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Stagwell Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 29 October 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue and adjusted EBITDA both rose: Third-quarter revenue was $816 million, up 10% (11% organic). Adjusted EBITDA was $145 million, up 25% on the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose 42%: Third-quarter adjusted diluted EPS was $0.34 against $0.24. Year-to-date adjusted EPS was $0.77 against $0.54. Source
  • Digital Transformation grew 23% organically: Digital Transformation net revenue was $119 million, up 23% organically. Two-year organic stack was 30% and two-year total stack 38%. Source
  • Enterprise technology bookings above target: Enterprise technology products contracted to date reached $59 million, more than double the initial FY26 target. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin at 22%: Adjusted EBITDA margin was 22% on net revenue for the quarter and 18% year to date. Source
  • Net new business $168 million in quarter: Third-quarter net new business was $168 million, against $171 million in the second quarter. Last-twelve-month net new business rose to $586 million from $540 million. Source
  • Operating cash flow up 396%: Year-to-date net cash provided by operating activities was $152 million, against $31 million in the prior year period. Source
  • Net leverage at 2.7x: Net leverage was 2.7x, a 0.7x improvement year over year and the lowest third-quarter ratio the company has reported. Source

“This is the biggest quarter in Stagwell’s history. It shows we are on track to become number one in marketing transformation”

Mark Penn, Chairman and CEO of Stagwell

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefull-year 2026$490 million to $540 millionRaised from $475 million to $525 million
Adjusted EPS Sourcefull-year 2026$1.07 to $1.21Raised from $1.03 to $1.17
Total net revenue growth Sourcefull-year 20268% to 12%Kept
Free cash flow conversion Sourcefull-year 202650% to 60%Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year adjusted EBITDA guidance was raised to $490 million to $540 million from $475 million to $525 million. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year adjusted EPS guidance was raised to $1.07 to $1.21 from $1.03 to $1.17. Source
  • Guidance kept: Total net revenue growth guidance of 8% to 12% was reiterated, as in the prior quarter. Source
  • Guidance kept: Free cash flow conversion guidance of 50% to 60% was reiterated, as in the prior quarter. Source
  • New: The company reported its largest multi-agency deal in its history, with ServiceNow. Source
  • New: The company reported its first major federal government win and an expanded partnership with Palantir. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue and adjusted EBITDA both rose: Third-quarter revenue was $816 million, up 10% (11% organic). Adjusted EBITDA was $145 million, up 25% on the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Net revenue up 8%, organic 7%: Third-quarter net revenue was $664 million, up 8% (7% organic). Year-to-date net revenue was $1,880 million, up 6% (5% organic). Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose 42%: Third-quarter adjusted diluted EPS was $0.34 against $0.24. Year-to-date adjusted EPS was $0.77 against $0.54. Source
  • Year-to-date revenue up 10%: Year-to-date revenue was $2,306 million, up 10%, with organic growth of 9%. Source

Segment revenue trends

  • Digital Transformation grew 23% organically: Digital Transformation net revenue was $119 million, up 23% organically. Two-year organic stack was 30% and two-year total stack 38%. Source
  • Marketing Services fell organically: Marketing Services net revenue was $218 million, down 7.5% organically and 9.3% in total. Source
  • Media & Commerce down organically: Media & Commerce net revenue was $159 million, down 2.1% organically and 2.3% in total. Source

“Results through the first three quarters give us the confidence to raise our adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EPS guidance today”

Ryan Greene, Chief Financial Officer

Products and customers

  • Enterprise technology bookings above target: Enterprise technology products contracted to date reached $59 million, more than double the initial FY26 target. Source
  • Management credits software and transformation: Management said software products, including the agentic Stagwell Machines, and the Digital Transformation segment are driving the business as it shifts from marketing services. Source
  • Marketing Cloud up 108% organically: The Marketing Cloud net revenue was $56 million, an organic increase of 108% versus the prior-year quarter. Source

Costs, margins and operating income

  • Adjusted EBITDA margin at 22%: Adjusted EBITDA margin was 22% on net revenue for the quarter and 18% year to date. Source
  • Office and general expenses rose: Office and general expenses were $206.9 million against $166.4 million. Cost of services was $511.7 million against $470.9 million. Source
  • Operating income declined year over year: Operating income was $48.1 million against $60.9 million. Year-to-date operating income was $69.2 million against $102.4 million. Source
  • Stock-based compensation more than doubled: Stock-based compensation was $28.9 million in the quarter against $12.6 million in the prior-year quarter. Source

Demand and the order book

  • Net new business $168 million in quarter: Third-quarter net new business was $168 million, against $171 million in the second quarter. Last-twelve-month net new business rose to $586 million from $540 million. Source
  • Net new business definition: The company defines net new business as estimated annualized revenue from new wins, less annualized revenue lost in the period. Source
  • Communications growth tied to political cycle: Communications net revenue was $124 million in the third quarter, up 20% organically. In the prior quarter, management tied Communications growth to the political cycle ramping up.

Cash flow, leverage and returns

  • Operating cash flow up 396%: Year-to-date net cash provided by operating activities was $152 million, against $31 million in the prior year period. Source
  • Free cash flow up 227%: Year-to-date free cash flow was $52 million, up 227%. The company defines free cash flow as operating cash flow less capital expenditures and capitalized software. Source
  • Net leverage at 2.7x: Net leverage was 2.7x, a 0.7x improvement year over year and the lowest third-quarter ratio the company has reported. Source
  • Share repurchases lower year over year: Shares repurchased and cancelled totaled $90.7 million year to date, against $105.2 million a year earlier. Third-quarter basic weighted shares were 244.7 million against 256.0 million. Source

Investment and funding

  • Capitalized software spending higher: Year-to-date capitalized software was $75.9 million against $45.3 million. Capital expenditures were $27.4 million against $26.3 million. Source
  • Revolver net borrowings in period: Year-to-date revolver borrowings were $1,619.8 million and repayments were $1,533.4 million. Long-term debt was $1,414.6 million at September 30, 2026. Source
  • Guidance includes acquisitions and dispositions: Management said its guidance includes the anticipated impact of acquisitions or dispositions. Source

GAAP earnings and adjustments

  • Net income attributable lower in quarter: Net income attributable to Stagwell common shareholders was $18 million against $25 million. Year to date the company reported a net loss of $3 million against income of $16 million. Source
  • Diluted EPS $0.07 against $0.09: Third-quarter diluted EPS was $0.07 against $0.09. Year-to-date diluted loss per share was $(0.01) against diluted EPS of $0.04. Source
  • GAAP tax rate above non-GAAP rate: Income tax expense was $10.9 million at a 37.7% effective rate on a GAAP basis, against 26.5% on a non-GAAP basis. The company attributes the difference to the tax impact of non-GAAP adjustments. Source
  • Amortization largest non-GAAP adjustment: Third-quarter amortization of $42.9 million was the largest of the adjustments that take GAAP net income to adjusted net income. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Net new business, third quarter Source$168 million
Net new business, last twelve months Source$586 million
Enterprise technology products contracted to date Source$59 million

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said the company more than doubled its initial enterprise technology bookings goal for the year. Source
  • Not stated: In the prior quarter management expected double-digit growth in the second half, with most of it organic. This release does not restate the status.

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.