GET DAILY SIGNALSBlock (SQ) Delivers Q3 2026 Earnings Beat with Raised Full-Year Outlook
Key Takeaways
- Block reported third-quarter 2026 adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.13, topping the Street consensus of roughly $1.02–$1.03 per share.
- Net revenue reached $6.72 billion, up 10% year over year and above analyst estimates of about $6.58 billion.
- Gross profit, Block's preferred operating metric, grew 22% year over year to $3.24 billion, ahead of guidance.
- Cash App gross profit rose 27% to $2.07 billion, while Square's gross payment volume (GPV) growth accelerated to 14%, its fastest pace since early 2023.
- Block raised its full-year 2026 outlook for adjusted EPS to $4.15 and gross profit to $12.63 billion, and issued preliminary 2027 targets.
- Shares climbed about 8% in after-hours trading following the release.
Earnings Context and Why It Matters
Block’s quarterly results draw close attention because the company runs two distinct growth engines: the Square seller ecosystem and the Cash App consumer platform. This report comes at a time when the fintech is working to show that its early-2026 restructuring, which reduced the workforce by more than 40%, is turning leaner operations into lasting profit growth. Earlier quarters had already shown accelerating gross profit and solid EPS beats, yet investors stayed focused on rising credit losses and whether Square’s payment volume could pick up speed again. These numbers give a clear look at both issues, making the quarter an important checkpoint for the stock’s 2026 performance.
I also checked this using Tickeron’s AI Screener to see how the stock compares to others in the industry.
Reported Results
For the third quarter ended September 30, 2026, Block posted adjusted diluted EPS of $1.13, above consensus estimates near $1.02–$1.03 and up sharply from $0.54 a year earlier. Net revenue climbed 10% year over year to $6.72 billion, exceeding analyst expectations of about $6.58 billion.
Gross profit, the metric management emphasizes most, rose 22% year over year to $3.24 billion, ahead of its own guidance. Adjusted operating income jumped 92% to $923 million, a record 29% margin, while adjusted EBITDA increased 47% to $1.23 billion.
Segment results were broad-based. Cash App gross profit grew 27% to $2.07 billion, and monthly transacting actives reached 60 million. Square gross profit rose 14% to $1.16 billion, with GPV up 14% year over year—the strongest growth since the first quarter of 2023. On a GAAP basis, however, transaction and loan losses rose about 66% to $602 million, and Bitcoin gross profit fell roughly 50%.
Market Reaction and Investor Sentiment
Investors responded positively to the double beat and the raised outlook. Block shares rose roughly 8% in after-hours trading on November 3, 2026, to the low-$82 range, building on a gain of about 18% for the stock in 2026 heading into the report. Sentiment was supported by Square’s re-accelerating payment volume, record adjusted operating margin, and management’s confidence in sustained growth, including preliminary 2027 targets. The main points of caution centered on rising credit losses and a weaker Bitcoin contribution, which tempered an otherwise strong quarter but did not prevent the after-hours advance.
Forward Outlook and Key Factors to Monitor
Block raised its full-year 2026 guidance, now projecting adjusted EPS of $4.15, gross profit of $12.63 billion (up 22% year over year), and adjusted operating income of $3.52 billion. For the fourth quarter, management expects gross profit of about $3.32 billion and adjusted operating income near $1.01 billion, implying a 30% margin.
Looking further ahead, the company issued a preliminary 2027 outlook calling for gross profit growth of at least 15% and adjusted operating income growth of roughly 30% to $4.58 billion. Management attributed the confidence partly to early investments in AI, and said the fourth quarter is expected to mark the first time Block generates revenue directly from AI tools.
Investors should monitor several items next. First, whether transaction and loan losses—up sharply this quarter—begin to moderate as management expects once Cash App Borrow limits rise again. Second, whether Square’s payment volume acceleration is sustainable beyond a single quarter. Third, the trajectory of Bitcoin gross profit after this quarter’s decline. These factors will help determine whether Block can deliver on its elevated guidance while keeping credit and legal costs in check.
Using Tickeron Tools in My Research
One resource I turn to regularly when analyzing earnings like these is Tickeron’s AI Screener. It lets me quickly filter stocks and ETFs by technical patterns, fundamentals, and AI-driven signals, helping surface comparable ideas without spending hours on manual work. The platform’s customizable filters make it straightforward to check industry trends or breakout candidates in real time, which I find especially useful around earnings season.
Disclaimer
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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.
XYZ's MACD Histogram crosses above signal line
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for XYZ turned positive on November 02, 2026. Looking at past instances where XYZ's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 37 of 49 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 76%.
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. 49 of 65 cases where XYZ'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 75%.
Following a +2.78% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where XYZ advanced for three days, in 227 of 305 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 74%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved below the 0 level on October 23, 2026. You may want to consider selling the stock, shorting the stock, or exploring put options on XYZ as a result. In 67 of 87 cases where the Momentum Indicator fell below 0, the stock fell further within the subsequent month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 77%.
XYZ moved below its 50-day moving average on October 23, 2026 date and that indicates a change from an upward trend to a downward trend.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where XYZ 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 79%.
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Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 1 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to outstanding 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 Price Growth Rating for this company is 50 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating steady price growth. XYZ’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 87 (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 (2.100) is normal, around the industry mean (16.593). P/E Ratio (132.897) is within average values for comparable stocks, (57.337). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (0.562) is also within normal values, averaging (3.648). Dividend Yield (0.000) settles around the average of (0.283) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (1.861) is also within normal values, averaging (103.889).
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 89 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating weak sales and an unprofitable 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 100 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating that the returns do not compensate for the risks. XYZ’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 91, placing this stock worse than average.
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General Information
a provider of credit card reader solutions for mobile devices
Industry ComputerCommunications