Willdan Group, Inc. (WLDN) · Nov 5, 2026 · Earnings
Beat — Adj. EPS $1.20 vs ~$1.08 consensus; net revenue $112.2M vs ~$107.8M
Willdan’s third-quarter earnings beat expectations, FY2026 guidance moved higher, and the Mantis acquisition closed—raising the growth bar.
Willdan is scaling an energy-and-infrastructure services platform, using acquisitions to expand from utility and public-sector work into commercial energy management. Its prior August outlook already called for FY2026 net revenue of $415–430 million and adjusted EBITDA of $103–107 million, while the Mantis deal was announced in September for an expected fourth-quarter close.
The quarter cleared the published bar, despite softer headline EPS. Net revenue rose 18.1% to $112.2 million and adjusted EBITDA increased 22.4% to $28.3 million, both ahead of the roughly $107.8 million revenue and $1.08 adjusted-EPS consensus. Adjusted diluted EPS was $1.20, narrowly below last year’s $1.21, while GAAP diluted EPS fell to $0.76 because net income declined and quarterly tax expense rose sharply. The business-level signal is therefore better than the GAAP EPS headline: operating profit expanded, but the per-share result was essentially flat after adjustments.
| Metric | Q3 2026 | Q3 2025 | Consensus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Net revenue (Financial Highlights) | $112.2M (+18.1%) | $95.0M | ~$107.8M |
| Adjusted diluted EPS (Financial Highlights) | $1.20 (-0.8%) | $1.21 | ~$1.08 |
| Adjusted EBITDA (Financial Highlights) | $28.3M (+22.4%) | $23.1M | |
| GAAP diluted EPS (Income Statement) | $0.76 (-15.6%) | $0.90 | |
| FY2026 adjusted EPS target (Financial Targets) | $5.15–$5.25 | $5.00–$5.15 prior guide |
The bigger change is the second guidance raise. Willdan lifted FY2026 net revenue to $435–445 million, adjusted EBITDA to $109–111 million, and adjusted EPS to $5.15–5.25, above the ranges issued in August. That is more than routine confidence language: management is converting strong year-to-date execution into higher full-year targets, even though the new ranges assume no additional acquisitions.
Mantis makes the forward growth story larger, but also raises execution demands. The acquisition was already known and its closing had been expected, so the closing itself is partly priced into the business narrative rather than a surprise. Still, it expands Willdan’s commercial and industrial energy-management footprint, and management’s preliminary FY2027 targets now point to more than $1 billion of contract revenue, over $500 million of net revenue, and over $140 million of adjusted EBITDA.
Bottom line: This is a clear execution upgrade rather than just a routine beat: Willdan exceeded quarterly expectations, raised FY2026 targets again, and set a higher post-Mantis growth framework. The main qualification is that adjusted EPS did not grow year over year, so the strength is concentrated in revenue, EBITDA, and outlook rather than every earnings measure.
Formal FY2027 outlook, late February
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