Parsons Reports First Quarter 2026 Results

Parsons Reports First Quarter 2026 Results Q1 2026 Financial Highlights

CHANTILLY, Va., April 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Parsons Corporation (NYSE: PSN) today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026.

CEO Commentary

“Our first quarter results highlighted the resilience of our business and our team's high level of execution, as we delivered our highest adjusted EBITDA margin ever, reached record levels for both total and funded backlog, achieved a robust book-to-bill ratio of 1.4x in both segments, and generated record first quarter cash flow. Revenue performance was in line with our expectations, and we continued to complement our organic growth with strategic, accretive acquisitions that enhance our differentiation and drive long-term shareholder value," said Carey Smith, chair, president, and chief executive officer.

"Looking forward, we are very optimistic about our future. There is increasing global demand for both defense and infrastructure. Our ability to deliver operationally relevant solutions with speed, digitally transform our offerings, and leverage non-traditional commercial business models enables us to uniquely meet our customers’ critical needs. We have a unique and synergistic Critical Infrastructure and Federal Solutions portfolio, consisting of six growing, profitable, and enduring end-markets. With our record total and funded backlog, robust pipeline of large opportunities, strong win rates, and $11 billion in awarded contracts not yet booked, we believe we are well positioned to deliver for our customers and shareholders."

First Quarter 2026 Results

Year-over-Year Comparisons (Q1 2026 vs. Q1 2025)

Total revenue for the first quarter of 2026 decreased by $63 million, or 4%, to $1.5 billion and was down 8% on an organic basis. Excluding the company's confidential contract, total revenue increased 8% and organic revenue increased 3% driven by growth in the company's Critical Infrastructure and Protection, Space and Missile Defense, and Transportation markets. Operating income decreased 12% to $96 million primarily due to lower volume on the company's fixed-price confidential contract, and higher acquisition-related expenses. Net income decreased 20% to $53 million due to the items noted above. GAAP diluted earnings per share (EPS) attributable to Parsons was $0.49 in the first quarter of 2026, compared to $0.60 in the prior year period.

Adjusted EBITDA including noncontrolling interests for the first quarter of 2026 was $151 million, a 1% increase over the prior year period. Adjusted EBITDA margin expanded 50 basis points to 10.1% compared to 9.6% in the first quarter of 2025. These increases were driven by improved execution and contributions from accretive acquisitions, offsetting lower revenue on the company's confidential contract. Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.79 in the first quarter of 2026, compared to $0.78 in the first quarter of 2025. The year-over-year adjusted diluted EPS increase was driven by the items that impacted adjusted EBITDA above.

Segment Results

Critical Infrastructure Segment

Critical Infrastructure Year-over-Year Comparisons (Q1 2026 vs. Q1 2025)

First quarter 2026 Critical Infrastructure revenue increased $21 million, or 3%, from the first quarter of 2025. This increase was driven by organic growth of 2% and inorganic revenue contributions from the company's TRS Group and Applied Sciences acquisitions. Organic growth was primarily driven by the Global Transportation markets.

First quarter 2026 adjusted EBITDA including noncontrolling interests increased by $6 million, or 8%, compared to the prior year period. Adjusted EBITDA margin expanded 50 basis points to 10.8% from 10.3% in the prior year period. Both adjusted EBITDA dollars and margins were first quarter records for Critical Infrastructure. These increases were driven by the ramp-up of recent contract awards, accretive acquisitions and strong program execution.

Federal Solutions Segment

Federal Solutions Year-over-Year Comparisons (Q1 2026 vs. Q1 2025)

First quarter 2026 revenue decreased $84 million, or 10%, compared to the prior year period and 17% on an organic basis. Excluding the company's confidential contract, Federal Solutions' revenue increased 12%, and 4% on an organic basis. These increases were driven by growth in the company's Critical Infrastructure Protection, Space and Missile Defense, and Transportation markets.

First quarter 2026 Federal Solutions adjusted EBITDA including noncontrolling interests decreased by $4 million, or 5% from the first quarter of 2025, and adjusted EBITDA margin increased 40 basis points to 9.4%. The adjusted EBITDA dollars were primarily impacted by lower volume on the fixed price confidential contract. The adjusted EBITDA margin increase was primarily driven by accretive contract growth and acquisitions.

First Quarter 2026 Key Performance Indicators

Significant Contract Wins

Parsons continues to win new business across both segments. During the first quarter of 2026, the company won four single-award contracts worth more than $100 million each.

Additional Corporate Highlights

Parsons continues its successful track record of acquiring strategic companies in high-growth markets that strengthens its portfolio. During the quarter, the company was named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for the 17th consecutive year. Parsons was also recognized for delivering project excellence on two major infrastructure programs.

Fiscal Year 2026 Guidance

The company is reiterating its fiscal year 2026 revenue, adjusted EBITDA, and operating cash flow guidance ranges. The table below summarizes the company’s fiscal year 2026 guidance.

We have not provided a reconciliation of our Adjusted EBITDA guidance because the information needed to reconcile this measure is unavailable due to the inherent difficulty of forecasting the timing or amount of various items that have not yet occurred which may be significant. Additionally, estimating such GAAP measure and providing a meaningful reconciliation for future periods requires a level of precision that is unavailable for these future periods and cannot be accomplished without unreasonable effort.

