NIQ Turns GAAP Profit and Raises 2026 Outlook

The Tip Desk · November 12, 2026 · 3 min read

Third-quarter revenue was $1,119.1 million as the company posted $0.12 a share of GAAP earnings and lifted full-year organic constant currency growth to 5.5%–5.7%.

NIQ Global Intelligence plc (NIQ), a global consumer intelligence company, reported net income of $35.8 million, or $0.12 a share, for the third quarter ended September 30, 2026, the first positive GAAP earnings per share since its July 2025 IPO.

The company said it exceeded the top end of its revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EPS guidance for the sixth consecutive quarter. Reported revenue was $1,119.1 million, up 6.3% from a year earlier, with organic constant currency growth of 5.8%. Adjusted net income was $87.8 million, or $0.30 a share.

Americas was the growth engine. Organic constant currency revenue there rose 11.5%, faster than the 8.3% pace in the second quarter, and reported Americas revenue increased 13.8% to $463.0 million. The company said Intelligence revenue in the region grew 12.6% on client retention, pricing and demand for Consumer Panel and eCommerce offerings, while Activation grew 18.4% on cross-selling of Analytics, Innovation and Retailer Analytics. Inorganic items added 0.2 percentage points and foreign exchange 2.1 percentage points to reported growth.

EMEA and APAC lagged. EMEA organic constant currency growth slowed to 2.9% from 4.9% in the second quarter, with reported revenue up only 1.4% to $491.2 million; Activation there fell 4.7% as the company cited ongoing volatility in the Middle East affecting ad hoc project demand. APAC organic constant currency growth was 0.2%, with reported revenue of $164.9 million.

Companywide, Intelligence reported revenue grew 6.1% to $907.6 million, or 5.5% in organic constant currency. Activation reported revenue grew 7.2% to $211.5 million, or 7.0% in organic constant currency. Annualized Intelligence Subscription revenue grew 5.5% to $3,061.8 million, with 105% net dollar retention and 99% gross dollar retention.

Adjusted EBITDA grew 17.8% to $263.6 million, and the Adjusted EBITDA margin expanded 230 basis points year over year to 23.6%. Segment Adjusted EBITDA was $145.4 million in Americas, $165.3 million in EMEA and $34.0 million in APAC, with corporate costs of $81.1 million.

Levered free cash flow was $181.2 million. Cash and cash equivalents were $572.6 million at September 30, with $747.5 million of revolver capacity, for $1,320.1 million of available liquidity. The net leverage ratio fell to 2.9 times from 3.1 times at June 30, reaching the company’s sub-3.0 times target one quarter ahead of plan. The board authorized a share repurchase of up to $150 million of ordinary shares.

The company raised full-year 2026 organic constant currency revenue growth to 5.5%–5.7% and levered free cash flow to $249 million–$257 million, and narrowed the Adjusted EBITDA margin range to 23.6%–23.8%. It also disclosed Adjusted EPS guidance of $1.16–$1.20. Fourth-quarter guidance is $1,198 million–$1,202 million of reported revenue, Adjusted EBITDA of $315 million–$323 million and Adjusted EPS of $0.43–$0.47.

Chief Executive Officer Jim Peck said the company closed 24 seven-figure wins, including an eight-figure deal with a global home-furnishings retailer, and expanded the ConnectAI charter pipeline to 79 clients. Chief Financial Officer Mike Burwell said deleveraging remains the top priority and that the company expects further strengthening in 2027.