ACI Worldwide reported third-quarter revenue of $427 million and net income of $33 million, and raised its 2026 adjusted EBITDA guidance while reiterating its revenue outlook. The payments technology company also reported stronger new annual recurring revenue bookings, progress with its ACI Connetic platform and the acquisition of Cranium Ventures.
Key details
- Third-quarter results: Revenue was $427 million, net income was $33 million and adjusted EBITDA was $98 million. The release described results as ahead of expectations but did not provide year-over-year comparisons in the supplied text.
- Bookings and cash flow: New annual recurring revenue bookings rose 86% in the quarter, with growth in both Payment Software and Biller. Operating cash flow reached $254 million year to date, up 26%.
- Guidance: ACI raised its full-year 2026 adjusted EBITDA guidance and kept its revenue guidance unchanged. The supplied release text does not include the revised EBITDA target or the revenue outlook figures.
- Product progress: ACI said its first ACI Connetic customer went live and that it had won two additional customers. The company also said it continues to advance Speedpay ONE for bill-payment customers.
- Acquisition: ACI acquired Cranium Ventures to add multi-rail card-switching microservices to its offerings. The supplied text does not give the purchase price or other deal terms.
- Share repurchases: ACI repurchased 3.4 million shares for $157 million during the first nine months of 2026. It said it remains on track to use 50% to 60% of full-year operating cash flow for share repurchases.
What changes
The higher adjusted EBITDA outlook reflects ACI’s improved profitability expectations, while its revenue outlook remains as previously stated. The Cranium Ventures acquisition adds card-switching capabilities, and the Connetic customer launches and wins mark commercial milestones for that platform. The repurchases return capital to shareholders and reduce the number of shares outstanding.