Core Insights - The Zacks Internet Software industry is experiencing volatility due to fears of AI disrupting the traditional SaaS space, alongside heightened geopolitical risks and tariff uncertainties. However, companies like MongoDB, Digital Turbine, and 8x8 are benefiting from increased demand for digital transformation and cloud solutions driven by the need for remote working and AI-powered applications [1] Industry Overview - The Zacks Internet Software industry includes companies that provide application performance monitoring, infrastructure and application software, DevOps deployment, and security software. The primary revenue sources are subscription and advertising, targeting various end markets such as banking, education, and healthcare [2] Trends Shaping the Industry - **Adoption of SaaS Grows**: The industry benefits from the demand for digital transformation, with SaaS providing a flexible and cost-effective delivery method for applications, enhancing customer satisfaction and retention [3] - **Pay-As-You-Go Model Gains Traction**: The customer-centric approach allows users to scale offerings according to needs, with the subscription model ensuring recurring revenues and affordability for small and medium-sized businesses [4] - **Ongoing Transition to Cloud Creates Opportunities**: The need for secure cloud platforms amid rising cyberattacks drives demand for web-based cybersecurity software and performance management tools [5] Industry Performance - The Zacks Internet Software industry holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 139, placing it in the bottom 43% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating dull near-term prospects [6][7] - The industry has underperformed the S&P 500 and the broader Computer and Technology sector, returning 16.9% over the past year compared to the S&P 500's 17.2% and the sector's 23.1% [10] Current Valuation - The industry is currently trading at a forward 12-month price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 4.09X, lower than the S&P 500's 5.30X and the sector's 6.8X, with historical trading ranging from 4.09X to 5.99X over the past five years [13] Company Highlights - **MongoDB**: This company has seen a 29% year-over-year revenue increase in Q2 of fiscal 2026, adding over 5,000 customers in the past two quarters. Its shares have appreciated 29% in the past year, with a consensus estimate for fiscal 2027 earnings at $5.61 per share [17][18][19] - **Digital Turbine**: Expected revenues for fiscal 2026 are projected between $553 million and $558 million, with shares dropping 24% in the past year. The consensus estimate for fiscal 2026 earnings is 36 cents per share [22][23] - **8x8**: This company has experienced nearly 60% year-over-year growth in usage-based offerings, with shares down 19% over the past year. The consensus estimate for fiscal 2026 earnings is also 36 cents per share [26][27]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for Q3 2026 was $185 million, with service revenue at $179.7 million, both exceeding guidance by approximately $3 million and growing 3.4% and 3.6% year-over-year respectively [17] - Operating income reached $21.7 million, resulting in an operating margin of 11.7%, significantly above the guidance range of 9%-10% [19] - Net income was $17.1 million with fully diluted EPS of $0.12, which was $0.03 above the high end of guidance [20] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Usage-based offerings grew nearly 60% year-over-year and now represent over 21% of service revenue, up from approximately 14% in Q3 2025 [17][7] - Service revenue, excluding Fuze customers, rose approximately 6% year-over-year, maintaining a growth rate similar to the previous quarter [17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company is experiencing a shift in customer preferences from pure SaaS subscriptions to hybrid and tokenized pricing models, which is reflected in the increased consumption of usage-based solutions [8] - Voice AI interactions increased more than 200%, now representing a vast majority of all AI interactions on the platform [7] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on operational efficiency, innovation, and distribution, with a multi-product strategy gaining traction among top customers [9] - Investments are being made to enable simplified, consumption-based pricing and AI-driven automations to enhance customer success [9] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's momentum entering Q4, highlighting the return to top-line growth and the importance of execution in the upcoming quarters [15] - The company acknowledges the competitive landscape and aims to accelerate installed base expansion and drive stronger channel momentum [15] Other Important Information - The completion of the Fuze customer base upgrade to the 8x8 platform marks a significant operational milestone, allowing the company to focus on growth and customer success [13][27] - The company has reduced its debt principal by $224 million, or 41%, since August 2022, leading to a more than 50% reduction in annualized interest expense [20] Q&A Session Summary Question: Insights on fiscal Q4 service revenue guidance considering Fuze headwinds - Management confirmed that the service revenue guidance for Q4, excluding Fuze, implies a year-over-year increase of over 5% [31][32] Question: Operating margin sustainability and targets for 2027 - Management indicated that while gross margins on usage-based business may be structurally lower, operating margins are expected to improve with scale, targeting a return to double-digit operating margins [34][36] Question: Adoption of voice AI and customer interactions - Management noted a significant shift towards production use of voice AI technologies, with customers increasingly adding use cases as they see positive ROI [42][43] Question: Revenue impact from Maven Lab and operational headwinds - Maven Lab had no contribution to revenue for the quarter, and any revenue headwinds were minimal, under $1 million [45][55] Question: Customer projects and monetization strategies - Management discussed the transition from pilot projects to larger scale deployments, emphasizing the importance of micro use cases in driving customer engagement and revenue [63][64]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for