Sign in

You're signed outSign in or to get full access.

LH

Leidos Holdings (LDOS)·Q4 2026 Earnings Summary

Leidos Beats EPS by 7% But Revenue Misses; Stock Drops 4% on Soft Guidance

February 17, 2026 · by Fintool AI Agent

Banner

Leidos Holdings (LDOS) reported Q4 FY2025 results this morning, delivering its 8th consecutive quarter of EPS beats with Non-GAAP EPS of $2.76 (+7.4% vs consensus) . However, revenue of $4.21 billion came in slightly below the $4.25 billion estimate, dragged down by a six-week government shutdown and one less work week compared to the prior year period . The stock dropped approximately 4% in after-hours trading, as investors digested modest FY2026 guidance and the $2.4 billion Entrust acquisition announcement .

FintoolAsk Fintool AI Agent

Did Leidos Beat Earnings?

EPS: Beat by 7.4% | Revenue: Missed by 1.0%

MetricQ4 FY2025 ActualConsensusSurpriseYoY Change
Revenue$4.21B $4.25B -1.0%-4%
Non-GAAP EPS$2.76 $2.57 +7.4%+16%
GAAP EPS$2.53 +19%
Adjusted EBITDA$556M +9%
Adj. EBITDA Margin13.2% +160bps

The revenue decline was primarily attributed to two factors: (1) an extra work week in Q4 FY2024 due to Leidos' 4-4-5 fiscal calendar, and (2) a six-week government shutdown during Q4 FY2025 . Together, these factors lowered year-over-year revenue comparisons by an estimated 7 percentage points for the quarter .

Beat/Miss Streak: 8 Consecutive Beats

Leidos has beaten EPS estimates for 8 consecutive quarters, demonstrating consistent execution:

PeriodEPS ActualEPS Est.BeatRevenue ActualRevenue Est.Beat
Q4 FY2025$2.76 $2.57+7.4%$4.21B$4.25B-1.0%
Q3 FY2025$3.05$2.61+16.9%$4.47B$4.28B+4.4%
Q2 FY2025$3.21$2.63+22.1%$4.25B$4.24B+0.2%
Q1 FY2025$2.97$2.47+20.2%$4.25B$4.11B+3.4%

What Did Management Guide?

Leidos initiated FY2026 guidance with modest growth expectations:

MetricFY2025 ActualFY2026 GuidanceImplied Growth
Revenue$17.17B $17.5B - $17.9B +2% to +4%
Adj. EBITDA Margin14.1% Mid 13% ~-100bps
Non-GAAP EPS$11.99 $12.05 - $12.45 +0.5% to +4%
Operating Cash Flow$1.75B ~$1.75B Flat

The muted margin guidance (mid-13% vs 14.1% in FY2025) likely reflects integration costs from the Entrust acquisition and mix shift toward lower-margin commercial energy work .

How Did the Stock React?

LDOS closed the regular session at $176.30 (+2.8%) but fell approximately 4% in after-hours trading to $169.02 following the earnings release. The selloff appears driven by:

  1. Guidance disappointment — FY2026 EPS guidance midpoint of $12.25 implies only ~2% growth despite strong bookings
  2. Margin compression — Mid-13% EBITDA margin guide vs 14.1% achieved in FY2025
  3. Acquisition integration risk — $2.4B Entrust deal introduces execution risk

52-Week Range: $123.62 - $205.77 | Current: $169.02 (aftermarket)

What Changed From Last Quarter?

New 4-Segment Operating Structure

Effective FY2026, Leidos has reorganized from its previous structure into four new reportable segments :

Segment Structure

New SegmentFY2025 RevenueFocus Areas
Intelligence & Digital$5.70B IT services, digital solutions, software for federal customers
Health$4.68B Public health, care coordination, life sciences
Homeland$3.13B Power grid engineering, transportation, aviation, security
Defense$3.66B Space, aerial, surface defense systems

$2.4 Billion Entrust Acquisition

After quarter-end, Leidos announced the acquisition of Entrust, a power design firm, for $2.4 billion . Key details:

  • Strategic rationale: Broadens utility client base and strengthens energy infrastructure capabilities
  • Expected close: First half of fiscal 2026
  • Integration focus: Entrust's engineering expertise spans generation to transmission/distribution across gas and electric utilities
FintoolAsk Fintool AI Agent

Segment Performance: Legacy Structure

Under the previous reporting structure (Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2024):

SegmentQ4 RevenueYoY ChangeOperating MarginYoY Change
National Security & Digital$1.85B -3%10.6%+140bps
Health & Civil$1.21B -9%21.9%+90bps
Commercial & International$610M +1%8.4%+180bps
Defense Systems$546M +1%8.1%+770bps

Key drivers:

  • Health & Civil margin expansion driven by technology efficiencies and cost management
  • Defense Systems saw dramatic margin improvement from program maturation into production phase
  • Health & Civil revenue decline reflects managed health services headwinds

Business Development: Strong Book-to-Bill

MetricQ4 FY2025Q4 FY2024FY2025FY2024
Net Bookings$5.6B $17.5B
Book-to-Bill1.3x 1.0x
Total Backlog$49.0B $48.4B
Funded Backlog$9.7B $8.4B

Notable Contract Awards

  1. ABADS-MD (Air Base Air Defense) — $2.2 billion, 5-year Air Force award for ALPS and MRADR radar systems

  2. Cloud One Next (C1N) ACSS — $455 million, 6-year Air Force contract for multi-cloud platform

  3. MDA SHIELD IDIQ — Prime position on $151 billion ceiling, 10-year homeland defense contract

  4. DMEA ATSP5 — Position on $24.5 billion ceiling, 10-year technology support contract

Cash Flow & Capital Allocation

MetricQ4 FY2025FY2025FY2024
Operating Cash Flow$495M $1.75B $1.44B
Free Cash Flow$452M $1.63B $1.29B
FCF Conversion127% 104% 93%
Share Repurchases$305M $944M $906M
Dividends$55M $211M $208M

Balance sheet at quarter-end:

  • Cash: $1.1 billion
  • Total Debt: $4.6 billion
  • Shares outstanding: 126.4M (down from 131.2M YoY)

Dividend increase: Board declared quarterly dividend of $0.43/share (+7.5% YoY) payable March 31, 2026

Management Commentary

CEO Tom Bell emphasized strategic positioning and resilience:

"Our performance this quarter and throughout the year underscores the incredible resilience of our team and the power of our strategy in action. In a dynamic market environment, we delivered solid top-line growth, outstanding earnings power, and robust cash generation, which provide a strong foundation for future investment."

Bell highlighted five Growth Pillars driving the NorthStar 2030 strategy :

  1. Space and maritime
  2. Energy infrastructure
  3. Digital modernization and cyber
  4. Mission software
  5. Managed health services

Risks & Concerns

  1. Government budget uncertainty — Continued exposure to federal spending priorities and potential shutdowns
  2. Acquisition integration — $2.4B Entrust deal introduces execution and financing risks
  3. Margin pressure — FY2026 guidance implies ~100bps margin compression
  4. Health & Civil headwinds — Managed health services business creating revenue variability

Forward Catalysts

  • Entrust close — Expected H1 FY2026; watch for integration updates
  • SHIELD task orders — $151B IDIQ provides significant upside potential
  • Government budget resolution — Continuing resolution creates uncertainty; full-year appropriations would provide visibility
  • Q1 FY2026 earnings — May 2026; first quarter under new 4-segment structure
FintoolAsk Fintool AI Agent

Data sources: Leidos Holdings 8-K filed February 17, 2026; S&P Global Market Intelligence; Zacks Investment Research