STOCK TITAN

CBIZ Reports First-Quarter 2026 Financial Results

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CBIZ (NYSE:CBZ) reported Q1 2026 results: total revenue $849M (+1.3% YoY), net income $162M (+31.6% YoY), GAAP EPS $2.63 (+37.7%), adjusted EBITDA $244M (+1.5%), and adjusted diluted EPS $2.50 (+7.3%). Operating cash flow rose 71.1% and free cash flow rose 69.5%.

The company repurchased ~2M shares for ~$63M through April, reduced net leverage 0.5x YoY, and raised 2026 adjusted EBITDA and adjusted diluted EPS outlooks to $465–475M and $4.00–4.10, respectively, while keeping revenue guidance at ~$2.8–2.9B.

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AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Positive

  • Total revenue of $849M (+1.3% YoY)
  • Net income $162M (+31.6% YoY)
  • Operating cash flow +71.1% and free cash flow +69.5%
  • Adjusted EBITDA guidance raised to $465–475M
  • Adjusted diluted EPS guidance raised to $4.00–4.10
  • Repurchased ~2M shares for ~$63M, lowering share count

Negative

  • Modest revenue growth of 1.3% may signal limited topline acceleration
  • Adjusted EBITDA up only 1.5% versus revenue and cash strength
  • Revenue outlook remains low- to mid-single-digit growth (~2%–5%)

News Market Reaction – CBZ

-8.05% 1.7x vol
52 alerts
-8.05% News Effect
+6.9% Peak Tracked
-15.6% Trough Tracked
-$174M Valuation Impact
$1.99B Market Cap
1.7x Rel. Volume

On the day this news was published, CBZ declined 8.05%, reflecting a notable negative market reaction. Argus tracked a peak move of +6.9% during that session. Argus tracked a trough of -15.6% from its starting point during tracking. Our momentum scanner triggered 52 alerts that day, indicating high trading interest and price volatility. This price movement removed approximately $174M from the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $1.99B at that time. Trading volume was above average at 1.7x the daily average, suggesting increased trading activity.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Key Figures

Total revenue: $849M (up 1.3%) Net income: $162M (up 31.6%) GAAP EPS: $2.63 (up 37.7%) +5 more
8 metrics
Total revenue $849M (up 1.3%) Q1 2026 total revenue growth vs prior year
Net income $162M (up 31.6%) Q1 2026 net income year-over-year
GAAP EPS $2.63 (up 37.7%) Q1 2026 GAAP EPS year-over-year
Adjusted EBITDA $244M (up 1.5%) Q1 2026 adjusted EBITDA year-over-year
Adjusted diluted EPS $2.50 (up 7.3%) Q1 2026 adjusted diluted EPS year-over-year
Operating cash flow Up 71.1% Q1 2026 operating cash flow year-over-year change
Share repurchases ~2M shares for ~$63M Repurchases through end of April 2026
2026 Adjusted EPS outlook ~$4.00 to $4.10 Updated 2026 adjusted diluted EPS guidance

Market Reality Check

Price: $30.92 Vol: Volume 1,440,144 is 1.6x ...
high vol
$30.92 Last Close
Volume Volume 1,440,144 is 1.6x the 20-day average of 898,572, signaling elevated interest around earnings. high
Technical Shares at 32.48 are trading below the 200-day MA of 48.09, despite the positive earnings reaction.

Peers on Argus

CBZ gained 5.94%, outpacing mixed peers: FA (+2.59%) and TIC (+2.54%) rose, whil...

CBZ gained 5.94%, outpacing mixed peers: FA (+2.59%) and TIC (+2.54%) rose, while UNF, ABM, and AZZ slipped modestly. This points to a stock-specific earnings reaction rather than a broad sector move.

Previous Earnings Reports

5 past events · Latest: Feb 25 (Positive)
Same Type Pattern 5 events
Date Event Sentiment Move Catalyst
Feb 25 Full-year 2025 earnings Positive -1.8% Strong 2025 growth with higher EPS and guidance for 2026 performance.
Oct 29 Q3 2025 earnings Positive +3.1% Q3 and nine‑month revenue surged with higher adjusted EPS and guidance.
Jul 30 Q2 2025 earnings Positive -19.7% Exceptional revenue and EBITDA growth supported by Marcum acquisition benefits.
Apr 24 Q1 2025 earnings Positive -14.0% Strong Q1 growth but revised 2025 outlook amid macro uncertainties.
Feb 26 FY 2024 earnings Positive -5.2% Robust 2024 results and initial 2025 guidance after Marcum acquisition.
Pattern Detected

Earnings releases have generally been positive fundamentally, yet shares often moved negatively, making today’s positive reaction a departure from recent patterns.

