Key Takeaways
- Shares collapsed approximately 30% on earnings day, reaching a 52-week low of $55.88
- First quarter earnings per share of $0.68 significantly underperformed the $1.21 analyst consensus
- Quarterly revenue increased 14% compared to the prior year, reaching $541.2 million but falling short of the $543.8 million forecast
- Company unveiled “Wix Harmony,” a new proprietary AI platform powered by an internally-developed large language model
- Completed substantial share repurchase through Dutch Auction, buying back 17.5 million shares at $92 per share for approximately $1.6 billion
Shares of Wix.com (WIX) experienced a dramatic selloff on Tuesday, plummeting nearly 30% following the release of first quarter 2026 financial results that disappointed on multiple fronts. The stock briefly hit a 52-week bottom at $55.88 during trading before stabilizing around $58.75 by the afternoon session.
The company’s non-GAAP earnings per share for Q1 registered at $0.68, representing a significant shortfall compared to Wall Street’s consensus forecast of $1.21. This figure also represents a substantial decline from the $1.55 per share the company delivered during the corresponding period last year.
Quarterly revenue totaled $541.2 million, reflecting a 14% increase from the year-ago period. While this growth rate remains respectable for a company of Wix’s size, it nonetheless fell slightly below analyst projections of $543.8 million.
Company leadership cited geopolitical challenges stemming from the continued conflict in Israel as a contributing factor to performance headwinds. Specifically, management noted productivity disruptions affecting the Partners business segment.
Despite these challenges, the Partners division still achieved 19% revenue expansion, reaching $203.4 million. However, executives acknowledged that this segment experienced a weaker-than-anticipated beginning to the quarter.
Introducing Wix Harmony AI Platform
The most significant strategic development announced during the quarter was the introduction of “Wix Harmony,” a new platform built on a proprietary large language model created entirely by Wix’s internal teams. This represents a strategic pivot away from depending on external AI tools.
Executives characterized Harmony as the inaugural offering in what will become a comprehensive collection of proprietary AI systems developed by Wix. The strategic objective is to create differentiated AI functionality that rivals cannot easily duplicate.
The Creative Subscriptions segment, representing 70.6% of total revenue, expanded 13% year-over-year to $382 million. Meanwhile, Business Solutions revenue climbed 17% to $159 million.
Annual recurring revenue reached $1.9 billion, marking a 15% year-over-year increase. Total bookings for the quarter came to $585 million, likewise growing 15%.
A particularly bright spot: bookings generated from the first quarter’s new user cohort surged nearly 50% compared to the same period last year. Management attributed “Base44” as a significant driver behind this impressive growth.
Company Executes Large-Scale Buyback Program
During April, Wix finalized a modified Dutch Auction tender offer, repurchasing approximately 17.5 million shares at a price of $92 per share. The aggregate expenditure totaled roughly $1.6 billion.
This transaction reduced outstanding shares to approximately 41.8 million as of May 11, 2026 — representing nearly a 30% reduction in the share count.
Non-GAAP gross margin registered at 66%, declining from 69% during the comparable quarter last year. Non-GAAP operating income fell to $27.8 million versus $99.8 million in the prior-year period. Operating margin contracted to 5% from 21%.
Cash and cash equivalents on the balance sheet totaled $1.34 billion as of March 31, 2026, up from $311.4 million at the close of 2025 — partially reflecting financing arrangements related to the tender offer timing.
Free cash flow for the quarter measured $75 million. When excluding acquisition-related expenses, normalized free cash flow would have been $112.3 million, equivalent to 21% of revenue.
The company reaffirmed its full-year guidance projecting mid-teens percentage growth for both revenue and bookings. Free cash flow margins are anticipated to land in the high-teens range, reflecting reduced interest income following the significant cash deployment, interest expenses associated with a $500 million credit facility, and foreign exchange headwinds from Israeli shekel strength.
Certain professional-focused product launches were reportedly pushed back, which could create near-term growth constraints.
Wix currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
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