Founded in 1981, Blackbaud provides software solutions designed to serve the “social good” community, including nonprofits, foundations, corporations, educational institutions, healthcare institutions, and individual change agents... Show more
Blackbaud is a leading software provider for social-impact organizations, serving nonprofits, foundations, education institutions, and healthcare organizations. Its third-quarter 2026 report matters because it tests whether the company can keep delivering a balanced financial profile, pairing steady recurring revenue with expanding profitability and cash flow. In recent quarters, Blackbaud has leaned on efficiency gains, a fast-growing payments business, and an aggressive share repurchase program. Investors are watching organic growth, customer retention, and early traction in artificial intelligence (AI) products, all of which shape the company's ability to sustain double-digit EPS growth while navigating a larger 2026 contract renewal cycle.
Blackbaud reported GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) revenue of $292.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2026, up 4.1% from $281.1 million a year earlier. GAAP net income was $46.1 million, with diluted EPS of $1.02.
On a non-GAAP basis, which management emphasizes for comparability, diluted EPS increased 24% to $1.36, ahead of consensus estimates of about $1.32 to $1.33. Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA climbed to $111 million, representing a 38% margin. Free cash flow was a standout at $126 million, coming in above the company's expectations.
Recurring revenue remained the core of the business, representing 98.1% of total revenue at $287.0 million. Management reaffirmed its full-year 2026 outlook, signaling results in the upper half of guidance ranges for revenue and adjusted EBITDA, and at or above the high end for EPS and free cash flow.
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Despite the earnings beat, Blackbaud shares slipped roughly 2% following the report, reflecting a market more focused on the pace of top-line growth than on profitability. Investors appeared to weigh the company's 4.1% revenue expansion against its increasingly rich margin and cash-flow profile, signaling some caution about how quickly AI products and payments can accelerate growth. Sentiment heading into the report had been constructive after several consecutive EPS beats, but the stock's reaction suggests the bar has risen for a clearer reacceleration in organic revenue, even as the bottom line continues to impress.
Blackbaud reaffirmed its 2026 guidance, which calls for GAAP revenue of $1.173 billion to $1.179 billion, non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA of $430 million to $438 million, non-GAAP diluted EPS of $5.15 to $5.25, and non-GAAP free cash flow of $280 million to $290 million. Management now expects to finish in the upper half of these ranges for revenue and EBITDA, with EPS and free cash flow at or above the high end.
Investors should watch three areas. First, the company's new AI offerings, including the Platform for Good and Lantern, a fundraising-focused language model built with Databricks, are not expected to contribute meaningfully to 2026 revenue but represent potential upside over time. Second, Blackbaud's 2026 renewal cohort is roughly 40% larger than 2025, creating a near-term headwind to retention metrics that management expects to normalize by the end of 2027.
Finally, capital returns remain a key theme. The company had about $832 million remaining under its repurchase program and has reduced shares outstanding by roughly 16% since late 2023. Longer-term, Blackbaud is targeting 4% to 6% annual organic revenue growth and 6% to 8% adjusted EBITDA growth through 2030, with a 40%-plus EBITDA margin and double-digit EPS growth.
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a provider of software and related services for non-profit organizations
Industry PackagedSoftware