Recent Company History

Over the past several earnings cycles, CBIZ reported strong growth driven by the Marcum acquisition and expanding professional services. Prior updates highlighted sizable revenue increases, rising adjusted EPS, and detailed guidance ranges for revenue, adjusted EBITDA, and EPS. Despite this, the stock frequently declined following earnings, even when results were framed as strong or exceptional. Today’s first‑quarter 2026 report continues the trend of revenue, EPS, and cash flow growth, but unlike several 2024–2025 earnings releases, the market reaction is positive, suggesting improving sentiment toward execution and outlook.

Historical Comparison

-7.5% avg move · Past earnings headlines saw an average move of -7.53%. Today’s +5.94% reaction to Q1 2026 results co...
earnings
-7.5%
Average Historical Move earnings

Past earnings headlines saw an average move of -7.53%. Today’s +5.94% reaction to Q1 2026 results contrasts sharply with that trend.

Earnings updates have traced CBIZ’s integration of Marcum and rapid revenue growth into more normalized, lower‑growth guidance, with recurring updates to revenue, adjusted EBITDA, and EPS targets.

Market Pulse Summary

The stock moved -8.1% in the session following this news. A negative reaction despite positive news ...
Analysis

The stock moved -8.1% in the session following this news. A negative reaction despite positive news fits CBIZ’s recent pattern, where earnings headlines with strong revenue and EPS growth sometimes preceded share price declines. With past earnings moves averaging -7.53%, traders have at times faded upbeat releases, potentially reflecting concerns about integration, growth normalization, or valuation. The position below the 200-day moving average could also reinforce a cautious technical backdrop.

Key Terms

adjusted ebitda, adjusted diluted eps, free cash flow, net leverage, +3 more
7 terms
adjusted ebitda financial
"Adjusted EBITDA of $244M, up 1.5%; Adjusted diluted EPS of $2.50"
Adjusted EBITDA is a way companies measure how much money they make from their core operations, like running a business, by removing certain costs or income that aren’t part of regular business activities. It helps investors see how well a company is doing without distractions from unusual expenses or gains, making it easier to compare companies or track performance over time.
adjusted diluted eps financial
"Adjusted EBITDA of $244M, up 1.5%; Adjusted diluted EPS of $2.50"
Adjusted diluted EPS is a company’s profit per share after adding back or removing one-time items (like restructuring costs or gains) and dividing by the number of shares including potential shares from options and convertible securities. Investors use it as a cleaner view of ongoing earnings—like looking at a car’s regular fuel efficiency rather than a trip boosted by downhill coasting—to judge underlying performance and compare companies without temporary distortions.
free cash flow financial
"Operating cash flow up 71.1%; Free cash flow up 69.5%"
Free cash flow is the amount of money a company has left over after paying all its expenses and investing in its business, like buying equipment or updating facilities. It shows how much cash is available to reward shareholders, pay down debt, or save for future growth. This helps investors understand if a company is financially healthy and able to grow.
net leverage financial
"repurchased ~2M shares for ~$63M through end of April; net leverage decreased"
Net leverage measures how many years it would take for a company to pay off its outstanding debt using its annual operating cash flow, after subtracting cash on hand from total debt. Think of it like a household’s mortgage balance minus savings divided by yearly income; a lower number means the company is in a safer position to handle debt, while a higher number signals greater financial risk and potential pressure on profits or growth.
effective tax rate financial
"Effective tax rate of approximately 28.5%"
The effective tax rate is the percentage of a company's profits that it pays in taxes. It shows how much of its earnings go to taxes after all deductions and credits are considered. For investors, it indicates how much of the company's income is taken by taxes, impacting overall profitability and financial health.
weighted average fully diluted share count financial
"Weighted average fully diluted share count of approximately 60.5 million shares"
A weighted average fully diluted share count is the average number of company shares that would be outstanding over a reporting period after adding all potential shares from options, warrants, convertibles and other rights, with each addition weighted by how long it was in effect during the period. Investors use it to calculate per-share measures (like earnings per share) so they see a realistic picture of ownership and dilution; think of it like averaging how many slices of a pizza were available as more people claimed portions at different times.
agentic ai platform technical
"deploying an agentic AI platform to drive productivity, consistency, and quality"
An agentic AI platform is software that can set and pursue goals, make decisions, and carry out tasks across digital tools with minimal human direction — like a self-directed assistant that plans, acts, and learns. For investors it matters because such platforms can multiply productivity, automate complex workflows, and create new revenue streams, while also raising operational, safety and regulatory risks that can affect a company’s costs and growth prospects.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

