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ROKU, INC (ROKU)·Q3 2025 Earnings Summary

Executive Summary

  • Roku delivered a clean beat and returned to GAAP profitability, with total revenue of $1.2106B (+14% YoY), diluted EPS of $0.16, and positive operating income ($9.5M), the first since 2021 . Platform revenue grew 17% YoY to $1.0646B, while The Roku Channel remained the #2 app by engagement in the U.S. .
  • Versus S&P Global consensus, Roku beat Q3 revenue ($1.2106B vs $1.2062B*) and EPS ($0.16 vs $0.0813*); management raised FY guidance for Platform revenue to $4.11B and Adjusted EBITDA to $395M, and guided Q4 revenue to ~$1.35B . Values retrieved from S&P Global.*
  • Mix and execution drove margin resilience: Platform gross margin was 51.5% (50 bps above outlook), while Devices gross margin was -15.7% in line with outlook; Adjusted EBITDA rose to $116.9M (9.7% margin) .
  • Strategic catalysts include deepening third‑party DSP integrations (Amazon ramp starting in Q4/2026), rapid SMB/performance traction in Roku Ads Manager, and subscription momentum (Premium Subscriptions and Howdy SVOD) .

What Went Well and What Went Wrong

What Went Well

  • Achieved positive operating income ahead of schedule and first time since 2021; net income of $24.8M with diluted EPS $0.16 . “We delivered strong Q3 results, achieving positive operating income ahead of schedule” — Anthony Wood & Dan Jedda .
  • Platform strength: revenue +17% YoY to $1.0646B, gross margin 51.5% (50 bps above outlook), driven by video advertising and streaming services distribution; streaming hours +4.5B YoY to 36.5B .
  • Demand diversification: deeper DSP integrations (Amazon), measurement partners (AppsFlyer, FreeWheel), and Ads Manager momentum (≈90% of Ads Manager advertisers were new to Roku in Q3) . “We want to be open and interoperable and be deeply integrated with all DSPs… the Amazon integration… ramp well into 2026” — Charlie Collier .

What Went Wrong

  • Devices remained a drag: revenue -5% YoY to $146.0M; gross margin -15.7% (gross loss of $22.9M), in line with outlook and reflecting structural seasonality/tariffs headwinds .
  • Media & Entertainment (M&E) ad vertical still pressured; while theatrical improved, industry broadly remains challenged, limiting upside contribution versus video/performance advertising .
  • Amazon DSP contribution is just beginning; management cautioned near‑term impact is modest, contemplated in Q4 guide, with greater lift expected during 2026 .

Financial Results

P&L and Profitability vs Prior Quarters

MetricQ1 2025Q2 2025Q3 2025
Total Net Revenue ($USD Millions)1,020.7 1,111.0 1,210.6
Total Gross Profit ($USD Millions)445.0 497.7 524.9
Total Gross Margin (%)43.6% 44.8% 43.4%
Operating Income (Loss) ($USD Millions)(57.7) (23.3) 9.5
Net Income (Loss) ($USD Millions)(27.4) 10.5 24.8
Diluted EPS ($USD)(0.19) 0.07 0.16
Adjusted EBITDA ($USD Millions)56.0 78.2 116.9
Adjusted EBITDA Margin (%)5.5% 7.0% 9.7%

Note: Adjusted EBITDA excludes other income, stock‑based comp, D&A, restructuring, and income taxes; reconciliations provided in 8‑K exhibits .

Segment Breakdown

MetricQ1 2025Q2 2025Q3 2025
Platform Revenue ($USD Millions)880.8 975.5 1,064.6
Platform Gross Profit ($USD Millions)464.3 497.7 547.8
Platform Gross Margin (%)52.7% 51.0% 51.5%
Devices Revenue ($USD Millions)139.9 135.6 146.0
Devices Gross Profit (Loss) ($USD Millions)(19.3) 0.0 (22.9)
Devices Gross Margin (%)-13.8% 0.0% -15.7%

KPIs

KPIQ1 2025Q2 2025Q3 2025
Streaming Hours (Billions)35.8 35.4 36.5
The Roku Channel Share of U.S. TV Streaming Time (Nielsen Gauge)5.4% 6.2%
The Roku Channel Rank (Platform Engagement)#2 U.S. #2 U.S. #2 U.S.; #3 reach globally

Q3 2025 vs S&P Global Consensus

MetricConsensusActualΔ
Revenue ($USD Millions)1,206.16*1,210.64 +0.4%
Diluted EPS ($USD)0.0813*0.16 +0.08
Values retrieved from S&P Global.*

Guidance Changes

MetricPeriodPrevious GuidanceCurrent GuidanceChange
Total Net Revenue ($USD Millions)Q3 2025~$1,205 Actual: $1,210.6 Beat
Total Gross Profit ($USD Millions)Q3 2025~$520 Actual: $524.9 Beat
Adjusted EBITDA ($USD Millions)Q3 2025~$110 Actual: $116.9 Beat
Net Income ($USD Millions)Q3 2025~$10 Actual: $24.8 Beat
Platform Gross Margin (%)Q3 2025~51% Actual: 51.5% Beat
Total Net Revenue ($USD Millions)Q4 2025~$1,350 New
Total Gross Profit ($USD Millions)Q4 2025~$575 New
Adjusted EBITDA ($USD Millions)Q4 2025~$145 New
Net Income ($USD Millions)Q4 2025~$40 New
Platform Revenue ($USD Billions)FY 2025$3.95 → $4.075 $4.11 Raised
Adjusted EBITDA ($USD Millions)FY 2025$350 → $375 $395 Raised
Platform Gross Margin (%)FY 2025~52% ~52% Maintained
Other Income (EBITDA recon) ($USD Millions)Q4 / FY 2025~$20 / ~$100 ~$10 / ~$90 Lower

