Autodesk shares rise on upbeat earnings results and positive guidance

Shares in Autodesk Inc. rose more than 3% in late trading today after the computer-aided software design company reported earnings and revenue ahead of expectations in its fiscal 2026 first quarter and also provided stronger-than-expected guidance for its second quarter.

For the quarter ended April 30, Autodesk reported adjusted earnings per share of $2.29, up from 42 cents per share in the same quarter of the previous fiscal year, on revenue of $1.633 billion, up 15% year-over-year. Both figures were ahead of the $2.14 per share and revenue of $1.61 billion expected by analysts.

Key to the strong results were billings, which were up 29% year-over-year, to $1.434 billion. By type, Autodesk’s Design segment revenue rose 14%, to $1.351 billion, Make net revenue rose 23%, to $179 million, and other revenue rose 22%, to $93 million.

Business highlights in the quarter included an update in March to Autodesk Fusion 360, the company’s cloud-based 3D Computer-Aided Design, Computer-Aided Manufacturing and Computer-Aided Engineering platform, which introduced artificial intelligence-powered AutoConstrain to automate sketch constraints and enhance design efficiency. Additional improvements included usability enhancements in sheet metal tools, manufacturing workflows and electronics design capabilities.

Also notable in the quarter was an announcement on Feb. 27 that Autodesk planned to cut 1,350 jobs. The staff cuts followed a review of Autodesk’s business and a subsequent worldwide restructuring plan that prioritizes the company’s efforts in AI and cloud services.

“Against an uncertain geopolitical, macroeconomic and policy backdrop, our strong performance in the first quarter of fiscal 26 set us up well for the year,” Chief Executive Andrew Anagnost said in the company’s earnings release. “We continue to make the right decisions to drive long-term shareholder value by focusing on our strategic priorities in cloud, platform and AI; optimizing our sales and marketing to drive higher margins; and allocating more capital to share repurchases as our free cash flow grows.”

For its fiscal 2026 second quarter, Autodesk expects adjusted earnings per share of $2.44 to $2.48 on revenue of $1.72 billion to $1.73 billion. Both were ahead of the $2.43 per share and $1.7 billion in revenue expected by analysts. For its full year, the company expects adjusted earnings per share of $9.50 to $9.73 on revenue of $6.925 billion to $6.995 billion.

Photo: Autodesk