YoY Growth in Revenue, Earnings, and Cash Flow
Increased Adjusted Diluted EPS Outlook for Completed Share Repurchases
Executing on Capital Allocation Priorities

First-Quarter Financial Highlights:

  • Total revenue of $849M, up 1.3%; Financial Services revenue up 2.1%
  • Net income of $162M, up 31.6%; GAAP EPS of $2.63, up 37.7%
  • Adjusted EBITDA of $244M, up 1.5%; Adjusted diluted EPS of $2.50, up 7.3%
  • Operating cash flow up 71.1%; Free cash flow up 69.5%
  • Repurchased ~2M shares for ~$63M through end of April; net leverage decreased 0.5x YoY
  • 2026 outlook continues to contemplate low to mid-single digit revenue growth, improved earnings and strong free cash flow conversion over prior year

CLEVELAND, April 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CBIZ, Inc., (NYSE: CBZ) (“CBIZ” or the “Company”), a leading national professional services advisor, today announced first quarter results for the period ended March 31, 2026.

Management Commentary:

Jerry Grisko, CBIZ President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “We entered 2026 with clear strategic priorities and executed with discipline in the first quarter. We achieved year-over-year growth in revenue, earnings, and free cash flow, while returning capital to shareholders through highly accretive share repurchases. Our organic growth improved throughout the quarter and is up sequentially compared to the fourth quarter. Reflecting our solid performance and the impact of the share repurchases, we are increasing our adjusted EPS outlook and reaffirming our other previously communicated targets.”

Grisko continued, “As we look ahead, we are encouraged by the momentum building across the business and the strong performance of our teams during our first busy season as a fully integrated organization. We remain focused on investing in our people, strengthening our brand, deepening our industry specialization, and enhancing the breadth and depth of services provided to our clients. We believe our strategy and continued execution position CBIZ to drive attractive growth and deliver long-term value for our clients and shareholders.”

Business Highlights:

  • Named a Top Workplace in the nation by USA Today for the sixth consecutive year
  • Elevated Peter Scavuzzo, one of the leading voices on technology and AI in our industries, to Chief Information and Technology Officer to bring Enterprise IT, Business Transformation and Innovation all under one strategic leader
  • CBIZ team members continue to be recognized by the market as among the most highly regarded leaders in a number of industry groups, including Construction, Real Estate, Consumer and Industrial Products, Tech and Life Science and Private Equity
  • Attracted new senior professional hires with strong retention levels across the business
  • Driving cross-serve and new logo wins through industry groups, increasing share of wallet and pipeline conversion across key verticals, such as Private Equity, Construction and Alternative Investments
  • Expanding breadth and depth of services through integrated delivery, collaborating across practices and geographies to support large, multi-service engagements, including cross-border tax, transaction advisory and technology-led work
  • Achieved meaningful progress in deploying an agentic AI platform to drive productivity, consistency, and quality across operations
  • Accelerating our access to global capabilities to expand capacity and improve efficiency; on track to achieve 2026 target of 10% of total tax and attest hours completed by global resources
  • Advanced integration milestones during the quarter and on track to realize $12M in additional operational synergies in 2026 - continue to expect greater than $50M cumulatively
  • Launched spring national brand campaign, featuring targeted, nationally televised ads across key markets to raise brand awareness

2026 Financial Outlook:

MetricPrevious 2026 OutlookUpdated 2026 Outlook
Total Revenue~$2.8B to $2.9B~$2.8B to $2.9B
Adjusted EBITDA~$450M to $460M~$465M to $475M
Adjusted Diluted EPS~$3.75 to $3.85~$4.00 to $4.10
Free Cash Flow~$270M to $290M~$270M to $290M
   

2026 Financial Outlook Additional Support:

  • Revenue outlook represents approximately 2% to 5% growth
  • Increased Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Diluted EPS outlook ranges to reflect a stock-based compensation adjustment and share repurchases through end of April
  • Effective tax rate of approximately 28.5%
  • Weighted average fully diluted share count of approximately 60.5 million shares, down from approximately 62 million shares in previous outlook
  • Free Cash Flow represents approximately 60% conversion of Adjusted EBITDA

Conference Call
CBIZ will host a conference call today at 5 p.m. (ET) to discuss its first quarter results. The call will be webcast, and an archived replay will be available at https://cbiz.gcs-web.com/investor-overview. Participants can register for the conference call at https://dpregister.com/sreg/10208405/103d3539954.

