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Guidewire Software Inc. Common (GWRE)
NYSE:GWRE

Guidewire (GWRE) AI Stock Analysis

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GWRE

Guidewire

(NYSE:GWRE)

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Outperform 72 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:72Outperform
Price Target:
$179.00
▲(10.67% Upside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:03/06/26
The score is driven mainly by improving financial performance (profitability inflection and strong free cash flow) and a notably strong earnings update with raised guidance, high retention, and expanding backlog/RPO. These positives are tempered by weaker longer-term technical positioning (below 100/200DMA with negative MACD) and a relatively expensive valuation (P/E ~49.7, no dividend yield provided).
Positive Factors
High ARR growth, retention and large RPO backlog
Sustained ARR growth, exceptional >99% retention and a 63% YoY RPO expansion create multi-year revenue visibility and predictable recurring cash flows. This durable contract footprint lowers churn risk, supports upsell/expansions, and underpins long-term revenue predictability.
Profitability inflection and strong free cash flow
Improving gross and operating margins plus free cash flow roughly matching net income signal higher earnings quality and internal funding capacity. Durable FCF supports investment in product, buybacks, and balance sheet optionality, enhancing resilience across business cycles.
Cloud, AI and product momentum with enterprise wins
Acceleration of cloud and AI-related product wins drives a higher subscription mix, deeper client integrations and competitive differentiation. Enterprise migrations and new product traction increase long-term stickiness and scalable recurring revenue potential.
Negative Factors
Low services gross margin
Services remain a low-margin portion of revenue, diluting blended gross margins and constraining operating leverage as the business scales. Persistent low services profitability can cap sustainable operating margin expansion and makes overall margins more sensitive to mix shifts.
Rising leverage reduces flexibility
Leverage has increased notably versus prior years, which modestly reduces financial flexibility for M&A or downturns. While coverage is manageable today given strong cash, a further rise in debt or stress on cash generation would tighten capital allocation choices.
Back-end weighted ARR recognition and longer sales cycles
Concentration of ARR recognition late in the fiscal year increases quarter-to-quarter volatility and forecasting uncertainty. Longer sales cycles for strategic offerings delay scale and postpone full-margin benefits, slowing durable revenue maturation from new product initiatives.

Guidewire (GWRE) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Guidewire Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionGuidewire Software, Inc. provides software products for property and casualty insurers worldwide. The company offers Guidewire InsuranceSuite comprising Guidewire PolicyCenter, BillingCenter, and ClaimCenter applications. It also provides Guidewire InsuranceNow, a cloud-based platform that offers policy, billing, and claims management functionality to insurers; and Guidewire InsuranceSuite for Self-Managed. In addition, the company offers Guidewire Rating Management to manage the pricing of insurance products; Guidewire Reinsurance Management to use rules-based logic to execute reinsurance strategy through underwriting and claims processes; Guidewire Client Data Management to capitalize on customer information; and Guidewire Product Content Management that offers software tools and standards-based line-of-business templates to introduce and modify products. Further, it provides Guidewire Underwriting Management, a cloud-based integrated business application; Guidewire AppReader, a submission intake management solution; Guidewire ClaimCenter Package for the London market supports the claims workflow used by London Market insurers and brokers; Guidewire Digital Engagement Applications, which enable insurers to provide digital experiences to customers, agents, vendors, and field personnel through their device of choice; and Guidewire for Salesforce to provide customer information regarding policies and claims. Additionally, the company offers Guidewire Predictive Analytics, a set of cloud-native applications; Guidewire Risk Insights that allows insurers to assess new and evolving risks; Guidewire Business Intelligence that allows insurers to measure business performance; Guidewire DataHub, an operational data store; and Guidewire InfoCenter, a business intelligence warehouse, as well as implementation and integration, and professional services. The company was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in San Mateo, California.
How the Company Makes MoneyGuidewire primarily generates revenue through the sale of software licenses, subscription fees for its cloud services, and professional services such as consulting and implementation support. The company offers a mix of on-premises and cloud-based solutions, with an increasing emphasis on its cloud products, which provide recurring revenue through subscription models. Key revenue streams include license fees from new customers, renewals from existing clients, and ongoing support services. Additionally, Guidewire benefits from strategic partnerships with various technology companies and system integrators, which can enhance its market reach and facilitate the adoption of its solutions across the insurance sector.