Q3 2026 was $185 million, and service revenue was $179.7 million, both exceeding guidance by approximately $3 million, with year-over-year growth of 3.4% and 3.6% respectively [17] - Operating income reached $21.7 million, resulting in an operating margin of 11.7%, significantly above the guidance range of 9%-10% [19] - Net income was $17.1 million, with fully diluted EPS of $0.12, exceeding the high end of guidance by $0.03 [20] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Usage-based offerings grew nearly 60% year-over-year and now account for over 21% of service revenue, up from approximately 14% in Q3 2025 [17][7] - Service revenue, excluding Fuze customers, rose approximately 6% year-over-year, maintaining a growth rate similar to the previous quarter [17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company has completed the upgrade of the Fuze customer base to the 8x8 platform, which is expected to improve efficiency and customer satisfaction [18][27] - The increase in consumption of usage-based solutions reflects a broader industry shift towards hybrid and tokenized pricing models [8] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on innovation, operational efficiency, and distribution, with a multi-product strategy gaining traction among top customers [5][9] - The strategic shift towards usage-based revenue models is seen as a future direction, appealing to customers by reducing risk as they adopt new technologies [8] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's momentum entering Q4, highlighting the return to top-line growth and sustained profitability [15] - The company acknowledges the competitive landscape and aims to accelerate installed base expansion and channel momentum [15] Other Important Information - The company has reduced its debt principal by $224 million since August 2022, resulting in a more than 50% reduction in annualized interest expense [20] - The company expects continued year-over-year growth headwinds related to Fuze churn in fiscal 2027, particularly in the first half [28] Q&A Session Summary Question: Insights on fiscal Q4 service revenue guidance considering Fuze headwinds - Management confirmed that the service revenue guidance for Q4, excluding Fuze, implies over 5% year-over-year growth, consistent with previous quarters [31][32] Question: Operating margin sustainability and targets - Management indicated that while gross margins may trend lower due to the usage-based model, operating margins are expected to remain strong as the business scales [34][36] Question: Adoption of voice AI and customer interactions - Management noted a significant increase in voice AI interactions, with customers moving from pilot projects to larger-scale deployments, validating the usage-based model [40][42] Question: Impact of new partner programs on sales momentum - Management reported quarter-on-quarter increases in pipeline and sales, particularly in AI-based products, indicating growing comfort among channel partners [64][65]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for Q3 2026 was $185 million, and service revenue was $179.7 million, both exceeding guidance by approximately $3 million, with year-over-year growth of 3.4% and 3.6% respectively [17] - Operating income reached $21.7 million, resulting in an operating margin of 11.7%, significantly above the guidance range of 9%-10% [19] - Net income was $17.1 million with fully diluted EPS of $0.12, which was $0.03 above the high end of the guidance range [20] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Usage-based offerings, including CPaaS communication APIs, accounted for approximately 21% of service revenue, up from 14% in Q3 2025, reflecting a nearly 60% year-over-year growth [17][6] - Service revenue, excluding Fuze customers, rose approximately 6% year-over-year, maintaining a growth rate similar to the previous quarter [17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted an increase in consumption of usage-based solutions, indicating a broader industry shift towards hybrid and tokenized pricing models [8][6] - Voice AI interactions increased over 200%, now representing a vast majority of all AI interactions on the platform, showcasing strong customer adoption [6] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on operational efficiency, innovation, and distribution, with a multi-product strategy gaining traction among top customers [9][10] - Investments in AI-driven automations and simplified pricing models are aimed at enhancing customer experience and driving growth [9][10] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's momentum entering Q4, highlighting the return to top-line growth and sustained profitability [5][14] - The company acknowledged the competitive landscape and the need to accelerate installed base expansion while driving stronger channel momentum [14][15] Other Important Information - The completion of the Fuze customer base upgrade to the 8x8 platform marks a significant operational milestone, allowing the company to focus on growth and customer success [27][13] - The company has reduced its debt principal by $224 million since August 2022, resulting in a more than 50% reduction in annualized interest expense [20] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of Fuze on Q4 service revenue - Management confirmed that Fuze represents a $4.5 million service revenue headwind in Q4, but adjusted for this, service revenue guidance indicates a year-over-year increase of over 5% [30][31] Question: Operating margin sustainability - Management indicated that while gross margins may trend lower due to the usage-based model, operating margins are expected to remain strong as the business scales [33][35] Question: Adoption of voice AI - Management noted a significant increase in voice AI adoption, with customers moving from pilot projects to larger-scale deployments, validating the usage-based model [39][41] Question: Revenue contribution from Maven Lab - Maven Lab closed in January and did not contribute to Q3 revenue, with any impact being minimal [44][52] Question: Future of contact center seats - Management stated that total contact center seats increased, countering concerns about AI reducing agent numbers, and emphasized the importance of revenue per customer over seat counts [61][62]