About CBIZ

CBIZ, Inc. (NYSE: CBZ) is a leading professional services advisor to middle market businesses nationwide. With industry knowledge and expertise in accounting, tax, advisory, benefits, insurance, and technology, CBIZ delivers actionable insights to help clients anticipate what is next and discover new ways to accelerate growth. CBIZ has more than 9,500 team members across 23 major markets coast to coast. For more information, visit www.cbiz.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, our “2026 Financial Outlook,” our financial position, business strategy, plans and objectives for future performance, are forward-looking statements. You can identify these statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements are commonly identified by the use of such terms and phrases as “will,” “could,” “can,” “may,” “strive,” “hope,” “intend,” “believe,” “estimate,” “continue,” “plan,” “expect,” “project,” “anticipate,” “outlook,” “foreseeable future,” “seek” and words or phrases of similar import in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance. In particular, these include statements relating to future actions, future performance or results of current and anticipated services, sales efforts, expenses, and financial results.

From time to time, we may also provide oral or written forward-looking statements in other materials we release to the public. Any or all of our forward-looking statements in this release and in any other public statements that we make are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: payments on accounts receivable may be slower than expected, or amounts due on receivables or notes may not be fully collectible; our business could be adversely affected if the non-attest business assets we acquired, or the attest assets CBIZ CPAs acquired, from Marcum LLP (“Marcum”) do not perform to our expectations or we underestimate the liabilities we have assumed; we are dependent on the services of our executive officers, and other key employees, the loss of any of whom may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations; our profitability could suffer if we are not able to effectively utilize our employees, maintain operational efficiencies or manage our cost structure; restrictions imposed by independence requirements and conflict of interest rules, as well as the nature and terms of our current administrative service agreements, limit our ability to provide services to clients of the attest firms with which we have contractual relationships and the ability of such attest firms to provide attestation services to our clients; our goodwill and other intangible assets could become impaired, which could lead to material non-cash charges against earnings and a material impact on our results of operations and financial condition; certain liabilities resulting from acquisitions are estimated and could lead to a material impact on our results of operations; we may fail to realize the anticipated benefits of acquisitions, or they may prove disruptive and could result in the combined business failing to meet our expectations; claims or adverse publicity could harm our brand, reputation and ability to compete and attract and retain clients, talent and future acquisition targets; we may not be able to acquire and finance additional businesses, which could limit our ability to pursue our business strategy; we will incur transaction, integration, and restructuring costs in connection with our acquisition program; governmental regulations and interpretations are subject to changes, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition; uncertainty in the current economic and geopolitical environment could lead to declines in demand for certain of our services; changes in the United States healthcare environment, including new healthcare legislation, may adversely affect the revenue and margins in our healthcare benefit business; we are subject to risks relating to processing customer transactions for our payroll and other transaction processing businesses; cyberattacks or other security breaches involving our computer systems or the systems of one or more of our vendors could materially and adversely affect our business; we are subject to risk as it relates to software that we license from third parties; we are reliant on information processing systems and any failure or disruptions of these systems could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations; we could be held liable for errors and omissions; the business services industry is competitive and fragmented, if we are unable to compete effectively, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be negatively impacted; failure to maintain our reputation and brand could impact our ability to attract and retain clients, employees and future acquisition targets, and may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations; we are dependent on our existing client base and our ability to retain and expand our relationships with those clients; our clients may terminate our engagements with little or no notice and without penalty, which may result in unexpected declines in our revenue or unexpected costs; given our levels of share-based compensation, our tax rate may vary significantly depending on our stock price; we may be subject to the actions of activist stockholders; rapid technological changes could significantly impact our competitive position, client relationships and operating results and our ability to realize the anticipated benefits of our acquisition of the non-attest business assets and liabilities of Marcum and CBIZ CPAs P.C.’s purchase from Marcum of substantially all of Marcum’s attest business assets (the “Transaction”); the widespread outbreak of a communicable illness or any other public health crisis could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations; we require a significant amount of cash for interest payments on our debt and to expand our business as planned; terms of our amended and restated credit agreement (the “2024 Credit Facilities”) providing for $2.0 billion in senior secured credit facilities, consisting of a $1.4 billion term loan and $600 million revolving credit facility, could adversely affect our ability to run our business and/or reduce stockholder returns; our failure to satisfy covenants in our debt instruments could cause a default under those instruments; our increased leverage following the Transaction may adversely impact our business; we may be more sensitive to revenue fluctuations than other companies, which could result in fluctuations in the market price of our common stock; the significant number of shares issuable as the stock consideration in the Transaction may adversely impact our stock price; the future issuance of additional shares could adversely affect the price of our common stock; there is volatility in our stock price; and the price of our common stock could be adversely impacted if we do not perform to expectations following the Transaction.

