Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (KTOS) · Nov 5, 2026 · Earnings
Beat — Adjusted EPS $0.24 vs ~$0.21 consensus
Kratos earnings beat adjusted EPS expectations and lifted EBITDA guidance, but heavier investment drives deeper 2026 cash burn.
Kratos is scaling a defense-technology platform around hypersonics, rocket systems, jet engines, space, and unmanned aircraft; the immediate strategy is to spend ahead of demand so production capacity catches up with a rapidly expanding order pipeline. The filing shows that strategy is working operationally, but not yet converting cleanly into GAAP profit or cash.
The quarter beat the published bar on adjusted earnings. Revenue of $471.8 million was slightly above the published consensus of approximately $470.5 million, while adjusted EPS of $0.24 exceeded the roughly $0.21 expectation. Adjusted EBITDA reached $50.9 million, above the prior Q3 guide of $40–$45 million, helped by a sharp step-up in Kratos Government Solutions.
| Metric | Q3 2026 | Q3 2025 | Consensus / prior guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue (Income Statement) | $471.8M | $347.6M | ~$470.5M consensus |
| Adjusted EPS (Adjusted EPS reconciliation) | $0.24 | $0.14 | ~$0.21 consensus |
| Adjusted EBITDA (Reconciliation) | $50.9M | $30.8M | $40–$45M prior guide |
| GAAP operating income (Income Statement) | ($4.9M) | $7.1M | — |
| FY26 revenue guide (Financial Forecast Estimates) | $1.780–$1.810B | — | $1.750–$1.810B prior guide |
| FY26 Adjusted EBITDA guide (Financial Forecast Estimates) | $176–$180M | — | $173–$176M prior guide |
| FY26 operating cash flow (Financial Forecast Estimates) | ($10M)–$10M | — | $30–$50M prior guide |
| FY26 free-cash-flow use (Financial Forecast Estimates) | ($110M)–($120M) | — | ($85M)–($105M) prior guide |
The demand signal is materially stronger. Consolidated bookings were $1.037 billion, producing a 2.2-to-1 book-to-bill ratio, and backlog rose to $2.650 billion from $2.084 billion at the end of the prior quarter. Most of that momentum came from Kratos Government Solutions, whose quarterly revenue grew 52.5% year over year and whose backlog reached $2.292 billion; Unmanned Systems was the weak spot, with revenue down to $74.6 million and a quarterly book-to-bill ratio below one.
Management raised the earnings-quality signal while lowering the cash-quality signal. The FY26 revenue range moved up at the low end and Adjusted EBITDA guidance increased, but operating cash flow shifted from a projected $30–$50 million inflow to roughly breakeven or a $10 million outflow. Planned free-cash-flow use also deepened to $110–$120 million. That reflects inventory, facilities, engines, rocket systems, and other capacity investments needed for the ramp—not a collapse in demand—but it means the growth story is becoming more capital intensive than previously expected.
The accounting-profit picture remains considerably weaker than the adjusted headline. Kratos posted a $4.9 million operating loss and a $0.2 million net loss despite the adjusted EPS beat. Corporate expense rose sharply, amortization increased following acquisitions, and the company is carrying substantial working-capital needs as production ramps. The filing therefore advances the demand and scale narrative, but it does not yet show a self-funding business model.
Bottom line: This was a modestly better-than-expected operating quarter with stronger orders and higher EBITDA guidance, but the improvement comes with heavier cash investment and continued GAAP losses. The business story is moving forward, though execution is still dependent on converting backlog into cash.
FY2026 results and FY2027 cash-flow guidance, late February 2027
A buy-side analyst on every ticker — it reads every public company's filing the instant it drops and decodes it into plain English.
A buy-side analyst on every ticker — the whole market decoded the second it moves, before it's a headline. Free gives you a taste. Pro takes the cap off and opens the full read on every company.
by Signing in NOW, claim your FREE 14-day Pro trial!