Conference Call Information

Parsons will host a conference call today, April 29, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. ET to discuss the financial results for its first quarter 2026.

Access to a webcast of the live conference call can be obtained through the Investor Relations section of the company's website ( https://investors.parsons.com). Those parties interested in participating via telephone may register on the Investor Relations website or by clicking here.

A replay will be available on the company's website approximately two hours after the conference call and continuing for one year.

About Parsons Corporation

Parsons (NYSE: PSN) is a leading disruptive technology provider in the national security and global infrastructure markets, with capabilities across cyber and electronic warfare, space and missile defense, transportation, water and environment, urban development, and critical infrastructure protection. Please visit Parsons.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook to learn how we’re making an impact.

Forward-Looking Statements

This Earnings Release and materials included therewith contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations, beliefs, and assumptions, and are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to uncertainties, risks, changes in circumstances, trends and factors that are difficult to predict, many of which are outside of our control. Accordingly, actual performance, results and events may vary materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements, and you should not rely on the forward-looking statements as predictions of future performance, results or events. Numerous factors could cause actual future performance, results and events to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements, including, among others: any issue that compromises our relationships with the U.S. federal government or its agencies or other state, local or foreign governments or agencies; any issues that damage our professional reputation; changes in governmental priorities that shift expenditures away from agencies or programs that we support; volatility of government budgets and funding; our dependence on the award, maintenance and renewal of long-term government contracts, which are subject to the government’s budgetary approval process; the size of our addressable markets and the amount of government spending on private contractors; failure by us or our employees to obtain and maintain necessary security clearances or certifications; failure to comply with numerous laws and regulations; changes in government procurement, contract or other practices or the adoption by governments of new laws, rules, regulations and programs in a manner adverse to us; the termination or nonrenewal of our government contracts, particularly our contracts with the U.S. federal government; our ability to compete effectively in the competitive bidding process and delays, contract terminations or cancellations caused by competitors’ protests of major contract awards received by us; our ability to generate revenue under certain of our contracts; any inability to attract, train or retain employees with the requisite skills, experience and security clearances; the loss of members of senior management or failure to develop new leaders; misconduct or other improper activities from our employees or subcontractors; our ability to realize the full value of our backlog and the timing of our receipt of revenue under contracts included in backlog; changes in the mix of our contracts and our ability to accurately estimate or otherwise recover expenses, time and resources for our contracts; changes in estimates used in recognizing revenue; internal system or service failures and security breaches; and inherent uncertainties and potential adverse developments in legal proceedings including litigation, audits, reviews and investigations, which may result in materially adverse judgments, settlements or other unfavorable outcomes. These factors are not exhaustive and additional factors could adversely affect our business and financial performance. For a discussion of additional factors that could materially adversely affect our business and financial performance, see the factors including under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, and our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

All forward-looking statements are based on currently available information and speak only as of the date on which they are made. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made in this presentation that becomes untrue because of subsequent events, new information or otherwise, except to the extent we are required to do so in connection with our ongoing requirements under federal securities laws.

Non-GAAP Financial Information

The tables under "Parsons Corporation Inc. Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures" present Adjusted Net Income attributable to Parsons Corporation, Adjusted Earnings per Share, Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (“EBITDA”), Adjusted EBITDA, EBITDA Margin, and Adjusted EBITDA Margin, reconciled to their most directly comparable GAAP measure. These financial measures are calculated and presented on the basis of methodologies other than in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("Non-GAAP Measures"). Parsons has provided these Non-GAAP Measures to adjust for, among other things, the impact of amortization expenses related to our acquisitions, costs associated with a loss or gain on the disposal or sale of property, plant and equipment, restructuring and related expenses, costs associated with mergers and acquisitions, software implementation costs, legal and settlement costs, and other costs considered non-operational in nature. These items have been Adjusted because they are not considered core to the company’s business or otherwise not considered operational or because these charges are non-cash or non-recurring. The company presents these Non-GAAP Measures because management believes that they are meaningful to understanding Parsons’s performance during the periods presented and the company’s ongoing business. Non-GAAP Measures are not prepared in accordance with GAAP and therefore are not necessarily comparable to similarly titled metrics or the financial results of other companies. These Non-GAAP Measures should be considered a supplement to, not a substitute for, or superior to, the corresponding financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP.

1 Book-to-Bill ratio is calculated as total contract awards divided by total revenue for the period.

(a) Depreciation and amortization for the three months ended March 31, 2026, is $26.9 million in the Federal Solutions Segment and $9.0 million in the Critical Infrastructure Segment. Depreciation and amortization for the three months ended March 31, 2025, is $19.5 million in the Federal Solutions Segment and $7.9 million in the Critical Infrastructure Segment.

(b) Reflects costs incurred in connection with acquisitions and other non-recurring transaction costs, primarily fees paid for professional services and employee retention.

(c) Includes a combination of gain/loss related to sale of fixed assets, software implementation costs, and other individually insignificant items that are non-recurring in nature.

(a) Reflects costs incurred in connection with acquisitions and other non-recurring transaction costs, primarily fees paid for professional services and employee retention.

(b) Includes a combination of gain/loss related to sale of fixed assets, software implementation costs, and other individually insignificant items that are non-recurring in nature.