Such forward-looking statements can be affected by inaccurate assumptions we might make or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks materialize, or should the underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those anticipated, estimated, projected or implied. Consequently, no forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Our actual future results may vary materially. All forward looking statements made in this release are made only as of the date hereof, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. You are advised, however, to consult any further disclosures we make on related subjects in the current, quarterly, periodic and annual reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Also note that we provide a cautionary discussion of the risks, uncertainties and possibly inaccurate assumptions relevant to our businesses in “Item 1. Business” and “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025. These are factors that we think could cause our actual results to differ materially from expected and historical results. Other factors besides those described here could also adversely affect our operating or financial performance.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement our consolidated financial statements, which are prepared and presented in accordance with United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”), we also present Adjusted Net Income (Loss), Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share (“EPS”), Adjusted EBITDA, and Free Cash Flow, which are non-GAAP measures. These non-GAAP measures are adjusted to exclude the impact of the Transaction, integration costs, amortization of acquired intangible assets, and other significant non-operating related gains and losses management does not consider ongoing in nature. The presentation of non-GAAP financial information is designed to supplement the Company’s financial information presented in accordance with GAAP, is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for, or superior to, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. We use these non-GAAP financial measures for financial and operational decision-making, and to evaluate results relative to employee compensation targets. We believe that these non-GAAP financial measures provide meaningful supplemental information to stockholders, debt holders, and other interested parties in assessing our performance. These non-GAAP financial measures also facilitate management’s internal comparisons to our historical performance by excluding significant acquisition expenses, certain one-time non-recurring items, and gains and losses that management does not consider ongoing in nature. We believe these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors both because (1) they allow for greater transparency with respect to key measures used by management in its financial and operational decision-making and (2) they are used by our stockholders and analyst community to determine the health of our business. These non-GAAP measures may not be comparable to similar non-GAAP measures presented by other companies. The presentation of such non-GAAP measures, which may include exclusions of non-recurring items, should not be construed as an inference that the Company's future results will be unaffected by other non-recurring items. Management provides specific information regarding the GAAP amounts excluded from or included in these non-GAAP financial measures. Additionally, management provides reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to their most comparable financial measures presented in accordance with GAAP. Please see the schedules captioned “GAAP Reconciliation” at the end of this release for additional information and the applicable reconciliations. The Company does not reconcile its forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures to the most comparable financial measure presented in accordance with GAAP, due to variability and difficulty in making accurate forecasts and projections and/or certain information not being ascertainable or accessible without unreasonable efforts. For example, the Company may be unable, without unreasonable efforts, to predict with reasonable certainty the timing or amount of integration costs, amortization of acquired intangible assets and certain other significant non-operating related gains and losses on a forward-looking basis. The significance of this unavailable information could have a material impact on the Company’s GAAP results. The Company provides forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures that it believes will be achieved; however, it cannot accurately predict all of the components of the most directly comparable financial measures presented in accordance with GAAP, and the GAAP measures may be materially different than the non-GAAP measures.


CBIZ, INC.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (UNAUDITED)
THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2026 AND 2025
(In thousands, except percentages and per share data)
  
 Three Months Ended March 31,
  2026  %  2025  %
Revenue$848,579  100.0% $838,014  100.0%
Operating expenses(1) 622,562  73.4   609,912  72.8 
Gross margin 226,017  26.6   228,102  27.2 
Corporate general and administrative expenses(1) 29,568  3.5   28,070  3.3 
Operating income 196,449  23.1   200,032  23.9 
Other (expense) income:       
Interest expense (23,916) (2.8)  (25,156) (3.0)
Gain from acquisition related adjustment, net 57,955  6.8      
Other expense, net(1) (2) (4,016) (0.5)  (1,966) (0.2)
Total other income (expense), net 30,023  3.5   (27,122) (3.2)
Income before income tax expense 226,472  26.7   172,910  20.6 
Income tax expense 64,860     50,137   
Net income$161,612  19.0% $122,773  14.7%
        
