Filing Flows › First Advantage (FA) › Q3 2026 › vs Q2 2026
First Advantage (FA) Q3 2026 vs Q2 2026 (quarter over quarter)
First Advantage's revenue rose $17.0M (+4%) from $449M in Q2 2026 to $466M in Q3 2026. The biggest changes: First Advantage Americas +$14.3M (+7%); First Advantage International +$2.5M (+11%); Sterling +$271K (+0.1%). Operating margin 12.9% against 12.7% (+0.2 pts).
First Advantage, Q3 2026: revenue $466M (+14% year over year), operating margin 12.9%, net earnings $20.5M, operating cash flow $63.8M. The chart draws each line against Q2 2026, the increases inside each band.
Margins
| Q3 2026 | Q2 2026 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating margin | 12.9% | 12.7% | +0.2 pts |
| Net margin | 4.4% | 3.8% | +0.6 pts |
| Free cash flow margin | 12.9% | 15.4% | -2.4 pts |
Every line
| Line | Q3 2026 | Q2 2026 | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Advantage Americas | $230M | $216M | $14.3M | +7% |
| Sterling | $210M | $210M | $271K | +0.1% |
| First Advantage International | $25.7M | $23.3M | $2.5M | +11% |
| Revenue | $466M | $449M | $17.0M | +4% |
| Operating profit | $60.1M | $57.0M | $3.1M | +5% |
| Costs & expenses | $406M | $392M | $13.9M | +4% |
| Pre-tax earnings | $29.1M | $25.1M | $4.0M | +16% |
| Other expense, net | $31.1M | $32.0M | −$914K | -3% |
| Research & development | $27.3M | $27.3M | $30K | +0.1% |
| SG&A | $57.6M | $57.8M | −$229K | -0.4% |
| Other operating costs | $321M | $307M | $14.1M | +5% |
| Net earnings | $20.5M | $16.9M | $3.6M | +21% |
| Income tax | $8.6M | $8.1M | $424K | +5% |
| Depreciation & amortization | $28.3M | $27.5M | $800K | +3% |
| Share-based compensation | $5.1M | $5.2M | −$164K | -3% |
| Working capital & other | $9.9M | $23.9M | −$14.0M | -58% |
| Operating cash flow | $63.8M | $73.6M | −$9.8M | -13% |
| Free cash flow (OCF − capex) | $60.2M | $68.9M | −$8.7M | -13% |
| Capital expenditures | $3.6M | $4.7M | −$1.1M | -23% |
Questions
How much did First Advantage's revenue grow quarter over quarter in Q3 2026?
First Advantage's revenue rose $17.0M (+4%) from $449M in Q2 2026 to $466M in Q3 2026.
What drove First Advantage's revenue change in Q3 2026?
First Advantage Americas +$14.3M (+7%); First Advantage International +$2.5M (+11%); Sterling +$271K (+0.1%).