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Clear Secure, Inc.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 6 November 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 2 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue and bookings both grew: Revenue was $229.2 million, up 15.5%, slower than the 17.5% growth in the prior release. Total Bookings were $260.1 million, up 14.3%. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin reached 30.6%: Adjusted EBITDA was $70.1 million, a 30.6% margin, against $48.6 million and a 24.5% margin in the third quarter of 2024. Source
  • Active CLEAR+ Members at 7.7 million: Active CLEAR+ Members were 7.683 million, up 7.5% year over year and up 57 thousand sequentially, after 211 thousand added in the second quarter. Source
  • Gross dollar retention declined: Annual CLEAR+ Gross Dollar Retention was 86.9%, down 0.4 points sequentially and down 2.1% year over year as shown in the table. Source
  • Operating cash flow negative in quarter: Net cash used in operating activities was $47.3 million and free cash flow was negative $53.5 million. Both figures reflect the annual payment to the credit card partner. Source
  • CLEAR1 signed record enterprise customers: Management said CLEAR1 had a record number of new enterprise customers signed in the quarter. The release does not give a count. Source

“It is an incredibly important time to be a secure identity company, as cyber security breaches and fraud are reaching all-time highs.”

Caryn Seidman Becker, CLEAR's CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue SourceFourth quarter 2025$234-237 millionNew
Total Bookings SourceFourth quarter 2025$265-270 millionNew
Free Cash Flow SourceFull year 2025at least $320 millionRaised from at least $310 million

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2025 Free Cash Flow guidance raised from at least $310 million to at least $320 million. Source
  • New guidance: Fourth quarter 2025 revenue and Total Bookings ranges were given for the first time in this release. Source
  • Guidance kept: Full-year 2025 Adjusted EBITDA margin expansion guidance was reaffirmed, as in the prior release. Source
  • New: CLEAR+ for international travelers in the U.S. now covers over 40 countries. The prior release had expected expansion from four countries that week. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue and bookings both grew: Revenue was $229.2 million, up 15.5%, slower than the 17.5% growth in the prior release. Total Bookings were $260.1 million, up 14.3%. Source
  • Operating income and margin reported: Operating income was $52.6 million, a 23.0% operating margin. Net income was $45.1 million, a 19.7% net income margin. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin reached 30.6%: Adjusted EBITDA was $70.1 million, a 30.6% margin, against $48.6 million and a 24.5% margin in the third quarter of 2024. Source
  • Diluted EPS of $0.29 for Class A: Net income per diluted share was $0.29 for Class A, against $0.25 a year earlier. Nine-month diluted EPS for Class A was $0.81. Source

Members, retention and usage

  • Active CLEAR+ Members at 7.7 million: Active CLEAR+ Members were 7.683 million, up 7.5% year over year and up 57 thousand sequentially, after 211 thousand added in the second quarter. Source
  • Gross dollar retention declined: Annual CLEAR+ Gross Dollar Retention was 86.9%, down 0.4 points sequentially and down 2.1% year over year as shown in the table. Source
  • Member usage held at 7.0x: Annual CLEAR+ Member Usage was 7.0x, unchanged sequentially and down 2.7% year over year. Source
  • Enrollments and platform uses grew: Total Cumulative Enrollments reached 35.8 million, up 35.1%. Total Cumulative Platform Uses reached 280.3 million, up 27.2% year over year. Source

“The trusted CLEAR brand is resonating across CLEAR Travel and CLEAR1 Members, enterprise customers and partners.”

Caryn Seidman Becker, CLEAR's CEO

Airports, products and reach

  • Airport and PreCheck footprint grew: At September 30, 2025 the company reported 60 CLEAR+ airports, 4 domestic CLEAR Mobile airports and 328 TSA PreCheck enrollment locations, up from 59, 4 and 231 at June 30. Source
  • CLEAR Concierge offered at 23 airports: CLEAR Concierge, a premium on-demand airport service, is now offered at 23 airports. The prior release said it launched in July 2025. Source
  • International CLEAR+ coverage over 40 countries: CLEAR+ for international travelers in the U.S. now covers over 40 countries as of the release date. Source
  • Membership base over 36 million: The company describes over 36 million Members and a growing network of partners across the world, up from over 33 million in the prior release. Source

Costs and profitability

  • Revenue share and labor costs rose: Cost of revenue share fee was $31.7 million and direct salaries and benefits were $47.7 million, against $28.6 million and $44.8 million a year earlier. Source
  • General and administrative was largest cost: General and administrative expense was $58.8 million, against $53.9 million. Research and development was $18.0 million and sales and marketing $12.9 million. Source
  • Income tax expense increased: Income tax expense was $15.7 million, against $4.8 million a year earlier. Net income margin was 19.7%, against 19.2% in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Non-controlling interests took a share: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests was $16.9 million. Net income attributable to Clear Secure, Inc. was $28.3 million. Source

Cash flow, balance sheet and capital returns

  • Operating cash flow negative in quarter: Net cash used in operating activities was $47.3 million and free cash flow was negative $53.5 million. Both figures reflect the annual payment to the credit card partner. Source
  • Nine-month free cash flow reported: Nine-month free cash flow was $155.7 million, against $149.8 million a year earlier. The nine-month figures include the quarter's negative result. Source
  • Cash and marketable securities held: Cash and cash equivalents were $75.8 million and marketable securities $454.9 million at September 30, 2025, against $66.9 million and $542.6 million at December 31, 2024. Source
  • Quarterly returns of $16.7 million: About $16.7 million was returned to shareholders in the quarter, tied to the regular $0.125 quarterly dividend and distributions. Source
  • Nine-month repurchases of $126.3 million: Repurchases of Class A Common Stock were $126.3 million in the nine months, against $225.2 million a year earlier. Source

Demand, enterprise and strategy

  • CLEAR1 signed record enterprise customers: Management said CLEAR1 had a record number of new enterprise customers signed in the quarter. The release does not give a count. Source
  • Bookings framed as leading indicator: Management describes Total Bookings as an important measure of current health and growth and as a leading indicator of the business. Source
  • Deferred revenue higher than year-end: Deferred revenue was $469.8 million at September 30, 2025, against $439.8 million at December 31, 2024. Accrued liabilities were $154.5 million, down from $303.9 million at June 30. Source
  • Secure identity framed around fraud: Management frames the company as a secure identity business at a time when cyber breaches and fraud are at all-time highs. Source
  • Privacy stance restated: The release states that Members control their own information and that the company does not sell biometric or sensitive personal data. Source

Coming up, as management said on 6 November 2025

  • Dividend payable December 24: The Board declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.125 per share, payable December 24, 2025 to holders of record on December 10, 2025. Source
  • EGates to expand to 30 airports: eGates launched at 10 airports. Plans call for expansion to 30 airports by year end and network-wide coverage in 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Total Bookings Source$260.1 million, up 14.3%
Active CLEAR+ Members Source7.7 million, up 7.5%
Annual CLEAR+ Gross Dollar Retention Source86.9%
Annual CLEAR+ Member Usage Source7.0x
Total Cumulative Enrollments Source35.8 million, up 35.1%
Total Cumulative Platform Uses Source280.3 million, up 27.2%

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management reaffirmed full-year 2025 Adjusted EBITDA margin expansion. The release gives no numeric target. Source
  • Not stated: The prior release expected this expansion that week. The current release reports coverage of over 40 countries as of the release date.
  • Not stated: The prior release expected this launch within the month. The current release does not mention CLEAR ID.

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.