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S&P Global Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 July 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 5 new, 3 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 10% on GAAP basis: Second-quarter GAAP revenue was $4.146 billion, up 10%. Excluding Mobility, pro forma revenue was $3.678 billion, up 11%. Source
  • GAAP operating profit up 17%: GAAP operating profit was $1.812 billion, up 17%. GAAP net income was $1.217 billion, up 14%, and GAAP diluted EPS was $4.12, up 18%. Source
  • Adjusted margin up 200 basis points: Reported operating margin rose 410 basis points to 47.8%, and adjusted operating margin rose 200 basis points to 54.3%. Management attributed the gain mainly to Ratings, Indices and Market Intelligence. Source
  • Mobility Global spin completed July 1: The company completed the spin-off of Mobility on July 1, 2026, creating Mobility Global (NYSE: MBGL) as an independent public company. Source
  • Adjusted guidance not comparable: Management said current adjusted guidance is not directly comparable to prior guidance, which assumed a full-year Mobility contribution. Source
  • Buybacks of $500 million in quarter: The company repurchased $500 million of shares in the second quarter and $1.5 billion year to date. Shares outstanding at June 30 were 294.8 million. Source

“We delivered another strong quarter, with record results in two of our benchmark businesses - Ratings and Indices - and we successfully launched Mobility Global on July 1, as an independent, public company.”

Martina Cheung, President and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue growth (GAAP, continuing operations) Sourcefull year 20265.9% to 7.9%
Organic constant currency revenue growthfull year 20266.0% to 8.0%Kept
Corporate unallocated expense (GAAP) Sourcefull year 2026$205 to $215 millionNew
Corporate unallocated expense (adjusted) Sourcefull year 2026$185 to $195 million
Deal-related amortization Sourcefull year 2026~$785 million
Operating profit margin expansion (GAAP) Sourcefull year 2026335 to 360 bpsNew
Operating profit margin expansion (adjusted) Sourcefull year 202635 to 60 bps
Interest expense, net (GAAP) Sourcefull year 2026$365 to $385 millionNew
Interest expense, net (adjusted) Sourcefull year 2026$390 to $410 million
Tax rate Sourcefull year 202622% to 23%Kept
Diluted EPS (GAAP, continuing operations) Sourcefull year 2026$16.35 to $16.60New
Diluted EPS (adjusted) Sourcefull year 2026$17.50 to $17.75
Capital expenditures Sourcefull year 2026$190 to $210 million
Share repurchases Sourcefull year 2026more than $7 billionNew
Quarterly dividend Sourceper quarter$0.97Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: GAAP guidance for 2026 was provided for the first time in this release, for continuing operations after the Mobility spin. Source
  • New guidance: Share repurchase expectation for 2026 is more than $7 billion. The first-quarter release had expected returns of 100% or more of adjusted free cash flow. Source
  • Guidance kept: Organic constant currency revenue growth range of 6.0% to 8.0% was kept from the prior release.
  • Ended: Mobility was separated on July 1, 2026, and its operations are now treated as discontinued operations for full-year 2026. Source
  • New: Management reported organizational changes in Market Intelligence and the combination of Energy's supply chain products. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 10% on GAAP basis: Second-quarter GAAP revenue was $4.146 billion, up 10%. Excluding Mobility, pro forma revenue was $3.678 billion, up 11%. Source
  • GAAP operating profit up 17%: GAAP operating profit was $1.812 billion, up 17%. GAAP net income was $1.217 billion, up 14%, and GAAP diluted EPS was $4.12, up 18%. Source
  • Pro forma diluted EPS up 26%: On a pro forma basis excluding Mobility, operating profit was $1.757 billion, up 21%, and diluted EPS was $4.08, up 26%. Diluted shares fell 3%. Source
  • Adjusted EPS up 23%: Adjusted operating profit was $1.998 billion, up 15%, and adjusted diluted EPS was $4.83, up 23%. Currency added $0.03 to pro forma and adjusted diluted EPS. Source

Segments and divisions

  • Ratings revenue up 17%: Ratings revenue was $1.339 billion, up 17%, and operating profit was $913 million, up 28%. Ratings expenses fell 2% to $426 million. Source
  • Indices revenue up 20%: Indices revenue was $534 million, up 20%. Operating profit was $373 million, up 21%, and the pro forma non-GAAP adjusted operating margin was 72%. Source
  • Market Intelligence revenue up 6%: Market Intelligence revenue was $1.290 billion, up 6%, and GAAP operating profit was $293 million, up 13%. Adjusted revenue after product transfers was $1.235 billion, up 6%. Source
  • Energy revenue up 2%: Energy revenue was $568 million, up 2%. After product transfers from Market Intelligence, Energy's adjusted revenue was $623 million, up 3%. Source

“Post spin, we have a sharper focus on our four core divisions, having also made organizational changes in Market Intelligence and combined our supply chain products within our Energy division.”

