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S&P Global Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 1 lowered, 9 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue grew 10% to $4.171 billion: Revenue rose nearly $400 million, driven primarily by Ratings and Market Intelligence. Operating profit rose 27% to $2.002 billion. Source
  • GAAP diluted EPS rose 32%: GAAP diluted EPS of $4.69 rose 32%, from $3.54, on a 28% increase in net income and a 3% reduction in diluted shares. Currency added $0.02. Source
  • Ratings revenue and profit rose: Ratings revenue rose 13% to $1.302 billion and operating profit rose 16% to $881 million, a 68% operating margin. Source
  • Indices grew fastest: Indices revenue rose 17% to $519 million and operating profit rose 18% to $372 million, a 72% operating margin. Source
  • Operating margin rose 620 basis points: Reported operating profit margin rose to 48.0%, and adjusted operating profit margin rose 100 basis points to 51.8%. Source
  • Free cash flow rose to $919 million: Free cash flow was $919 million, against $816 million. Adjusted free cash flow excluding certain items was $992 million, against $901 million. Source
  • Share repurchases of $1 billion: The company repurchased $1 billion of shares in the quarter, against $650 million a year earlier. Dividends paid were $288 million. Source

“demonstrating our ability to execute and deliver against our strategic vision in an incredibly volatile and challenging operating environment.”

Martina Cheung President and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Reported revenue growth (GAAP) Sourcefull year 20266.3% to 8.3%Lowered from 6.6% to 8.6%
Organic, constant currency revenue growth Sourcefull year 20266.0% to 8.0%Kept
Adjusted diluted EPS Sourcefull year 2026$19.40 to $19.65Kept
Corporate unallocated expense Sourcefull year 2026$220 to $230 millionKept
Deal-related amortization Sourcefull year 2026~$1.11 billionKept
Operating profit margin expansion Sourcefull year 202610 to 35 bpsKept
Operating profit margin expansion, excluding OSTTRA Sourcefull year 202650 to 75 bpsKept
Interest expense, net Sourcefull year 2026$405 to $415 millionRaised from $395 to $405 million
Tax rate Sourcefull year 202622.0% to 23.0%Kept
Capital expenditures (GAAP) Sourcefull year 2026$215 to $225 millionKept
Capital return through dividends and buybacks Sourcefull year 2026100% or more of adjusted free cash flowRaised from 85% or more of adjusted free cash flow
Quarterly cash dividend Sourcequarterly$0.97Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Reported revenue growth guidance range lowered by about 30 basis points, to 6.3% to 8.3% from 6.6% to 8.6%, mainly on lower expected FX tailwinds. Source
  • Guidance raised: Interest expense, net guidance raised by about $10 million, to $405 million to $415 million from $395 million to $405 million. Source
  • Guidance raised: Capital return target raised to 100% or more of adjusted free cash flow through dividends and share repurchases in 2026, from 85% or more. Source
  • Guidance kept: All other guidance metrics kept at prior ranges, and organic constant currency revenue growth guidance kept. Source
  • New: Adjusted guidance definition now excludes acquisition and disposition-related costs, in addition to amortization of acquisition intangibles. Source
  • New: Agreement announced on April 24, 2026 to divest the geoscience and petroleum engineering software portfolio within Upstream software in the Energy division. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue grew 10% to $4.171 billion: Revenue rose nearly $400 million, driven primarily by Ratings and Market Intelligence. Operating profit rose 27% to $2.002 billion. Source
  • GAAP diluted EPS rose 32%: GAAP diluted EPS of $4.69 rose 32%, from $3.54, on a 28% increase in net income and a 3% reduction in diluted shares. Currency added $0.02. Source
  • Adjusted diluted EPS rose 14%: Adjusted diluted EPS of $4.97 rose 14%, from $4.37, on a 10% increase in adjusted net income and a 3% decrease in diluted shares. Source
  • Gain on dispositions in GAAP results: The largest non-core adjustments were deal-related amortization and gain on dispositions. The income statement shows a $175 million gain on dispositions. Source

Segments and divisions

  • Ratings revenue and profit rose: Ratings revenue rose 13% to $1.302 billion and operating profit rose 16% to $881 million, a 68% operating margin. Source
  • Market Intelligence profit doubled: Market Intelligence operating profit rose to $440 million from $220 million. The quarter includes a $172 million gain on disposition, $9 million of acquisition-related costs and $3 million of disposition-related costs. Source
  • Indices grew fastest: Indices revenue rose 17% to $519 million and operating profit rose 18% to $372 million, a 72% operating margin. Source
  • Energy profit rose 12%: Energy revenue rose 7% to $652 million and operating profit rose 12% to $287 million, a 44% operating margin. Source
  • Mobility profit rose 9%: Mobility revenue rose 8% to $454 million and operating profit rose 9% to $93 million, a 21% operating margin, after $13 million of disposition-related costs. Source

“Everything we see reinforces the relevance of our vision as customers turn to us with an even greater sense of urgency in times like these.”

