Akamai Q3 Preview: EPS Set to Fall as Insiders Cashed Out
Akamai Technologies reports Q3 earnings on November 5 with consensus EPS of $0.92, down 13.2% from a year ago and part of an 18.8% full-year profit decline. In September, three executives sold $1.47 m
Akamai Q3 Preview: EPS Set to Fall as Insiders Cashed Out
NEW YORK, November 3 —
Akamai Technologies, Inc. (AKAM) heads into Q3 2026 earnings, due after the close on November 5, with a four-quarter EPS beat streak intact but a FY2026 profit forecast 18.8% below last year's. Three executives, including the head of its Security segment, sold a combined $1.47 million of stock at prices roughly $40 above where shares trade today.
- Q3 2026 EPS consensus: $0.92, down 13.2% from $1.06 a year ago; results due after market close November 5.
- FY2026 consensus EPS of $3.58 is 18.8% below FY2025's $4.41; the two most recent quarterly beats were under 1%.
- Three senior executives sold $1.47 million of shares on September 15 and 25, 2026, at $105.63 to $128.00 per share.
Beats Shrinking as the Bar Falls
Akamai Technologies operates three segments: security (web application protection, bot defense, and API security discovery), content delivery, and a cloud computing platform that includes Kubernetes-based deployment tools. All four recent EPS beats were on an adjusted basis; on a GAAP basis, the record was two beats and two misses over the same period. The non-GAAP beat margins ran 13.4%, 5.1%, 0.4%, and 0.6% in sequence, compressing to near-zero as the year-over-year comparison steepens. Trailing revenue of $4.32 billion grew 5.4% annually, but the earnings trajectory is moving in the other direction.
A $40 Gap and No Buyers
Mani Sundaram, Akamai's EVP and General Manager of Security, sold 7,022 shares at $125.62 on September 25, 2026; his sale alone totaled $882,104. Kim Salem-Jackson, the chief marketing officer, sold 2,013 shares at $128.00 the same day, and Paul Joseph, EVP of Global Sales, had moved 3,100 shares at $105.63 on September 15. No executive purchased a single share in the period, per Form 4 filings. All three sold between 23% and 49% above the current $85.66 level. Whether those trades reflect planned compensation monetization or a view of the business through the earnings cycle, the November 5 print provides the next data point.
| Ticker | Mkt cap | Fwd P/E | 52-wk |
|---|---|---|---|
| AKAM | $12.3B | 12.6x | +20.5% |
| FFIV | $18.8B | 16.6x | +34.5% |
| NTAP | $37.5B | 17.1x | +63.5% |
| VRSN | $28.3B | 28.8x | +28.4% |
| ADSK | $53.3B | 18.0x | -14.3% |
| CIEN | $42.5B | 25.2x | +55.5% |
Guidance Is the Number to Watch
The consensus analyst price target of $154.24, more than 80% above the current share price, reflects a view that the FY2026 earnings contraction is temporary. The print that settles the question is not just the $0.92 EPS figure but whether management revises full-year guidance; a cut would break the trough thesis that the target embeds. Short interest at 15.3% of the float concentrates the response to whichever direction guidance takes. Run the free Akamai Technologies, Inc. deep-dive at /stock/akam, or stress-test the earnings scenarios with the DCF calculator.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When does Akamai report Q3 earnings?
Akamai Technologies is scheduled to report Q3 2026 earnings after the close on November 5, 2026. Consensus EPS forecast is $0.92, down 13.2% from $1.06 a year ago.
Did Akamai executives sell stock recently?
Yes, three senior executives sold $1.47 million of shares in mid-September 2026 at prices ranging from $105.63 to $128.00 per share. These sales were 23% to 49% above current stock levels, and no executives purchased shares during the same period.
What is Akamai's full-year earnings outlook?
FY2026 consensus EPS of $3.58 is down 18.8% compared to FY2025's $4.41. The company has posted four consecutive quarterly EPS beats, though the margins have been shrinking from 13.4% to near zero in recent quarters.
What determines Akamai's stock direction after earnings?
Management's guidance revision will be the key metric. A cut to full-year guidance would challenge the analyst consensus that this EPS decline is temporary. Short interest at 15.3% of the float amplifies potential stock movement.
What does Akamai Technologies do?
Akamai operates three segments: security (web application protection, bot defense, API security discovery), content delivery, and cloud computing including Kubernetes-based deployment tools. Trailing revenue is $4.32 billion, up 5.4% annually.
Akamai Technologies reports Q3 2026 earnings after the market close on November 5, with analysts expecting EPS of $0.92 — down 13.2% from a year earlier — as part of a full-year where profits are forecast to fall nearly 19%. In the weeks before the report, three executives including the head of the Security segment sold a combined $1.47 million of stock at prices that now sit roughly $40 above where shares currently trade.