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AppLovin (NASDAQ:APP | APP Price Prediction) is expected to report Q2 2026 results tonight at 4:05 PM ET. After a sharp YTD drawdown, tonight offers a read on the pure-play ad tech thesis at a lower valuation.
Drawdown Meets Guidance Test
Q1 2026 landed cleanly. Revenue of $1.842 billion grew 24.15% year over year, EPS of $3.56 topped consensus by 2.96%, and adjusted EBITDA margin hit 85%. Today, APP trades at $422.10, down 20.37% in the past month and well below the $745.61 52-week high. Management returned $1.0 billion via buybacks in Q1, signaling confidence into the drawdown.
Consensus Estimates
| Metric |
Q2 2026 Guidance |
FY 2025 Actual |
FY 2026 Trajectory |
| Revenue |
$1.915B to $1.945B |
$5.481B |
Sequential build from Q1 |
| Adj. EBITDA |
$1.615B to $1.645B |
N/A |
Margin sustained |
| Adj. EBITDA Margin |
84% to 85% |
~83% |
Stable at peak |
Guidance implies revenue growth that continues to decelerate relative to post-divestiture comps, while margin holds at the ceiling. The setup rewards clean execution more than upside surprise.
What I’m Watching Tonight: AXON, Margins, and the Capital Return Story
The AXON 2 engine is the first watchpoint. Operating margin hit 78% in Q1 and adjusted EBITDA margin has climbed from 81% in Q2 2025 to 85% in Q1 2026. Any hint of plateau could drive a negative reaction.
The pure-play narrative is a second point. Since the Apps divestiture to Tripledot Studios, every dollar reflects advertising economics. I want to hear how management frames advertiser demand across verticals beyond mobile gaming.
Capital return cadence is third. The pace of repurchases is worth tracking after the $3.2 billion authorization increase last fall. With $2.76 billion in cash and $1.29 billion in Q1 free cash flow, capacity is not the constraint.
Management tone on the macro is fourth. Risk factors flagged macroeconomic uncertainty and competitive ad ecosystem dynamics. Insider activity has skewed net selling, which sits awkwardly against the buy-side $654.60 analyst target.
Earnings History
| Quarter |
EPS Surprise |
1-Day Move |
7-Day Move |
| Q1 2026 |
+2.96% |
-6.08% |
-2.75% |
| Q4 2025 |
+4.18% |
N/A |
N/A |
| Q3 2025 |
+2.57% |
-0.23% |
-10.49% |
| Q2 2025 |
+3.24% |
+4.26% |
-0.91% |
On average, shares moved +3.66% seven days after earnings across the recent dataset.
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