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Zebra Technologies Corp.: 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: 4 new, 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales rose 22.3%: Net sales were $1,614 million, up 22.3% from $1,320 million. Organic growth was 11.3%; acquisitions added 8.9 points and currency added 2.1 points. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 22.5%: Adjusted EBITDA was $349 million against $285 million, and was 21.6% of adjusted net sales in both periods. Source
  • Connected Frontline sales rose 34.6%: CF net sales were $949 million, up from $705 million. Organic growth was 15.0%; acquisitions added 17.2 points and currency added 2.4 points. Source
  • Gross margin fell to 45.7%: Gross margin was 45.7% against 48.0%, and adjusted gross margin was 46.0% against 48.2%. The company cited memory component costs and business mix, partly offset by currency. Source
  • Memory supply and pricing actions: Management said memory supply efforts, pricing actions and operating leverage supported growth while adjusted EBITDA margin was held flat year over year. Source
  • Fourth-quarter sales growth 10% to 14%: Fourth-quarter sales growth is expected at 10% to 14% year over year, including about 150 basis points of favorable currency; adjusted EBITDA margin is expected at about 22%. Source
  • Full-year expectations raised: Management said these efforts support the raised full-year expectations; the release does not restate full-year sales growth, margin or EPS ranges. Source
  • Free cash flow of $661 million: Over nine months, operating cash flow was $711 million and capital expenditure was $50 million, giving free cash flow of $661 million. Source

“These results reinforce our confidence in the durability of demand and the strength of our business model as we execute on our strategy to drive profitable growth.”

Bill Burns, Chief Executive Officer of Zebra Technologies

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Fourth-quarter net sales growth Sourcefourth quarter 202610% to 14%New
Fourth-quarter currency effect on sales growth Sourcefourth quarter 2026approximately 150 basis points favorableNew
Fourth-quarter adjusted EBITDA margin Sourcefourth quarter 2026approximately 22%New
Non-GAAP diluted EPS Sourcenot stated; placed after the fourth-quarter items$5.00 to $5.40New
Adjusted effective tax rate Sourcenot stated; applies to the EPS expectationapproximately 19%Kept
Full-year free cash flow Sourcefull year 2026at least $1 billionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year expectations were raised, according to management; the release does not restate the prior full-year ranges. Source
  • New guidance: Fourth-quarter guidance covers sales growth, adjusted EBITDA margin and non-GAAP EPS; the prior release gave third-quarter guidance. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net sales rose 22.3%: Net sales were $1,614 million, up 22.3% from $1,320 million. Organic growth was 11.3%; acquisitions added 8.9 points and currency added 2.1 points. Source
  • Net income and diluted EPS rose: Net income was $164 million, or $3.43 per diluted share, against $101 million, or $1.97, a year earlier. Net income margin was 10.2% against 7.7%. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 22.5%: Adjusted EBITDA was $349 million against $285 million, and was 21.6% of adjusted net sales in both periods. Source
  • Non-GAAP EPS reached $4.95: Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $4.95 against $3.88, up 27.6%. Non-GAAP net income was $237 million against $198 million. Source

Segment results

  • Connected Frontline sales rose 34.6%: CF net sales were $949 million, up from $705 million. Organic growth was 15.0%; acquisitions added 17.2 points and currency added 2.4 points. Source
  • Asset Visibility sales rose 8.1%: AVA net sales were $665 million, up from $615 million. Organic growth was 7.0%, against reported growth of 8.1%. Source
  • Segment operating income rose: Segment operating income, as the company defines it, was $171 million for CF against $132 million, and $158 million for AVA against $136 million. Source

“We repurchased more than $640 million of shares through the first nine months of the year”

Nathan Winters, Chief Financial Officer of Zebra Technologies

Products and customers

  • Elo Touch contributed to double-digit growth: Management said Elo Touch contributed to double-digit growth as customers moved to automate frontline operations. Source
  • Tangible product sales led growth: Tangible products net sales were $1,370 million against $1,081 million; services and software were $244 million against $239 million. Source
  • Portfolio framed as intelligent operations: The company describes its portfolio of connected frontline, asset visibility and automation solutions as the foundation for intelligent operations. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross margin fell to 45.7%: Gross margin was 45.7% against 48.0%, and adjusted gross margin was 46.0% against 48.2%. The company cited memory component costs and business mix, partly offset by currency. Source
  • Segment gross margins both declined: CF gross margin was 43.2% against 46.0%; AVA gross margin was 49.9% against 50.7%. Source
  • Operating costs rose on acquired businesses: Operating expenses were $501 million against $451 million. Adjusted operating expenses were $413 million against $368 million. Source
  • Memory supply and pricing actions: Management said memory supply efforts, pricing actions and operating leverage supported growth while adjusted EBITDA margin was held flat year over year. Source
  • Prior-quarter tariff recoveries cited: The prior release attributed second-quarter gross margin of 53.0% partly to IEEPA tariff recoveries; this release does not cite tariff recoveries.

“We remain confident in the growth drivers supporting our business”

Bill Burns, Chief Executive Officer of Zebra Technologies

Demand and fourth-quarter expectations

  • Fourth-quarter sales growth 10% to 14%: Fourth-quarter sales growth is expected at 10% to 14% year over year, including about 150 basis points of favorable currency; adjusted EBITDA margin is expected at about 22%. Source
  • Full-year expectations raised: Management said these efforts support the raised full-year expectations; the release does not restate full-year sales growth, margin or EPS ranges. Source
  • Demand confidence stated by management: The CEO said management remains confident in the growth drivers behind the business. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Free cash flow of $661 million: Over nine months, operating cash flow was $711 million and capital expenditure was $50 million, giving free cash flow of $661 million. Source
  • Share repurchases of $643 million: Share repurchases were $643 million over nine months, against $284 million a year earlier. Source
  • Diluted share count declined: Diluted weighted average shares were 47,813,188 in the third quarter, against 51,171,119 a year earlier. Source
  • Cash and total debt reported: Cash was $182 million and total debt was $2,578 million at October 3, 2026. Source
  • Current portion of debt rose: Current portion of long-term debt was $2,077 million at October 3, 2026, up from $141 million at December 31, 2025. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Strategy centered on profitable growth: The CEO said the company is executing its strategy to drive profitable growth. Source
  • Cash used for growth and returns: The CFO said cash generation and the balance sheet are being used to invest in growth and return capital to shareholders. Source
  • Automation and Physical AI trends cited: Management said Zebra continues to benefit from trends in automation and Physical AI. Source

Coming up, as management said on 3 November 2026

  • Fourth-quarter sales growth expected: Expected fourth-quarter sales growth is 10% to 14% versus the prior year. Source
  • Full-year free cash flow target: Full-year 2026 free cash flow is expected to be at least $1 billion. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Management cited increased memory component costs as a main reason gross margin fell. Source
  • Operational: Management cited costs of acquired businesses, including amortization of intangible assets, as a driver of higher operating expenses. 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.