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Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corp (BAH)·Q2 2026 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q2 FY26 results missed consensus on revenue and EPS and prompted a broad guidance cut: revenue $2.90B vs $2.97B consensus, adjusted EPS $1.49 vs $1.51; adjusted EBITDA beat ($324M vs $319M) as mix and cost actions helped profitability .
- Management described a “bifurcated” market: national security (defense+intel) growing mid-single digits while civil remains in its toughest environment in a generation; guidance lowered across revenue, EBITDA, EPS, and FCF .
- Book-to-bill was 1.7x and backlog hit a Q2 record $40.2B; however, funded backlog -6% YoY and ramp on large wins expected to be slower given procurement friction and the October shutdown .
- Cost program to remove $150M annualized begins to benefit H2 modestly, with margins expected to drift back toward historical levels in FY27; dividend maintained at $0.55 and buyback authorization +$500M (capacity ~$880M) .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- National security portfolio strength: Q2 defense+intel revenue up mid-single digits YoY ex discrete items; four >$800M awards (e.g., Air Force “Shadow Raptor,” DIA AI/ML missions), gross bookings $7.2B; book-to-bill 1.7x; backlog $40.2B (+3% YoY) .
- Profit resilience vs mix headwinds: adjusted EBITDA $324M (-11% YoY) with margin 11.2% (-40bps); adjusted EPS $1.49 (-17.7% YoY); free cash flow $395M; cash from ops $421M .
- Strategic positioning and tech leadership: ThunderDome zero trust “met all the government’s milestones two years ahead of schedule” and won a 2025 cybersecurity award; management emphasized leadership in AI, cyber, edge tech with partners (NVIDIA, AWS, Shield AI) .
Quote: “We are lowering top and bottom line guidance...based on continuing friction in the overall procurement environment and fundamentally different dynamics within our civil and national security portfolios.” — CEO Horacio Rozanski .
What Went Wrong
- Civil portfolio contraction: Q2 civil revenue down sharply; full-year civil revenue now expected to decline in the low-20% range; procurement velocity and near-term pipeline have not recovered .
- Funding friction and slower ramps: funded backlog -6% YoY; shorter funding increments and slower ramp-ups on new wins; Q2 saw $1.1B ceiling reductions (largely FY28+), $1.3B backlog expirations, tempering net bookings .
- Guidance reset: FY26 revenue cut to $11.3–$11.5B (from $12.0–$12.5B), adjusted EBITDA to $1.19–$1.22B (from $1.315–$1.37B), ADEPS to $5.45–$5.65 (from $6.20–$6.55), FCF to $850–$950M (from $900–$1,000M); management embedding shutdown impact ($~30M revenue, $~15M profit for Oct) .
Financial Results
Quarterly performance vs prior periods and estimates
Notes:
- Q1 net income benefited from a one-time $106M tax item; Q2 prior-year comps included $113M claimed-cost reduction and $115M insurance recoveries .
Segment revenue mix
Contract type mix (Q2): Cost-Reimbursable 59%, Time-and-Materials 22%, Fixed-Price 19% .
KPIs and operating metrics
Guidance Changes
Cost program: net incremental $150M annualized cost reduction; modest FY26 benefit, larger in FY27; margin trajectory expected to move closer to historical levels by FY27 .
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- “This is the most bifurcated environment I have seen...our civil and national security portfolios are experiencing completely different dynamics...we are lowering guidance across all key metrics.” — CEO Horacio Rozanski .
- “We won $7.2B of new work in the quarter…four programs over $800M…we anticipate national security revenue will grow mid-single digits for the year.” — CFO Matt Calderone .
- “We are taking significant actions…net incremental $150M of cost on an annualized basis…support margins returning closer to historical levels in FY27.” — CFO Matt Calderone .
- “ThunderDome…becoming the standard for zero trust…met all the government’s milestones two years ahead of schedule.” — CEO Horacio Rozanski .
- “We continue to be the largest provider of AI to the federal government, as Deltek recently reaffirmed.” — CEO Horacio Rozanski .
Q&A Highlights
- Civil trajectory and stabilization: Management expects civil revenue down low-20% for FY26; no additional cuts seen in Q2 but competitive pricing on large procurements; stability after earlier run-rate reductions, with growth delayed by several quarters .
- Ramp and funding dynamics: Large awards will ramp slower than historical; funded backlog down YoY; shorter increments and episodic funding patterns continue to create friction .
- Margin mix and contracting: Civil historically higher margins (more fixed-price); mix shift away from civil compresses margins near term; shift to outcome-based expected to aid margins over medium term .
- Hiring/utilization: Customer-facing staff down 3% seq./10% YoY; utilization improved; hiring focused on critical mission/tech areas; revenue per employee expected to rise with AI-assisted delivery and outcome models .
- Capital deployment: Dividend maintained; ~$208M buybacks in Q2 (nearly 2% of shares); buyback authorization +$500M; Ventures performance top decile with strategic value .
Estimates Context
Results vs S&P Global consensus:
Interpretation:
- Q2: revenue miss (
$82M), EPS slight miss ($0.02), EBITDA beat (~$5.4M). Q1: EPS and EBITDA beats amid revenue slight miss. Q4 FY25: misses on revenue and EBITDA; EPS inline/slight miss.
Values retrieved from S&P Global.*
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Guidance reset and civil weakness are the near-term overhang; the breadth of the cut across revenue, EBITDA, EPS, and FCF likely pressures sentiment until funding velocity improves and large awards ramp; watch CR/shutdown developments and funding cadence into Q3/Q4 .
- National security momentum is real: $7.2B gross bookings, record backlog, and four >$800M awards support mid-single digit growth in defense+intel; however, expect slower-than-normal ramps due to procurement friction .
- Margin path: mix shift away from civil compresses margins in H2; cost takeout ($150M annualized) and outcome-based conversions should underpin margin recovery toward historical levels by FY27; near-term ADEPS guided to $5.45–$5.65 .
- Cash returns intact: dividend held at $0.55; buyback capacity expanded (~$880M available); net leverage at 2.5x provides flexibility for continued repurchases and selective venture/M&A investments .
- Cyber/AI leadership a strategic hedge: ThunderDome’s recognition and AI leadership position should drive resilient demand; partnership ecosystem (NVIDIA, AWS, Shield AI) and Ventures enhance pipeline and optionality .
- Execution priorities: accelerate outcome-based contracting, productize IP (ground systems/fire control “Golden Dome” concepts), and reallocate talent/investments to growth vectors (cyber, AI, warfighting tech) .
- Trading implications: near-term prints may remain choppy on civil and funding delays; set alerts for award funding ramps, backlog-to-revenue conversion, and incremental progress on outcome-based transitions, which are catalysts for re-rating as visibility improves .