Martina Cheung President and CEO

Products and revenue mix

  • Subscription revenue rose 6%: Subscription revenue reached $2.014 billion, up 6%. Non-subscription or transaction revenue reached $978 million, up 15%, and non-transaction revenue reached $538 million, up 12%. Source
  • Ratings transaction revenue grew: Ratings transaction revenue reached $712 million, up 15%, and non-transaction revenue reached $590 million, up 11%. Source
  • Index fees and royalties grew: Indices asset-linked fees rose 18% to $339 million, sales usage-based royalties rose 20% to $133 million, and recurring variable revenue rose 12% to $169 million. Source
  • Market Intelligence subscription revenue grew: Market Intelligence subscription revenue reached $1.052 billion, up 6%. Non-subscription revenue reached $75 million, up 35%. Source

Costs and margins

  • Operating margin rose 620 basis points: Reported operating profit margin rose to 48.0%, and adjusted operating profit margin rose 100 basis points to 51.8%. Source
  • Margin gains from three divisions: The company attributed the margin improvement on both bases to growth and margin expansion in Ratings, Indices and Market Intelligence. Source
  • Reported expenses fell, adjusted rose: Reported expenses fell 1% to $2.169 billion, while adjusted expenses rose 8% to $2.012 billion. Deal-related amortization was $276 million. Source
  • Effective tax rates shifted: Effective tax rate was 21.2%, against 21.7%. Adjusted effective tax rate was 22.8%, against 22.2%. Source

“We are also seeing fast-paced adoption of our AI functionality and are advancing our leadership as we rapidly innovate and partner to help customers unlock the potential of AI.”

Martina Cheung President and CEO

Organic growth and currency

  • Organic constant currency growth was 9%: Organic revenue was $4.125 billion, up 10%. On a constant currency basis, organic revenue was $4.091 billion, up 9%. Source
  • Favorable currency added to revenue: Favorable foreign exchange added $34 million to reported organic revenue, against no impact a year earlier. Source
  • Currency added to EPS: Currency added $0.02 to both GAAP and adjusted diluted EPS in the quarter. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Free cash flow rose to $919 million: Free cash flow was $919 million, against $816 million. Adjusted free cash flow excluding certain items was $992 million, against $901 million. Source
  • Share repurchases of $1 billion: The company repurchased $1 billion of shares in the quarter, against $650 million a year earlier. Dividends paid were $288 million. Source
  • Operating cash flow rose 9%: Cash provided by operating activities was $1.037 billion, against $953 million, after $609 million of net changes in other operating assets and liabilities. Source
  • Short-term debt rose sharply: Short-term debt rose to $2.697 billion from $718 million. Long-term debt fell to $10.621 billion from $12.370 billion at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Disposition proceeds of $345 million: Proceeds from dispositions, net were $345 million in the quarter, against none a year earlier. Source

Portfolio actions

  • Assets held for sale of $128 million: Assets held for sale were $128 million at March 31, 2026, against $196 million at December 31, 2025, and relate to the Energy software sale, Market Intelligence divestitures and a facility. Source
  • Centennial facility held for sale: The company intends to sell its facility in Centennial, Colorado, and the related fixed assets are classified as held for sale. Source

Coming up, as management said on 28 April 2026

  • Upstream software sale expected to close: Management expects the Upstream geoscience and petroleum engineering software divestiture to close in the second half of 2026 or early 2027. Source
  • Mobility Investor Day on May 12: Mobility Global expects to host an Investor Day in New York City on May 12, 2026. Source
  • GAAP guidance after Mobility spin: The company will update adjusted guidance to exclude Mobility and introduce GAAP guidance upon completion of the spin. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Timing of the Mobility spin is uncertain, so management cannot reliably predict all components of GAAP measures without unreasonable effort. Source
  • Financial: Guidance includes Mobility for the full year and excludes anticipated stranded costs from the separation. Source
  • External: Management described the operating environment as volatile and challenging. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Management said the company remains on track with the previously announced separation of Mobility. Source
  • Not stated: Management referred to the previously announced authorization of a $0.97 quarterly dividend. Source
  • Not stated: Management said it continues to expect adjusted free cash flow excluding certain items to grow mid-single digits year over year. 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.