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Upstart Holdings, Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 3 November 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 2 lowered. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Originations and revenue both rose: Originations were $4.1 billion, up 44% year-over-year. Total revenue was $371 million, up 34%, and revenue from fees was $364 million, up 41%. Source
  • Contribution Profit set an all-time high: Contribution Profit reached $218 million, up 48% year-over-year. Contribution Margin was 60%, against 57% a year earlier. Source
  • Secured products turned margin positive: Secured (auto and home) combined Contribution Margin was 17%, up from negative 35% in Q2 2026 and negative 179% in Q3 2025. Source
  • Borrower acquisition costs climbed: Borrower acquisition costs were $91.2 million, against $67.3 million, and borrower verification and servicing costs were $54.9 million, against $43.9 million. Source
  • Contribution Margin up, EBITDA margin down: Contribution Margin was 60%, against 57%. Adjusted EBITDA Margin was 24%, down from 26% in Q3 2025. Source
  • Macro pressure on near-term expectations: Management said macroeconomic conditions are putting pressure on near-term expectations, while citing progress in technology and marketing. Source

““Macro comes and goes, but alpha compounds,” said Paul Gu, Co-founder and CEO of Upstart.”

Paul Gu, Co-founder and CEO of Upstart

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue from fees Sourcefull-year 2026approximately $1.32 billionRaised from approximately $1.3 billion
Total revenue Sourcefull-year 2026approximately $1.35 billionLowered from approximately $1.4 billion
Adjusted EBITDA (margin % of total revenue) Sourcefull-year 2026approximately $260 million (19%)Lowered from approximately $294 million (21%)

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 revenue from fees guidance moved from about $1.3 billion to about $1.32 billion. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year 2026 total revenue guidance moved from about $1.4 billion to about $1.35 billion.
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year 2026 Adjusted EBITDA guidance moved from about $294 million (21%) to about $260 million (19%). Source
  • New: Adjusted EBITDA now includes interest expense from warehouse and risk retention facilities; the second-quarter release named corporate debt and warehouse credit facilities. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Originations and revenue both rose: Originations were $4.1 billion, up 44% year-over-year. Total revenue was $371 million, up 34%, and revenue from fees was $364 million, up 41%. Source
  • Contribution Profit set an all-time high: Contribution Profit reached $218 million, up 48% year-over-year. Contribution Margin was 60%, against 57% a year earlier. Source
  • Net income and diluted EPS increased: Net income was $36.6 million, up 15% from $31.8 million. Diluted EPS was $0.33, compared with $0.23. Income from operations was $36.0 million, against $23.7 million. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 26 percent: Adjusted EBITDA was $89.3 million, up 26% from $71.2 million a year earlier. Source

Segments and product categories

  • Unsecured margin rose to 64%: Unsecured revenue from fees was $330 million, up 30%. Unsecured Contribution Profit was $212 million, up 35%, with Contribution Margin at 64%. Source
  • Secured products turned margin positive: Secured (auto and home) combined Contribution Margin was 17%, up from negative 35% in Q2 2026 and negative 179% in Q3 2025. Source
  • Unsecured originations rose to $3.53 billion: Unsecured Lending originations were $3.53 billion, up from $2.65 billion a year earlier, and the Unsecured Lending loan count reached 549,415. Source

“In Q3, our technology and marketing advances helped drive record Contribution Profit, our secured products reached positive Contribution Margin a quarter ahead of plan, and we supported platform growth with proportionately less equity capital.”

Paul Gu, Co-founder and CEO of Upstart

Products and customers

  • Other originations rose to $586 million: Other originations (Auto Lending and Other segments) were $586 million, from $200 million, with 24,674 loans from 7,967. Source
  • Automation held near prior level: Percentage of loans fully automated was 90%, against 91% a year earlier. More than 90% of loans are fully automated, with no human intervention by Upstart. Source
  • Bank partner network above 100: Upstart connects consumers to more than 100 banks and credit unions, according to the company description. Source

Costs, margins and interest

  • Borrower acquisition costs climbed: Borrower acquisition costs were $91.2 million, against $67.3 million, and borrower verification and servicing costs were $54.9 million, against $43.9 million. Source
  • Engineering and G&A spending rose: Engineering and product development expense was $92.7 million, against $64.0 million. General, administrative, and other expense was $76.5 million, against $60.8 million. Source
  • Contribution Margin up, EBITDA margin down: Contribution Margin was 60%, against 57%. Adjusted EBITDA Margin was 24%, down from 26% in Q3 2025. Source
  • Interest and fair value line declined: Total interest income, interest expense and fair value adjustments, net was $6.5 million, against $18.6 million a year earlier. Source
  • Dividend income and note expense reclassified: Dividend income on certain cash accounts and convertible note expense now sit in interest income and interest expense, previously in other income, net. Source

“Macro is putting pressure on our near-term outlook, but the progress we’re making gives me more confidence than ever in Upstart’s long-term potential.”

Paul Gu, Co-founder and CEO of Upstart

Demand and funnel

  • Macro pressure on near-term expectations: Management said macroeconomic conditions are putting pressure on near-term expectations, while citing progress in technology and marketing. Source
  • Loans originated rose 34%: Loans originated were 574,089, against 428,056 a year earlier, up 34%. Source
  • Conversion Rate fell to 18.6%: Conversion Rate was 18.6%, against 19.4% a year earlier, using the revised definition. Source

Capital, cash and returns

  • Cash balance lower than December: Cash and cash equivalents were $461.5 million at September 30, 2026, against $652.4 million at December 31, 2025. Restricted cash was $667.0 million. Source
  • Borrowings rose to $2.03 billion: Borrowings were $2.03 billion at September 30, 2026, against $1.83 billion at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Nine-month buybacks totaled $100.1 million: Nine-month cash flows show $100.1 million of stock repurchases, the same figure reported for the six months in the second-quarter release. Source
  • Operating cash outflow grew: Net cash used in operating activities was $289.7 million for the nine months, against $256.3 million a year earlier. Source
  • Diluted share count rose: Diluted weighted-average shares were 125.4 million for the quarter, against 109.7 million a year earlier. Source
  • Equipment purchases rose; software fell: Nine-month purchases of property and equipment were $5.7 million, against $0.2 million. Capitalized software costs were $13.0 million, against $14.3 million. Source

Coming up, as management said on 3 November 2026

  • Conversion Rate reporting ends: Management intends to stop reporting Conversion Rate beginning in the first quarter of 2027. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Originations, Number of Loans Source574,089
Originations, Dollars Source$4,117,800 thousand
Percentage of Loans Fully Automated Source90%

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management said macroeconomic conditions are putting pressure on near-term expectations. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said the secured products reached positive Contribution Margin a quarter earlier than planned. Source
  • Not stated: The second-quarter release said full-year 2026 guidance continued; this release gives revised figures.

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.