Diluted earnings per share$2.63    $1.91   
        
Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding 61,537     64,142   
Other data:       
Adjusted EBITDA(3)$244,343  28.8% $240,725  28.7%
Adjusted Diluted EPS(3)$2.50    $2.33   
            

(1)  We sponsor a Non-qualified Deferred Compensation Plan (the "deferred compensation plan"), under which a CBIZ employee’s compensation deferral is held in a rabbi trust and invested accordingly as directed by the employee. The activities related to the deferred compensation plan are recorded in "Corporate and Other" for segment reporting purposes. Gains and losses resulting from the adjustments to the fair value of the invested assets in the deferred compensation plan are recorded as an increase or decrease to the "Other income (expense), net", directly offset by the same adjustments as an increase or decrease to compensation expense (recorded as "Operating expense" or "Corporate general and administrative expense") in the accompanying Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income. The deferred compensation plan has no impact on “Income before income tax expense” or diluted earnings per share. 

Income and expenses related to the deferred compensation plan for the three months ended March 31, 2026, and 2025, are as follows (in thousands, except percentages):

  Three Months Ended March 31,
Income statement line items:  2026  % of Revenue  2025  % of Revenue
Operating expense $(3,069) (0.4)% $(2,432) (0.3)%
Corporate general and administrative income  (319) %  (119) %
Other expense, net  3,388  0.4%  2,551  0.3%
               

Excluding the impact of the above-mentioned income and expenses related to the deferred compensation plan, the operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2026, and 2025, are as follows (in thousands, except percentages):

 Three Months Ended March 31,
  2026   2025 
 As
Reported
 Deferred Compensation Plan Adjusted % of
Revenue
 As
Reported
 Deferred Compensation Plan Adjusted % of
Revenue
Gross margin$226,017  $(3,069) $222,948  26.3% $228,102  $(2,432) $225,670 26.9%
Operating income 196,449   (3,388)  193,061  22.8%  200,032   (2,551)  197,481 23.6%
Other expense, net (4,016)  3,388   (628) (0.1)%  (1,966)  2,551   585 0.1%
Income before income tax expense 226,472      226,472  26.7%  172,910      172,910 20.6%


(2)  Included in "Other expense, net" for the three months ended March 31, 2026, and 2025, is expense of $0.2 million and $0.5 million, respectively, related to net changes in the fair value of contingent consideration related to CBIZ's prior acquisitions.

(3)  Refer to the schedules reconciling Adjusted Diluted EPS and Adjusted EBITDA to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures at the end of this release and for additional information as to the usefulness of the non-GAAP financial measures to stockholders and investors.



CBIZ, INC.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (UNAUDITED)
SELECT SEGMENT DATA
(In thousands)
  
 Three Months Ended March 31,
  2026   2025 
Revenue   
Financial Services(1)$740,330  $725,038 
Benefits and Insurance Services 108,249   112,976 
Total Revenue$848,579  $838,014 
    
Gross Margin   
Financial Services(1)$209,560  $204,280 
Benefits and Insurance Services 23,015   27,618 
Operating expenses - unallocated(2):   
Other expense (9,627)  (6,228)
Deferred compensation 3,069   2,432 
Total Gross Margin$226,017  $228,102 
As a % of Revenue 26.6%  27.2%
        

(1)  During the three months of March 31, 2026, the National Practice practice was combined with the Financial Service practice group to better align with internal management and reporting structure. As a result, the Financial Services revenue and gross margin for the three months ended March 31, 2025 was adjusted to reflect this change.

(2)  Represents operating expenses not directly allocated to individual businesses, including stock-based compensation, consolidation and integration charges, and certain advertising expenses. "Operating expenses - unallocated" also includes gains or losses attributable to the assets held in a rabbi trust associated with the Company's deferred compensation plan. These gains or losses do not impact "Income before income tax expense" as they are directly offset by the same adjustment to "Other income (expense), net" in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income. Net gains or losses recognized from adjustments to the fair value of the assets held in the rabbi trust are recorded as compensation expense (income) in "Operating expenses" and “Corporate, general and administrative expenses,” and offset in "Other income (expense), net."