Guidewire Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Any
Any
Revenue By Segment
Revenue By Segment
Shows how much revenue each business segment generates, providing insight into the company's strategic focus and areas of growth or decline.
Chart InsightsGuidewire's Subscription & Support segment is experiencing robust growth, driven by successful cloud adoption and new product launches, as highlighted in the latest earnings call. This segment's revenue surged 31% with eight new cloud deals, reflecting strategic momentum. License revenue also saw a 12% boost due to a major renewal. However, service margins face pressure from strategic investments in AI and capacity expansion. The company's positive outlook, with raised revenue and ARR projections, underscores confidence in continued expansion despite cash flow challenges.
Data provided by:The Fly

Guidewire Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Mar 05, 2026
(Q2-2026)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Jun 09, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call conveyed strong operational and financial momentum: high ARR and revenue growth (22% ARR, 24% revenue), expanding fully ramped ARR, a large RPO backlog (+63% YoY), excellent retention (>99%), notable enterprise customer wins/expansions, product traction (PricingCenter, data & analytics, ProNavigator) and raised full-year guidance. Key caveats include still-low services gross margins (though improving), backend ARR seasonality with Q4 weighting, moderating true-up tailwinds, longer sales cycles for some new products, and higher compensation-related expenses. Overall the positives materially outweigh the challenges.
Q2-2026 Updates
Positive Updates
Strong ARR Growth and Fully Ramped Momentum
ARR ended Q2 at $1.121 billion, up 22% year-over-year (21% on a constant currency basis). Fully ramped ARR finished the quarter at $1.42 billion and continues to grow faster than reported ARR, reflecting multiyear ramp dynamics and larger, longer-duration contract commitments.
Revenue Beat and Robust Margins
Total revenue was $359 million, up 24% year-over-year. Subscription and support revenue was $237 million, up 33% YoY. Gross profit was $243 million (+28% YoY) with overall gross margin of 68%. Subscription and support gross margin improved to 75% (from 69% a year ago).
Large Backlog and RPO Expansion
Remaining Performance Obligation (RPO) ended Q2 at $3.5 billion, representing 63% year-over-year growth, underscoring a sizable backlog and multi-year revenue visibility.
Customer Retention and Expansion Among Large Insurers
InsuranceSuite ARR retention (including downsell) was over 99% on a trailing 12-month basis. Customers with more than $5 million in fully ramped ARR grew from 35 in 2021 to 96 at the end of Q2. Notable wins/expansions include Aviva U.K. (long-term commitment to move all Guidewire estate), Tokio Marine North America, Donegal Insurance Group (migration + AI alignment), Zurich Germany, and a new major Canadian insurer with >$8 billion in direct written premium.
Product Momentum: Cloud Deals and AI Offerings
In Q2 Guidewire closed 15 InsuranceSuite Cloud deals and 2 InsuranceNow deals. The company closed its first PricingCenter deal, 25 deals that included data & analytics offerings, and ProNavigator (embedded AI) recorded 9 deals in the quarter and is trending ahead of initial expectations.
Services Demand and Execution
Services revenue was $62 million, up 30% year-over-year, driven by stronger-than-expected Guidewire-led services programs and increased field engineering activity to support cloud migrations and agentic capabilities.
Strengthened Financial Position & Capital Return
Cash, cash equivalents and investments exceeded $1.35 billion. Operating cash flow for the quarter was $112 million. The company repurchased $148 million of shares in the quarter and authorized a new $500 million buyback (approximately $490 million remaining).
Upgraded Full-Year Guidance
Guidewire raised FY26 targets: ARR guide to $1.229B–$1.237B (18%–19% YoY growth), total revenue guide to $1.438B–$1.448B (midpoint ~20% growth, up from a prior 17% assumption), subscription & support revenue guide to $962M–$966M, and non-GAAP operating income guide to $293M–$303M. Subscription & support gross margin expectation increased to ~74% for the year.
Negative Updates
Low Services Gross Margin (Although Improving)
Services gross margin in Q2 was 9%, up from 6% year-over-year but still low relative to subscription margins. Services gross margin is expected to improve to roughly 13% for the full year, indicating services remain a lower-margin component of revenue.
Timing/Seasonality of ARR Recognition
Management noted ARR landing from backlog is more heavily weighted toward Q4 than Q3 this year. Q3 ARR outlook of $1.144B–$1.150B implies recognition timing risk and back-end weighted results that could concentrate performance in later quarters.
True-Up Tailwind Expected to Moderate
Q2 benefited from stronger-than-expected direct written premium true-up activity, which management expects to temper from the highs seen in prior periods. The company described the Q2 true-up as a partial tailwind that may not repeat at the same pace.
Longer Sales Cycles for New Products
New offerings such as PricingCenter and certain underwriting/agentic initiatives have longer, thorough sales cycles (proofs of concept and extensive evaluation). Management emphasized these are meaningful opportunities but will take time to scale across regions and lines.
Rising Personnel and Compensation Expense
Guidewire expects stock-based compensation of approximately $185 million for the year (about +15% YoY) and increased annual bonus accruals tied to expected outperformance, contributing to higher expense expectations despite improved revenue and margins.
Company Guidance
Guidewire raised FY26 guidance after a strong Q2: ARR ended Q2 at $1.121B (up 22% YoY / 21% CC) with fully ramped ARR $1.42B, and management now expects FY26 ARR of $1.229–1.237B (18–19% growth) and total revenue of $1.438–1.448B (midpoint ≈+20% YoY), with subscription & support revenue $962–966M and services ≈$255M; RPO finished Q2 at $3.5B (+63% YoY) and InsuranceSuite TTM ARR retention was >99%. Q3 guidance: ARR $1.144–1.150B, revenue $352–358M, subscription & support $239–243M, services ≈$60M, and non‑GAAP operating income $59–65M. Margin and profitability outlook: FY subscription & support gross margin ≈74%, services gross margin ≈13%, overall gross margin ≈67%; FY GAAP operating income $100–110M and non‑GAAP operating income $293–303M; stock‑based comp ≈$185M (+15% YoY); operating cash flow guidance $360–375M; CapEx $30–35M (including ≈$18M capitalized software). Q2 results that underpinned the raise included revenue $359M (+24% YoY), subscription & support $237M (+33%), services $62M (+30%), gross profit $243M (+28%), overall gross margin 68% (subscription margin 75%; services 9%), operating profit $87M, operating cash flow $112M, cash & investments >$1.35B, $148M of buybacks this quarter with $490M remaining on a new $500M authorization; other deal metrics included 15 InsuranceSuite Cloud and 2 InsuranceNow deals, 9 ProNavigator deals, 25 data & analytics deals, 3 new customers, and 96 customers with >$5M fully‑ramped ARR (vs. 35 in 2021).

