Filing Flows › Dolby Laboratories (DLB) › Guidance history
Dolby Laboratories (DLB) guidance history: what it guided and what it reported
Dolby Laboratories gave guidance in 12 earnings releases on file since Nov 16, 2023. Of 10 guided periods since reported, it met or beat its own guidance 5 times (50%). GAAP tax rate: 3 of 5, on average -5.0 pts against the guided midpoint. Its releases raised guidance 0 times and lowered it 12 times.
Revenue
Met or beat 0 of 1 periods (0 above, 0 within, 1 below).
| Period | Guided (and how it moved) | Reported | Result | vs midpoint |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY24 | $1.3B (Nov 16, 2023) → reaffirmed $1.3B (Feb 1, 2024) → reaffirmed $1.3B (May 2, 2024) | $1.3B | below the range | -2.0% |
Gross margin
This line is not in the statements Filing Flows reads, so there is no reported figure to hold it to.
| Period | Guided (and how it moved) | Reported | Result | vs midpoint |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q4 FY26 | 88.0% (Jul 30, 2026) | — | to be reported | — |
| Q3 FY26 | 86.0% (Apr 30, 2026) | — | — | — |
| Q2 FY26 | 90.0% (Jan 29, 2026) | — | — | — |
| FY26 | 88.0% (Nov 18, 2025) → reaffirmed 88.0% (Jan 29, 2026) → reaffirmed 88.0% (Apr 30, 2026) → reaffirmed 88.0% (Jul 30, 2026) | — | to be reported | — |
| Q1 FY26 | 88.0% (Nov 18, 2025) | — | — | — |
| Q4 FY25 | 86.0% (Jul 31, 2025) | — | — | — |
| Q3 FY25 | 86.0% (May 1, 2025) | — | — | — |
| Q2 FY25 | 89.0% (Jan 29, 2025) | — | — | — |
| FY25 | 87.0% (Nov 19, 2024) → reaffirmed 87.0% (Jan 29, 2025) → reaffirmed 87.0% (May 1, 2025) → raised 88.0% (Jul 31, 2025) | — | — | — |
| Q1 FY25 | 87.0% (Nov 19, 2024) | — | — | — |
GAAP operating margin
Met or beat 1 of 2 periods (0 above, 1 within, 1 below).
| Period | Guided (and how it moved) | Reported | Result | vs midpoint |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY26 | 21.0% (Nov 18, 2025) → reaffirmed 21.0% (Jan 29, 2026) → reaffirmed 21.0% (Apr 30, 2026) → reaffirmed 21.0% (Jul 30, 2026) | — | to be reported | — |
| FY25 | 20.0% (Nov 19, 2024) → reaffirmed 20.0% (Jan 29, 2025) → reaffirmed 20.0% (May 1, 2025) → reaffirmed 20.0% (Jul 31, 2025) | 19.6% | below the range | -0.4 pts |
| FY24 | 20.0% (Nov 16, 2023) → reaffirmed 20.0% (Feb 1, 2024) → reaffirmed 20.0% (May 2, 2024) → reaffirmed 20.0% (Aug 7, 2024) | 20.3% | within the range | +0.3 pts |
GAAP tax rate
Met or beat 3 of 5 periods (2 above, 0 within, 3 below).
| Period | Guided (and how it moved) | Reported | Result | vs midpoint |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q4 FY26 | 23.0% (Jul 30, 2026) | — | to be reported | — |
| Q3 FY26 | 23.0% (Apr 30, 2026) | 33.3% | above the range | +10.3 pts |
| Q2 FY26 | 23.0% (Jan 29, 2026) | 20.3% | below the range | -2.8 pts |
| Q1 FY26 | 23.0% (Nov 18, 2025) | 25.0% | above the range | +2.0 pts |
| FY26 | 23.0% (Nov 18, 2025) → reaffirmed 23.0% (Jan 29, 2026) → reaffirmed 23.0% (Apr 30, 2026) → raised 24.0% (Jul 30, 2026) | — | to be reported | — |
| Q3 FY25 | 23.0% (May 1, 2025) | 16.2% | below the range | -6.8 pts |
| Q4 FY24 | 29.0% (Aug 7, 2024) | 1.5% | below the range | -27.6 pts |
| Q3 FY24 | 24.0% (May 2, 2024) | — | — | — |
Tax rate
Met or beat 1 of 2 periods (1 above, 0 within, 1 below).
| Period | Guided (and how it moved) | Reported | Result | vs midpoint |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY25 | 21.5% (Jul 31, 2025) | 15.5% | below the range | -6.0 pts |
| Q4 FY25 | 24.5% (Jul 31, 2025) | — | — | — |
| Q2 FY25 | 20.5% (Jan 29, 2025) | 23.3% | above the range | +2.8 pts |
| Q1 FY25 | 20.5% (Nov 19, 2024) | — | — | — |
| Q2 FY24 | 23.0% (Feb 1, 2024) | — | — | — |
| Q1 FY24 | 23.0% (Nov 16, 2023) | — | — | — |
The latest quarter
Dolby Laboratories, Q3 FY26: revenue $305M (-3% year over year), operating margin 11.3%, net earnings $28.6M, operating cash flow $167M. The chart follows the revenue to costs, profit and cash.
Questions
Does Dolby Laboratories beat its guidance?
Dolby Laboratories gave guidance in 12 earnings releases on file since Nov 16, 2023. Of 10 guided periods since reported, it met or beat its own guidance 5 times (50%). GAAP tax rate: 3 of 5, on average -5.0 pts against the guided midpoint.
How often does Dolby Laboratories raise guidance?
Its earnings releases raised guidance 0 times and lowered it 12 times since Nov 16, 2023.
Each guided period is held to the last guidance given before its figures were reported; a single figure counts as in line within 1% (0.25 pts for a rate). Reported figures are GAAP, from the company's filings; adjusted guidance shows its moves only.