CBIZ, INC.
SELECT CASH FLOW DATA (UNAUDITED)
(In thousands)
  
 Three Months Ended March 31,
  2026   2025 
Net income$161,612  $122,773 
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:   
Depreciation and amortization expense 23,750   24,791 
Bad debt expense, net of recoveries 1,409   417 
Adjustments to contingent earnout liability, net 195   502 
Deferred income taxes 7,530   5,639 
Stock-based compensation expense 14,660   4,320 
Amortization of deferred financing fees 1,349   1,298 
Other, net 837   (289)
Changes in assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions and divestitures:   
Accounts receivable, net (214,671)  (201,258)
Other assets 2,910   (8,990)
Accounts payable (4,191)  11,985 
Income taxes payable 49,791   45,626 
Accrued personnel costs (77,295)  (84,642)
Other liabilities 6,599   (10,438)
Net cash used in operating activities (25,515)  (88,266)
Net cash used in investing activities (2,919)  (4,961)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities (12,578)  55,363 
Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (41,012)  (37,864)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of year 218,090   187,170 
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period$177,078  $149,306 
    
Reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash to the consolidated balance sheet:
Cash and cash equivalents$28,718  $8,850 
Restricted cash 40,622   40,777 
Cash equivalents included in funds held for clients 107,738   99,679 
Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash$177,078  $149,306 



CBIZ, INC.
GAAP RECONCILIATION
Operating Cash Flow to Free Cash Flow(1)
(Unaudited. Amounts in thousands, except per share data)
  
 Three Months Ended March 31,
  2026   2025 
Net cash used in operating activities$(25,515) $(88,266)
Less:   
Additions to property and equipment (3,000)  (5,177)
Free Cash Flow$(28,515) $(93,443)
        

(1)   This table reconciles Free Cash Flow to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure of net cash provided by operating activities. Free Cash Flow is a non-GAAP measure that management believes provides a more complete understanding of the factors and trends affecting our cash flows. This information is useful to investors, as it offers a measure of cash generated from our business that can be used for our strategic business objectives.



CBIZ, INC.
SELECT FINANCIAL DATA AND RATIOS (UNAUDITED)
(In thousands, except percentages, DSO, and per share data)
    
 March 31, 2026 December 31, 2025
Cash and cash equivalents$28,718  $18,290 
Restricted cash 40,622   38,234 
Accounts receivable, net 769,442   555,995 
Other current assets 77,639   79,693 
Current assets before funds held for clients 916,421   692,212 
Funds held for clients 152,862   207,037 
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net 2,856,166   2,869,790 
    
Total assets 4,629,960   4,409,528 
    
Current liabilities before client fund obligations, excluding short-term debt 427,781   462,484 
Client fund obligations 152,951   206,738 
Current portion, Term Loan(1) 78,750   70,000 
Revolver Facility(1) 239,000   142,400 
Long-term portion, Term Loan(1) 1,233,750   1,260,000 
    
Total liabilities 2,735,784   2,647,461 
    
Treasury stock (1,110,111)  (1,078,521)
    
Total stockholders' equity 1,894,176   1,762,067 
    
Debt to equity 69.3%  75.5%
Days sales outstanding (DSO)(2) 99   71 
    
Shares outstanding 54,299   54,380 
Basic weighted average common shares outstanding 61,424   62,909 
Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding 61,537   63,240 
        

(1)  Reflects the gross debt for the Term Loan and Revolving Credit Facility excluding the associated unamortized deferred debt issuance costs totaling $15.1 million and $16.5 million, respectively, as of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025.

(2)  DSO is provided for continuing operations and represents accounts receivable, net, at the end of the period, divided by trailing twelve-months daily revenue. The Company has included DSO data because such data is commonly used as a performance measure by analysts and investors and as a measure of the Company's ability to collect on receivables in a timely manner. DSO should not be regarded as an alternative or replacement to any measurement of performance under GAAP. DSO on March 31, 2025, was 96.