Guidewire Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Profitability has inflected positively with expanding gross margin (~63%) and positive EBIT margin (~6.7%) in TTM, alongside strong free cash flow (~$310M) and solid earnings quality (FCF/net income ~0.97). Balance sheet is generally healthy but leverage has risen (debt-to-equity ~0.46 vs. ~0.33 in FY2024), and operating margin is still mid-single digits.
Income Statement
78
Positive
Results show a clear profitability inflection. Revenue rose to $1.34B in TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) from $1.20B in FY2025, while gross margin expanded to ~63% (vs. ~51% in FY2023). Operating profit turned positive (EBIT margin ~6.7% in TTM vs. negative in FY2022–FY2024) and net margin improved to ~7.2% in TTM. Offsetting this, recent revenue growth is modest versus earlier years, and margins—while improved—are still mid-single digits at the operating line, leaving less cushion if growth slows or costs re-accelerate.
Balance Sheet
72
Positive
Balance sheet looks generally sound with equity of ~$1.51B in TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) against total debt of ~$705M (debt-to-equity ~0.46), which is moderate for a software business. Profitability has improved enough to drive a positive return on equity (~6.5% in TTM), reversing prior negative returns. The main watch-out is leverage trending higher versus FY2024 (debt-to-equity ~0.33), implying a bit less balance-sheet flexibility than in earlier periods.
Cash Flow
85
Very Positive
Cash generation is a key strength. Operating cash flow reached ~$322M and free cash flow ~$310M in TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months), up from ~$301M and ~$295M in FY2025, with positive free-cash-flow growth. Free cash flow closely matches reported earnings (free cash flow to net income ~0.97 in TTM), suggesting earnings quality is solid. The main weakness is that operating cash flow remains a relatively small share of revenue (coverage ratio ~0.76 in TTM, though improved vs. earlier years), indicating cash conversion could still be better for a mature software model.
BreakdownTTMJul 2025Jul 2024Jul 2023Jul 2022Jul 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue1.34B1.20B980.50M905.34M812.61M743.27M
Gross Profit855.55M752.05M583.36M458.21M377.18M389.56M
EBITDA197.41M86.36M2.21M-102.54M-176.73M-48.62M
Net Income189.36M69.80M-6.10M-111.86M-180.43M-66.51M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets2.69B2.72B2.23B2.03B2.27B2.32B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments919.17M1.15B1.00B798.68M976.17M1.12B
Total Debt705.00M715.69M442.92M448.58M475.58M470.82M
Total Liabilities1.18B1.26B883.56M828.42M815.24M776.95M
Stockholders Equity1.51B1.46B1.34B1.20B1.45B1.54B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow309.56M295.13M177.22M20.97M-59.72M82.73M
Operating Cash Flow321.83M300.87M195.75M38.40M-37.94M111.59M
Investing Cash Flow-311.00M-236.97M-52.36M12.71M312.21M64.19M
Financing Cash Flow-311.92M82.29M1.05M-261.58M-37.34M-159.39M

