GET DAILY SIGNALSSAP (SAP) Hits Record €10.27 Billion Quarter on +13% Revenue Growth
Key Takeaways
- SAP crossed €10 billion in total quarterly revenue for the first time, reporting €10.27 billion, up 13% year over year.
- Cloud revenue rose 26% to €6.67 billion, while current cloud backlog grew 28% to €24.1 billion, signaling sustained demand.
- Non-IFRS earnings per share came in at €1.89, ahead of consensus estimates, on non-IFRS operating profit of €3.03 billion, up 18%.
- Management narrowed its 2026 cloud revenue outlook toward the upper end of its guidance range while reaffirming operating profit targets.
- Free cash flow surged 36% to €1.72 billion, and American depositary receipts (ADRs) rose more than 4% in after-hours trading.
Why This Quarter Matters
SAP’s third-quarter 2026 report carries outsized weight for investors because it tests whether the company’s multi-year shift to cloud software and artificial intelligence is still compounding. As Europe’s largest software maker, SAP has staked its growth story on its Cloud ERP Suite and Business AI offerings, and the market watches its current cloud backlog (contracted revenue expected over the next twelve months) as a leading indicator of future sales. The quarter also matters because prior periods saw margin pressure from higher costs, making this print a key check on whether SAP can grow revenue and profit simultaneously. A beat on both top-line momentum and profitability reinforces confidence in the scalability of its business model.
The Numbers Behind the Results
SAP reported third-quarter 2026 total revenue of €10.27 billion, up 13% year over year (12% at constant currencies), topping the roughly €10.10 billion analysts had expected and marking the first time the company exceeded €10 billion in a single quarter. Cloud revenue climbed 26% to €6.67 billion, with Cloud ERP Suite revenue up 29%, while current cloud backlog reached €24.1 billion, up 28% (26% at constant currencies). I also checked this using Tickeron’s AI Screener to see how the stock compares to others in the industry.
On the bottom line, non-IFRS operating profit (adjusted earnings before interest and taxes, excluding special items) rose 18% to €3.03 billion, surpassing expectations of about €2.94 billion and lifting the non-IFRS operating margin to 29.5%. Non-IFRS earnings per share came in at €1.89, up 19% from €1.59 a year earlier and ahead of the consensus estimate of €1.83. IFRS net profit grew 11% to €2.27 billion, or €1.96 per share.
Management updated its full-year outlook, saying 2026 cloud revenue is expected to reach the upper end of its €25.8 billion to €26.2 billion range at constant currencies, while reaffirming non-IFRS operating profit guidance of €11.8 billion to €12.2 billion. Cloud and software revenue is now projected at approximately €36.3 billion to €36.8 billion.
How the Market Responded
SAP’s American depositary receipts (ADRs) climbed more than 4% in after-hours trading following the release, reflecting investor enthusiasm for results that beat expectations on revenue, earnings per share, and cloud backlog. The market’s focus centered on the current cloud backlog, which grew 26% at constant currencies and held the pace of the prior quarter, easing concerns about slowing demand. Investors also responded favorably to the improved cloud revenue outlook and the first-ever quarterly crossing of €10 billion in revenue and €3 billion in non-IFRS operating profit. Sentiment was further supported by disciplined cost controls, which helped expand the operating margin even as the company invested in its AI strategy.
What to Watch Going Forward
Looking ahead, investors will watch whether SAP’s cloud momentum continues into the fourth quarter and whether current cloud backlog growth can sustain its mid-20s percentage pace. Management’s decision to guide full-year cloud revenue toward the upper end of its range suggests confidence in the near-term pipeline, but the company has cautioned that some of the quarter’s growth reflected a catch-up in revenue from customers overcoming prior financial difficulties. That means the underlying, repeatable growth rate will be a key point of scrutiny in the quarters ahead.
Margins remain another focal point. After a period of elevated costs weighed on profitability earlier in the year, SAP’s ability to expand its non-IFRS operating margin while still investing in Business AI and its Joule assistant will be closely monitored. The integration of recent acquisitions, including Reltio, Dremio, and Prior Labs, adds another layer to watch, as these deals contributed a modest revenue bump this quarter and could influence future cloud and data offerings.
Finally, investors should track free cash flow generation and the pace of share repurchases under the company’s multi-year €10 billion buyback program, along with any updates to 2027 targets. Broader enterprise software spending trends and the adoption of AI-driven automation tools will also shape the demand environment as SAP moves through its year-end quarter.
Exploring Tickeron’s AI Tools
In my own research process I often turn to Tickeron’s AI Screener to quickly compare names like SAP against sector peers using technical patterns, fundamentals, and AI signals. It helps surface ideas and monitor trends without spending hours on manual screens, which keeps my workflow efficient when evaluating cloud software names.
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Contributor
Sergey Savastiouk, Ph.D. has a degree in Applied Mathematics from Moscow University and has extensive experience as an entrepreneur, investor, manager, and mathematician. His professional expertise is in applied mathematics, mathematical modeling, system and pattern analysis, and software and hardware system integration. He has served as the CEO of several hi-tech start-up companies and nonprofit organizations, which has given him proven capabilities in business strategy for high-tech start-up companies, market assessment, company formation, team building, product development, marketing, and sales. He has published numerous articles in journals and magazines on related fields. As a retail investor, he spent 15 years developing his proprietary trading and quantitative algorithms (now Tickeron’s A.I.), which brought him significant returns in trading the stock market. His current work and goal in founding Tickeron is to bring professional, sophisticated stock market analysis capabilities to retail investors via an easy-to-use interface.
SAP sees its 50-day moving average cross bullishly above its 200-day moving average
The 50-day moving average for SAP moved above the 200-day moving average on September 17, 2026. This could be a long-term bullish signal for the stock as the stock shifts to an upward trend.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on October 08, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on SAP as a result. In 55 of 86 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 64%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for SAP just turned positive on October 12, 2026. Looking at past instances where SAP's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 33 of 49 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 67%.
Following a +2.09% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where SAP advanced for three days, in 178 of 325 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 55%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The RSI Indicator demonstrates that the ticker has stayed in the overbought zone for 4 days. The longer the ticker stays in the overbought zone, the sooner a price pull-back is expected.
The Stochastic Oscillator demonstrated that the ticker has stayed in the overbought zone for 7 days. The longer the ticker stays in the overbought zone, the sooner a price pull-back is expected.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where SAP declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 54%.
SAP broke above its upper Bollinger Band on October 08, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
The Aroon Indicator for SAP entered a downward trend on October 07, 2026. This could indicate a strong downward move is ahead for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 38 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating steady price growth. SAP’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 49 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 63 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating well-balanced risk and returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 94, placing this stock slightly better than average.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 66 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to average earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 78 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is slightly overvalued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (5.907) is normal, around the industry mean (-1.287). P/E Ratio (34.125) is within average values for comparable stocks, (14.534). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (1.610) is also within normal values, averaging (2.824). Dividend Yield (0.044) settles around the average of (0.074) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (5.653) is also within normal values, averaging (71.128).
The Tickeron Seasonality Score of 85 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is significantly overvalued in the industry. The Tickeron Seasonality score describes the variance of predictable price changes around the same period every calendar year. These changes can be tied to a specific month, quarter, holiday or vacation period, as well as a meteorological or growing season.
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a provider of e-business software solutions
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