Earnings Call Themes & Trends

TopicPrevious Mentions (Q1 & Q2)Current Period (Q3)Trend
Third‑party DSP integrationsDeepened integrations with The Trade Desk (UID2), Yahoo, Wurl; announced Amazon DSP integration in June Amazon DSP turned on; early days; contemplated in Q4 guide; ramping into 2026 Strengthening; ramp in 2026
Roku Ads Manager (SMB/performance)Launched; non‑material yet; large addressable market; Spaceback/Shopify integrations to lower creative cost Fast growth; ~90% advertisers in Q3 new to Roku; performance focus; generative AI integration underway Accelerating
Home Screen/UI monetizationAI‑driven content row boosted subscriptions/ad reach Larger home screen update testing; targeting 2026 rollout; dual goals: satisfaction and monetization Product upgrade pending
Subscriptions momentumPremium subscriptions growth; Frndly TV acquisition closed; bundling capabilities improving Howdy (SVOD $2.99) launched; Roku‑billed subscriptions growing; tier‑one launches in pipeline Expansion (1P + 3P)
Sports ExperienceMLB Sunday Leadoff engagement +40% reach; Sports Zone drives discovery NFL Zone traffic tripled YoY; sports aggregation drives signups; expansion to Mexico Positive tailwind
Pricing/upfront/macroUpfront positive; programmatic share rising Pricing stability in new upfront; multiple levers across demand curve; Q4 pricing positive Improving
ARPU trajectoryPlatform revenue initiatives to raise ARPU; 100M streaming households target in 2026 ARPU expected to grow faster alongside household growth; significant upside potential Uptrend
Regulatory/legalFederal court dismissed Roku’s Access Advance lawsuit; highlights jurisdiction limits on global FRAND Legal overhang clarity (neutral)
Devices/tariffsDevices soft; tariff impacts persistent Devices revenue roughly in line YoY for Q4; margin negative high‑20% expected; seasonality Mixed, consistent headwind

Management Commentary

  • “We delivered strong Q3 results, achieving positive operating income ahead of schedule and for the first time since 2021… We are increasing our full year outlook.” — Anthony Wood & Dan Jedda .
  • “Third‑party DSP integrations… we announced our relationship with Amazon… so far it’s looking good. It’s just starting to ramp up.” — Anthony Wood .
  • “Approximately 90% of advertisers on Ads Manager were new to Roku… we are very bullish about our position as the open and interoperable partner.” — Charlie Collier .
  • “We have $2.3B of cash and short‑term investments… trailing 12‑month free cash flow over $440M… repurchased $50M of stock… outlook Q4 Adjusted EBITDA $145M.” — Dan Jedda .
  • “We are leveraging AI to transform Roku Voice… AI‑generated ‘Why to Watch’ summaries… helping reduce active cancellation rates in Q3.” — Shareholder Letter .

Q&A Highlights

  • Amazon DSP rollout: Live but early; contemplated in Q4 guide; expected to ramp into 2026, similar to prior Trade Desk deep integration .
  • Ads Manager scale and performance: SMB/performance advertisers are net new; ~90% new advertisers in Q3; generative AI to drive automated creative and targeting .
  • ARPU and households: Strong belief ARPU can grow significantly with monetization initiatives; target of 100M streaming households in 2026; ARPU growth expected to outpace household growth in U.S. .
  • Pricing/upfront: Pricing stability in upfront; multiple pricing levers; positive pricing trends into Q4 .
  • Sports aggregation: Sports fragmentation is a tailwind; Sports Zone simplifies discovery; creates marketing/advertising opportunities .

Estimates Context

  • Q3 2025 beat: Revenue $1,210.6M vs $1,206.2M*; diluted EPS $0.16 vs $0.0813* . Values retrieved from S&P Global.*
  • Q4 2025 setup: Consensus revenue ~$1,352.8M*; consensus EPS ~$0.2667* vs company guidance of ~$1,350M revenue and ~$145M Adjusted EBITDA . Values retrieved from S&P Global.*
  • Implications: Upward revisions likely to FY EBITDA and Platform revenue given raised FY targets; note definitional differences between S&P EBITDA consensus and Roku’s Adjusted EBITDA (non‑GAAP) .

Key Takeaways for Investors

  • Platform momentum and diversification underpin sustained double‑digit growth; Roku is growing faster than U.S. OTT/digital ad markets and broadening demand via DSPs and SMB performance channels .
  • Non‑GAAP profitability turning point: Q3 Adjusted EBITDA 9.7% margin and GAAP operating income positive; Q4 guide targets record Adjusted EBITDA ($145M) and FY lift to $395M .
  • Subscription flywheel expanding: Premium Subscriptions, Frndly TV integration, and Howdy SVOD add durable revenue streams, aided by AI‑driven discovery and bundling capabilities .
  • Product/UI catalyst in 2026: Home screen redesign testing well for engagement and monetization; expect incremental yield from Roku Experience surfaces .
  • Devices remain a headwind but strategically critical for OS scale; margin seasonality/tariffs persist; Q4 Devices margin guided to negative high‑20% .
  • Near‑term ad pricing stability and programmatic integrations improve bid density and fill rates; Amazon DSP should incrementally benefit 2026 after initial ramp .
  • Capital discipline supports per‑share value: $50M buyback in Q3 within $400M program; strong cash and FCF position to offset dilution .

Bolded beats/misses in tables indicate estimate and guidance outperformance; non‑GAAP definitions and reconciliations included in 8‑K exhibits .