GET DAILY SIGNALSVericel (VCEL) Posts Strong Q3 2026 Results with +26% Revenue Growth and Guidance Raise
Key Takeaways
- Vericel posted third quarter 2026 total revenue of $85.4 million, up 26% year over year and above the roughly $79.5 million consensus estimate.
- Diluted earnings per share (EPS) came in at $0.27, far surpassing the approximately $0.06 consensus and the $0.10 reported a year earlier.
- MACI revenue reached $67.4 million (up 21%), while Burn Care revenue surged 52% to a record $18 million.
- GAAP net income nearly tripled to $14.2 million, and adjusted EBITDA rose 48% to $25.2 million, a 30% margin.
- Management raised full-year 2026 revenue guidance to $344–$346 million, its third consecutive quarterly increase.
Why Vericel’s Q3 Report Matters
Vericel’s third quarter 2026 results provide a useful test of whether its two main commercial products — MACI for knee cartilage repair and the Burn Care portfolio — can maintain the growth and margin expansion that investors have followed. After 22% revenue growth in the second quarter, the latest period showed an acceleration to 26%, supported by both franchises. With management lifting its full-year outlook for the third straight quarter, the report gives insight into demand trends, profitability leverage, and progress toward longer-term targets.
Key Numbers from the Quarter
Vericel reported third quarter 2026 total revenue of $85.4 million, a 26% increase from $67.5 million a year earlier and well above its guidance range. MACI revenue grew 21% to $67.4 million, its sixth consecutive quarter of 20%-plus growth. Burn Care revenue rose 52% to a record $18 million, with Epicel up 23% to $12.7 million and commercial NexoBrid up 54% to $2.3 million, plus $3 million in NexoBrid procurement revenue under the BARDA agreement.
Profitability improved notably. GAAP net income jumped 179% to $14.2 million, or $0.27 per diluted share, compared with $0.10 a year ago. Adjusted EBITDA increased 48% to $25.2 million at a 30% margin, while gross margin stayed above 73%. The company produced roughly $18 million in operating cash flow and $16 million in free cash flow, finishing the quarter with $236 million in cash and investments and no debt.
Given the results, management raised full-year 2026 revenue guidance to $344–$346 million from the prior $330–$340 million range, lifted MACI guidance to $290–$292 million, and improved its adjusted EBITDA margin outlook. I also checked this using Tickeron’s AI Screener to see how the stock compares to others in the industry.
Market Reaction Following the Release
Shares of VCEL rose roughly 13% on November 5, 2026, after the report, showing investor interest in the top- and bottom-line beat along with the third consecutive guidance increase. The EPS surprise was especially large, with $0.27 well ahead of consensus. At the same time, Burn Care revenue drove much of the quarter’s performance, and the fourth-quarter framework suggested a possible sequential decline, highlighting the variable nature of catastrophic burn volumes. Sentiment before the report had been more cautious, so the beat-and-raise stood out as a positive development even with some open questions about the durability of the gains.
Forward Outlook and Areas to Watch
Looking ahead, attention will turn to whether Vericel can turn positive leading indicators into continued growth. MACI biopsies rose each quarter in 2026, and October was the strongest biopsy month since launch, which could support implant volumes into 2027. The growing MACI sales force and wider use of MACI Arthro remain important parts of the story.
Burn Care visibility will also matter. Epicel and NexoBrid posted record quarters, yet catastrophic burn volumes are hard to predict, and BARDA procurement revenue depends on orders rather than steady demand. Management noted that initial 2027 guidance will likely start conservatively near consensus levels.
Investors should also track international expansion and new indications. Vericel is aiming for a potential MACI launch in the United Kingdom in the second half of 2027 and continues work on a possible MACI ankle indication. Progress on these fronts, along with gross margin movement toward the mid-70s, should influence the next stage of growth.
Exploring AI Tools for Stock Analysis
When reviewing earnings like these, I often use Tickeron’s AI Screener to quickly filter for comparable companies and technical signals. It helps surface ideas based on fundamentals, patterns, and performance metrics without manual effort, which can be useful when building context around a single stock’s results.
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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.
VCEL in upward trend: price rose above 50-day moving average on November 03, 2026
VCEL moved above its 50-day moving average on November 03, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend. In 51 of 60 similar past instances, the stock price increased further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 85%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Stochastic Oscillator suggests the stock price trend may be in a reversal from a downward trend to an upward trend. 58 of 71 cases where VCEL's Stochastic Oscillator exited the oversold zone resulted in an increase in price. Tickeron's analysis proposes that the odds of a continued upward trend are 82%.
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on October 20, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on VCEL as a result. In 80 of 99 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 81%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for VCEL just turned positive on November 04, 2026. Looking at past instances where VCEL's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 43 of 53 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 81%.
The 10-day moving average for VCEL crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on October 23, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 15 of 18 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 83%.
Following a +26.02% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where VCEL advanced for three days, in 218 of 281 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 78%.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In 165 of 225 cases where VCEL Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are 73%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The RSI Indicator demonstrated that the stock has entered the overbought zone. This may point to a price pull-back soon.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where VCEL 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 72%.
VCEL broke above its upper Bollinger Band on November 04, 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.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 41 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating steady price growth. VCEL’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Seasonality Score of 50 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued 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.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 78 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating slightly better than average sales and a considerably 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 PE Growth Rating for this company is 93 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to worse than 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 96 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is significantly 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 (7.165) is normal, around the industry mean (2.788). VCEL has a moderately high P/E Ratio (105.673) as compared to the industry average of (-0.376). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (0.040) is also within normal values, averaging (9.059). Dividend Yield (0.000) settles around the average of (133.911) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (6.887) is also within normal values, averaging (440.869).
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 98 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating that the returns do not compensate for the risks. VCEL’s unstable profits reported over time resulted in significant Drawdowns within these last five years. A stable profit reduces stock drawdown and volatility. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 94, placing this stock worse than average.
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General Information
a developer of patient-specific expanded cellular therapies for use in the treatment of patients with diseases
Industry Biotechnology
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