quarter revenue and EPS exceeded the high end of the range it had given in the prior release. Source
  • Met: The prior release expected this divestiture to complete. This release describes it as recently completed. 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.