Gartner earnings: guidance and results
MyStockButler's October 2026 analysis: Gartner's next results are expected on November 3, 2026. Watch whether improving contract activity becomes broader revenue growth.
What has Gartner guided for the year?
On August 4, 2026, management set floors for the year ending December 2026. It expects adjusted revenue of at least $6.4 billion and adjusted EBITDA of at least $1.6 billion, excluding the divested operation. It also expects adjusted EPS of at least $14.00 and free cash flow of at least $1.2 billion.
| Period guided | Low | High | Date given | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insights Revenues | Year to Dec 2026 | 5,170 | August 4, 2026 | |
| Adj. Revenues | Year to Dec 2026 | 6,375 | August 4, 2026 | |
| Adj. EBITDA Excluding Divested Operation | Year to Dec 2026 | 1,570 | August 4, 2026 | |
| Adj. EPS | Year to Dec 2026 | 14.00 | August 4, 2026 | |
| Free Cash Flow | Year to Dec 2026 | 1,185 | August 4, 2026 |
What this means. The adjusted revenue and adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization figures exclude the Digital Markets business, while total revenue includes it, so those figures are not directly comparable.
Has Gartner kept its past promises?
The forecasting record supports cautious confidence. Gartner exceeded 19 of 20 initial annual targets across revenue, EBITDA, EPS and free cash flow in the five-year comparison. But revenue guidance was reduced repeatedly from 2023 through 2025, and some cash-flow outperformance benefited from insurance receipts. Management has earned more trust on profit promises than on uninterrupted sales growth.
| What management forecast | Checked | Above | Within | Below |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Revenue | 5 years | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| Adj. EBITDA | 5 years | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Adj. EPS | 5 years | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Free Cash Flow | 5 years | 5 | 0 | 0 |
What do Gartner's last eight quarters show?
Contract-value growth improved to 1.7%, and management said downselling had stabilized. June was therefore a better quarter, while the eight-quarter record still contains insurance, tax, impairment and business-sale distortions.
| Jun 2026 | Mar 2026 | Dec 2025 | Sep 2025 | Jun 2025 | Mar 2025 | Dec 2024 | Sep 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 1,675,943 | 1,511,041 | 1,752,570 | 1,524,072 | 1,686,454 | 1,534,130 | 1,715,119 | 1,484,306 |
| Gross margin | 70.9% | 71.6% | 67.3% | 68.9% | 68.5% | 69.0% | 66.5% | 68.0% |
| Operating income | 378,520 | 316,092 | 334,239 | 86,344 | 327,096 | 278,032 | 317,795 | 245,824 |
| Net income | 275,498 | 222,344 | 242,152 | 35,357 | 240,783 | 210,939 | 398,573 | 415,049 |
| EPS, diluted | 4.14 | 3.18 | 3.36 | 0.47 | 3.11 | 2.71 | 5.11 | 5.32 |
| = Free cash flow | 378,365 | 370,616 | 270,712 | 269,251 | 347,317 | 287,943 | 311,414 | 564,998 |
What should Gartner watch in the next release?
Gartner will report third-quarter results before the market opens on November 3, 2026. The call begins at 8 a.m. Eastern time. Management expects Insights revenue to increase sequentially on a currency-neutral basis after positive second-quarter net contract value growth.
Contract value is the annualized value of active contracts at a point in time. Revenue records the service Gartner has delivered so far, while most Insights customers pay in advance. A new subscription can therefore improve contract value before it materially lifts quarterly revenue, making contract value an early demand signal.