Martina Cheung, President and CEO

Revenue mix by type

  • Non-subscription revenue up 22%: Pro forma non-subscription and transaction revenue was $810 million, up 22%. Ratings transaction revenue was $746 million, up 25%. Source
  • Subscription revenue up 5%: Pro forma subscription revenue was $1.681 billion, up 5%. Market Intelligence contributed $1.025 billion of that subscription revenue. Source
  • Asset-linked fees and royalties up: Indices asset-linked fees were $348 million, up 22%, and sales usage-based royalties were $126 million, up 14%. Recurring variable revenue was $173 million, up 9%. Source

Costs and margins

  • Adjusted margin up 200 basis points: Reported operating margin rose 410 basis points to 47.8%, and adjusted operating margin rose 200 basis points to 54.3%. Management attributed the gain mainly to Ratings, Indices and Market Intelligence. Source
  • Pro forma expenses up 6%: Pro forma non-GAAP adjusted expenses were $1.681 billion, up 6%. Operating-related expenses rose 14% to $1.026 billion, while selling and general expenses fell 11% to $678 million. Source
  • Corporate unallocated expense up 31%: GAAP corporate unallocated expense was $104 million, up 31%. Disposition-related costs of $56 million for the quarter are included in corporate costs. Source
  • Market Intelligence severance and deal costs: Market Intelligence recorded $15 million of employee severance charges in the quarter and $12 million of acquisition-related costs for the six months. Source

“Additionally, we have seen continued rapid adoption and expansion of our AI solutions.”

Martina Cheung, President and CEO

Mobility spin and guidance basis

  • Mobility Global spin completed July 1: The company completed the spin-off of Mobility on July 1, 2026, creating Mobility Global (NYSE: MBGL) as an independent public company. Source
  • Mobility shown as discontinued: Mobility is treated as discontinued operations for the full year 2026, and GAAP guidance refers to continuing operations. Source
  • Adjusted guidance not comparable: Management said current adjusted guidance is not directly comparable to prior guidance, which assumed a full-year Mobility contribution. Source
  • Recast 2025 and Q1 figures released: Pro forma and recast results for 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, excluding Mobility, were provided in a July 6, 2026 press release. Source

Cash, debt and shareholder returns

  • Free cash flow up year to date: Free cash flow was $1.330 billion in the quarter, against $1.310 billion a year earlier, and $2.249 billion year to date, against $2.126 billion. Source
  • Buybacks of $500 million in quarter: The company repurchased $500 million of shares in the second quarter and $1.5 billion year to date. Shares outstanding at June 30 were 294.8 million. Source
  • Senior notes added cash: Net proceeds from senior notes were $1.986 billion in the first half. Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash was $4.141 billion at June 30. Source
  • Short-term debt rose: Short-term debt was $2.572 billion at June 30, against $718 million at December 31, 2025. Long-term debt was $12.598 billion. Source
  • Quarterly dividend held at $0.97: The Board authorized a quarterly cash dividend of $0.97, as previously announced. Dividends paid in the first half were $575 million. Source

Portfolio actions and disposals

  • Energy software divestiture pending: Assets held for sale of $120 million at June 30, 2026 relate to the anticipated divestiture of Energy's geoscience and petroleum engineering software portfolio. Source
  • Market Intelligence disposal gain: A $172 million gain on disposition in Market Intelligence was recorded in the first six months of 2026, and it is excluded from adjusted results. Source
  • Disposal proceeds in first half: Proceeds from dispositions, net were $361 million in the first six months of 2026, against $15 million a year earlier. Source

Coming up, as management said on 28 July 2026

  • Transition services for Mobility Global: S&P Global will provide certain post-separation services to Mobility Global on a transitional basis under a Transition Services Agreement. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: The first-quarter release said the separation was on track. The company completed the spin-off on July 1, 2026.
  • Not stated: The first-quarter release said guidance would be updated to exclude Mobility and GAAP guidance instituted after the spin. This release provides both.

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.