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Unity Software Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 7 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 5 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue up 17%, adjusted EBITDA margin 27%: Total revenue was $508 million, up 17%. Adjusted EBITDA was $138 million, a 27% margin against 19% a year earlier. Management attributed the improvement to higher revenue and continued cost control. Source
  • Revenue and EBITDA above prior guidance: The February release guided first-quarter revenue to $480 million to $490 million and adjusted EBITDA to $105 million to $110 million. Reported revenue was $508 million and adjusted EBITDA $138 million.
  • Grow Solutions up 24%: Grow Solutions revenue was $352 million, up 24%. Strategic Grow revenue was $278.7 million, up 49%. Source
  • Unity Vector drove Grow growth: Management attributed Grow growth to the Unity Ad Network, driven by Unity Vector, partly offset by lower ironSource Ad Network revenue. Source
  • Operating costs down as share of revenue: Adjusted R&D was 30% of revenue against 32%, sales and marketing 18% against 21%, and G&A 7% against 10%. Adjusted R&D dollars rose to $152.1 million from $139.9 million. Source
  • GAAP net loss of $347 million: GAAP net loss was $347 million, a (68)% margin, against $78 million, (18)%, a year earlier. Basic and diluted loss per share was $0.80 against $0.19. Source
  • Impairments tied to sunset and divestiture: The net loss includes $279 million of impairment charges from the ironSource Ads Network sunset and the planned Supersonic divestiture. Source
  • Free cash flow $66 million: Free cash flow was $66 million, against $7 million in the first quarter of 2025. Operating cash flow was $71 million against $13 million. Source

“We are delivering exceptional revenue growth and margin expansion while executing on the most exciting product roadmap in Unity’s history,”

Matt Bromberg, President & CEO of Unity

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Total revenue Sourcesecond quarter 2026$505 million to $515 millionNew
Strategic revenue Sourcesecond quarter 2026$455 million to $465 million, up 29% - 32%New
Strategic Grow revenue Sourcesecond quarter 2026$302 million to $306 million, up 50% - 52%New
Strategic Create revenue Sourcesecond quarter 2026$154 million to $158 million, up 11% - 14%New
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcesecond quarter 2026$130 million to $135 million, up 44% - 49%New

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Second-quarter 2026 guidance given for total revenue, strategic revenue, Strategic Grow, Strategic Create and adjusted EBITDA. Source
  • Ended: The ironSource Ad network was sunset effective April 30, 2026. Source
  • New: Management plans to divest the Supersonic game publishing business. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue up 17%, adjusted EBITDA margin 27%: Total revenue was $508 million, up 17%. Adjusted EBITDA was $138 million, a 27% margin against 19% a year earlier. Management attributed the improvement to higher revenue and continued cost control. Source
  • Revenue and EBITDA above prior guidance: The February release guided first-quarter revenue to $480 million to $490 million and adjusted EBITDA to $105 million to $110 million. Reported revenue was $508 million and adjusted EBITDA $138 million.
  • Adjusted EPS was $0.23: Adjusted EPS was $0.23 against $0.24 in the first quarter of 2025. The adjusted EPS calculation used 485.5 million diluted shares. Source

Segments and revenue lines

  • Grow Solutions up 24%: Grow Solutions revenue was $352 million, up 24%. Strategic Grow revenue was $278.7 million, up 49%. Source
  • Create Solutions up 4%: Create Solutions revenue was $157 million, up 4%, with subscription growth partly offset by lower cloud and hosting services revenue. Strategic Create revenue was $153.7 million, up 15%. Source
  • Strategic revenue up 35%: Total strategic revenue was $432 million, up 35%, and made up most of total revenue of $508 million. Source
  • Non-strategic revenue fell 34%: Non-strategic revenue was $75.8 million, down 34% from $114.8 million, consisting primarily of the ironSource Ad network and the Supersonic publishing business. Source

“More games, more creators, and more game discovery are all fueling the growth in our business”

Matt Bromberg, President & CEO of Unity

Vector and product roadmap

  • Unity Vector drove Grow growth: Management attributed Grow growth to the Unity Ad Network, driven by Unity Vector, partly offset by lower ironSource Ad Network revenue. Source
  • Vector share in prior release: The prior release said Unity Vector represented 56% of Grow Solutions revenue in the fourth quarter of 2025, with mid-teen sequential growth.

Costs and margins

  • GAAP gross margin fell to 31%: GAAP cost of revenue was 69% of revenue against 26% a year earlier, including $226.5 million of impairment charges in cost of revenue. Adjusted gross margin was 82%, unchanged. Source
  • Operating costs down as share of revenue: Adjusted R&D was 30% of revenue against 32%, sales and marketing 18% against 21%, and G&A 7% against 10%. Adjusted R&D dollars rose to $152.1 million from $139.9 million. Source
  • Restructuring costs fell: Restructuring and reorganization costs were $6.9 million against $20.3 million a year earlier. Source
  • Stock-based compensation lower: Stock-based compensation in the adjusted EBITDA reconciliation was $76.9 million against $95.3 million a year earlier. Source

GAAP loss and impairments

  • GAAP net loss of $347 million: GAAP net loss was $347 million, a (68)% margin, against $78 million, (18)%, a year earlier. Basic and diluted loss per share was $0.80 against $0.19. Source
  • Impairments tied to sunset and divestiture: The net loss includes $279 million of impairment charges from the ironSource Ads Network sunset and the planned Supersonic divestiture. Source
  • Amortization of intangibles rose: Amortization of intangible assets was $117.4 million against $85.7 million a year earlier, within the adjusted EBITDA reconciliation. Source

Second-quarter guidance

  • Second-quarter revenue range given: Management gave second-quarter total revenue of $505 million to $515 million, with strategic revenue of $455 million to $465 million. Source
  • Strategic Grow guided up 50% to 52%: Strategic Grow revenue is guided to $302 million to $306 million, up 50% to 52% year-over-year. Source
  • Strategic Create growth excludes one-time item: Strategic Create growth guidance of 11% to 14% excludes a $12 million one-time revenue item recorded in second quarter 2025. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA guided up 44% to 49%: Second-quarter adjusted EBITDA is guided to $130 million to $135 million, with growth of 44% to 49% year-over-year. Source

Cash, debt and free cash flow

  • Free cash flow $66 million: Free cash flow was $66 million, against $7 million in the first quarter of 2025. Operating cash flow was $71 million against $13 million. Source
  • Cash balance rose $82 million: Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash were $2,146 million at March 31, 2026, up $82 million from December 31, 2025, mainly from operations. Source
  • Convertible notes on balance sheet: The current portion of convertible notes was $556.8 million, and non-current convertible notes were $1,679.6 million at March 31, 2026. Source
  • Shares outstanding rose to 436.4 million: Shares issued and outstanding were 436.4 million at March 31, 2026, against 432.9 million at December 31, 2025. Option and ESPP proceeds were $11.6 million. Source

Coming up, as management said on 7 May 2026

  • Second-quarter adjusted EBITDA guidance: Second-quarter adjusted EBITDA is guided to $130 million to $135 million, the next guidance given in the release. Source
  • Supersonic divestiture planned: Management intends to divest the Supersonic game publishing business. The release gives no closing date or buyer. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Subscription revenue Sourceincrease cited, no amount given

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The prior release gave first-quarter adjusted EBITDA guidance. The current release does not state whether it was met.
  • Not stated: Management expects to become GAAP profitable by the fourth quarter of 2026. The release does not give status against this plan. 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.