ACI Worldwide reported third quarter 2026 revenue of $427 million, exceeding analyst expectations despite an anticipated decline tied to the cyclical timing of high-margin license renewals. Adjusted earnings per share reached $0.54, significantly outperforming estimates, while the company demonstrated strong sales momentum with new annual recurring revenue (ARR) bookings rising 86%.
Key Highlights
- Total revenue beat the $421.9 million estimate, though it fell 12% year-over-year due to the planned concentration of software renewals in the fourth quarter.
- Management raised full year 2026 Adjusted EBITDA guidance to a range of $550–$565 million, up from the previous range of $545–$560 million.
- New ARR bookings surged 86% to $24 million, reflecting healthy demand across both Payment Software and Biller segments.
- Strategic progress continued with the first successful go-live of the cloud-native ACI Connetic platform and the acquisition of Cranium Ventures to add multi-rail switching microservices.
- Capital return remained aggressive, with $157 million in shares repurchased year-to-date, representing roughly 60% of year-to-date operating cash flow.