Revenue expectations are falling while profit expectations are rising—the two lines in Gartner’s earnings report are moving in opposite directions.
Gartner $IT is scheduled to report its third-quarter 2026 earnings before the U.S. market opens on November 3. The earnings call is at 08:00 U.S. Eastern Time, or 21:00 Beijing Time on November 3.
First, a note on market expectations: estimates vary by source, so don’t rely on just one figure:
1. EPS is expected to be between $2.84 and $2.86, compared with $2.76 in the same period last year, up approximately 2.9% to 3.6% year over year;
2. Revenue is expected to be between $1.49 billion and $1.50 billion, compared with $1.52 billion in the same period last year, down approximately 2.7% to 2.4% year over year;
3. By segment: Insights is expected to generate about $1.3 billion, a slight year-over-year decline; Conferences, about $83 million, up 11%; Consulting, about $116.9 million, down 5.8%;
4. For comparison, in the second quarter reported on August 4, EPS of $4.37 beat the $3.76 consensus, and revenue of $1.68 billion beat the $1.65 billion estimate. By Zacks’ measure, results beat expectations in each of the past four quarters, by an average of about 13.5%. However, its model does not clearly forecast a beat this quarter: the earnings ESP is 0.00%, and the rank is #4.
How to read this: Revenue is shrinking while profit is rising, suggesting the market is betting on expenses and business mix—not a renewed acceleration in demand. If Consulting continues to weigh on results, even a quarterly earnings beat will be difficult to frame as a trend reversal. Consider three scenarios separately: a beat with no cut to segment guidance could sustain the “demand stabilizing” narrative; meeting consensus but softening guidance would look like a one-off; revenue near the low end of the range or slower Consulting growth would mean recalibrating expectations for a high-expectation stock. Don’t chase the first move before the market opens; wait for the call to break down trends in Insights and Consulting before deciding.
Data as of: 2026-11-01 20:03 UTC
For informational purposes only; not investment advice.
Gartner $IT is scheduled to report its third-quarter 2026 earnings before the U.S. market opens on November 3. The earnings call is at 08:00 U.S. Eastern Time, or 21:00 Beijing Time on November 3.
First, a note on market expectations: estimates vary by source, so don’t rely on just one figure:
1. EPS is expected to be between $2.84 and $2.86, compared with $2.76 in the same period last year, up approximately 2.9% to 3.6% year over year;
2. Revenue is expected to be between $1.49 billion and $1.50 billion, compared with $1.52 billion in the same period last year, down approximately 2.7% to 2.4% year over year;
3. By segment: Insights is expected to generate about $1.3 billion, a slight year-over-year decline; Conferences, about $83 million, up 11%; Consulting, about $116.9 million, down 5.8%;
4. For comparison, in the second quarter reported on August 4, EPS of $4.37 beat the $3.76 consensus, and revenue of $1.68 billion beat the $1.65 billion estimate. By Zacks’ measure, results beat expectations in each of the past four quarters, by an average of about 13.5%. However, its model does not clearly forecast a beat this quarter: the earnings ESP is 0.00%, and the rank is #4.
How to read this: Revenue is shrinking while profit is rising, suggesting the market is betting on expenses and business mix—not a renewed acceleration in demand. If Consulting continues to weigh on results, even a quarterly earnings beat will be difficult to frame as a trend reversal. Consider three scenarios separately: a beat with no cut to segment guidance could sustain the “demand stabilizing” narrative; meeting consensus but softening guidance would look like a one-off; revenue near the low end of the range or slower Consulting growth would mean recalibrating expectations for a high-expectation stock. Don’t chase the first move before the market opens; wait for the call to break down trends in Insights and Consulting before deciding.
Data as of: 2026-11-01 20:03 UTC
For informational purposes only; not investment advice.