CBIZ, INC.
GAAP RECONCILIATION
Net Income (Loss) and Diluted Earnings Per Share (“EPS”) to Adjusted Net Income (Loss), Adjusted Diluted EPS, Adjusted EBITDA, and Adjusted EBITDA Margin(1)
(Unaudited. Amounts in thousands, except per share data)
  
 Three Months Ended March 31, 2026
 Financial
Services
 Benefits and
Insurance
Services
 Corporate &
Other
 Consolidated EPS
Net income (loss)$208,687  $23,390  $(70,465) $161,612  $2.63 
Adjustments:         
Amortization of acquired intangible assets 17,135   1,519      18,654   0.30 
Integration costs related to acquisitions(2) 14,800   23   9,046   23,869   0.39 
Gain from acquisition related adjustment, net(3)       (57,955)  (57,955)  (0.94)
Stock-based compensation(4) 658      3,649   4,307   0.07 
Income tax effect related to adjustments       3,186   3,186   0.05 
Adjusted net income (loss)$241,280  $24,932  $(112,539) $153,673  $2.50 
Interest expense       23,916   23,916   
Income tax expense       64,860   64,860   
Tax effect related to the adjustments above       (3,186)  (3,186)  
Depreciation(5) 3,184   507   1,389   5,080   
Adjusted EBITDA$244,464  $25,439  $(25,560) $244,343   
As a % of Revenue 33.0%   23.5%  N/A  28.8%   
          
 Three Months Ended March 31, 2025
 Financial
Services
 Benefits and
Insurance
Services
 Corporate &
Other
 Consolidated EPS
Net income (loss)$204,465  $27,945  $(109,637) $122,773  $1.91 
Adjustments:         
Amortization of acquired intangible assets 16,890   1,776      18,666   0.29 
Integration costs related to acquisitions(2) 2,513   156   13,023   15,692   0.24 
Litigation costs       796   796   0.01 
Stock-based compensation(4)       2,309   2,309   0.04 
Income tax effect related to adjustments       (10,863)  (10,863)  (0.16)
Adjusted net income (loss)$223,868  $29,877  $(104,372) $149,373  $2.33 
Interest expense       25,156   25,156   
Income tax expense       50,137   50,137   
Tax effect related to the adjustments above       10,863   10,863   
Depreciation(5) 3,558   549   1,089   5,196   
Adjusted EBITDA$227,426  $30,426  $(17,127) $240,725   
As a % of Revenue 31.4%   26.9%  N/A  28.7%   
                

(1)  This table reconciles Adjusted net income (loss), Adjusted diluted EPS, Adjusted EBITDA, and Adjusted EBITDA margin to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. Adjusted net income (loss), Adjusted diluted EPS, Adjusted EBITDA, and Adjusted EBITDA margin exclude the impact of the Transaction and other significant non-operating related gains and losses that management does not consider on-going in nature. Please refer to the 'Non-GAAP Financial Measures' section for further management discussion.

(2)  These costs include, but are not limited to, certain consulting, technology, personnel, as well as other integration costs related to the Transaction.

(3)  Gain related the finalization of working capital and related purchase price adjustments associated with the Transaction.

(4)  Stock-based compensation expense reported for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025 excluded $3.2 million and $3.3 million, respectively, of stock-based compensation expense reported as “Integration costs related to acquisitions” above.

(5)  Depreciation expense reported for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025 excluded $16 thousand and $0.9 million, respectively, of depreciation expense reported as “Integration costs related to acquisitions” above. The accelerated depreciation was associated with certain technology assets from the Transaction.


FAQ

What were CBZ (NYSE:CBZ) Q1 2026 earnings and revenue results?

CBZ reported Q1 2026 revenue of $849M and net income $162M. According to CBIZ, GAAP EPS was $2.63 and adjusted diluted EPS was $2.50, reflecting year-over-year gains in earnings and cash flow.

How did CBZ update its 2026 adjusted EBITDA and EPS guidance on April 29, 2026?

CBZ raised 2026 adjusted EBITDA to $465–475M and adjusted diluted EPS to $4.00–4.10. According to CBIZ, the updates reflect stock-based compensation adjustments and share repurchases through end of April.

How much cash did CBZ return to shareholders in Q1 2026 and through April?

CBZ repurchased approximately 2 million shares for ~$63M through the end of April. According to CBIZ, these repurchases reduced the weighted average diluted share count and contributed to an increased EPS outlook.

What free cash flow and operating cash flow did CBZ report for Q1 2026?

CBZ reported operating cash flow up 71.1% and free cash flow up 69.5% in Q1 2026. According to CBIZ, strong cash conversion supports capital allocation priorities including buybacks and reinvestment.

What revenue growth and tax assumptions underpin CBZ's 2026 outlook?

CBZ's 2026 revenue outlook implies approximately 2%–5% growth with an effective tax rate near 28.5%. According to CBIZ, free cash flow conversion is expected to be about 60% of adjusted EBITDA.