Guidewire Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price161.74
Price Trends
50DMA
152.01
Positive
100DMA
184.35
Negative
200DMA
208.03
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
4.27
Negative
RSI
60.42
Neutral
STOCH
55.51
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For GWRE, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 161.74 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 146.41, above the 50-day MA of 152.01, and below the 200-day MA of 208.03, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 4.27 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 60.42 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 55.51 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for GWRE.

Guidewire Risk Analysis

Guidewire disclosed 54 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Guidewire reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Guidewire Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
74
Outperform
$9.38B44.2515.14%8.45%-69.85%
72
Outperform
$13.69B49.6612.92%22.80%198.93%
71
Outperform
$14.99B61.998.73%10.62%31.43%
71
Outperform
$6.70B19.6126.06%0.94%9.72%-2.69%
70
Outperform
$22.09B14.5720.57%3.85%72.42%
70
Outperform
$11.53B51.2123.93%0.72%11.12%-26.24%
61
Neutral
$37.18B12.37-10.20%1.83%8.50%-7.62%
* Technology Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
GWRE
Guidewire
161.74
-29.77
-15.54%
TYL
Tyler Technologies
348.63
-225.94
-39.32%
PAYC
Paycom
123.47
-90.80
-42.38%
DOCU
DocuSign
46.82
-36.61
-43.88%
ZM
Zoom Video Communications
74.96
-0.20
-0.27%
BSY
Bentley Systems
38.06
-4.04
-9.59%

Guidewire Corporate Events

Business Operations and StrategyStock BuybackFinancial Disclosures
Guidewire Authorizes New $500 Million Share Repurchase Program
Positive
Jan 8, 2026

On January 8, 2026, Guidewire Software, Inc. announced that it had completed the share repurchase program authorized in September 2022 and that its board of directors had immediately approved a new share repurchase program authorizing buybacks of up to $500 million of its common stock. The company said repurchases under the new authorization may be executed in the open market, through privately negotiated transactions or other methods, at management’s discretion and subject to market conditions, and may be modified, suspended, or terminated by the board at any time. Guidewire expects to fund the repurchases with existing cash and cash equivalents, working capital, or operating cash flow; as of October 31, 2025, it held $1.4093 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and investments and had fully utilized the remaining $138.2 million under the prior repurchase authorization, underscoring a continued commitment to returning capital to shareholders while maintaining a substantial liquidity cushion.

The most recent analyst rating on (GWRE) stock is a Buy with a $250.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Guidewire stock, see the GWRE Stock Forecast page.

Executive/Board ChangesShareholder Meetings
Guidewire Shareholders Back Directors, Executive Pay and Auditor
Positive
Dec 18, 2025

At its annual meeting of stockholders held on December 15, 2025, Guidewire Software’s shareholders elected eight directors to one-year terms ending at the 2026 annual meeting, with each nominee receiving strong majority support. Investors also ratified the appointment of KPMG LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2026, and approved on an advisory basis the compensation of the company’s named executive officers, signaling continued shareholder backing for the current leadership, governance practices, and financial oversight.

The most recent analyst rating on (GWRE) stock is a Buy with a $250.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Guidewire stock, see the GWRE Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Mar 06, 2026