Analyst Ratings February 2, 2026

DA Davidson Reiterates Buy on i3 Verticals Ahead of Fiscal Q1 Results

Analyst keeps price target and projects flat revenue as company prepares to report December-quarter results

By Nina Shah IIIV
DA Davidson Reiterates Buy on i3 Verticals Ahead of Fiscal Q1 Results
IIIV

DA Davidson has reaffirmed its Buy rating and maintained a price target while forecasting i3 Verticals will meet or modestly exceed expectations for the fiscal first quarter ending December 2025. The firm sees total revenue roughly flat year-over-year and flags a steep decline in software license fees, even as recurring revenue is expected to grow.

Key Points

  • DA Davidson reiterated a Buy rating and left its price target in place ahead of i3 Verticals' fiscal Q1 results.
  • The firm projects total revenue of $52.4 million for the quarter, roughly flat year-over-year, and expects recurring revenue to grow to $41.9 million while non-recurring revenue falls to $10.5 million.
  • Analysts' targets range from $28 to $39, and the stock trades near $22.15 according to InvestingPro data, below many analysts' price objectives.

DA Davidson has reiterated its Buy recommendation on i3 Verticals and left its price target in place ahead of the company's fiscal first-quarter earnings release. The firm's reaffirmation comes as the payments and software provider prepares to report results for the period ending December 2025.

According to InvestingPro data, the stock trades at $22.15, a level well below the range of analysts' price targets and below Fair Value estimates cited by that data service. i3 Verticals is scheduled to post fiscal Q1 results after the market close on Thursday, February 5, 2026, with a follow-up conference call on Friday, February 6 at 8:30 a.m. ET. Consensus among analysts remains broadly positive, with price targets spanning from $28 to $39.

DA Davidson's expectations for the quarter center on revenue that is essentially flat year-over-year at $52.4 million, marginally above the consensus estimate of $52.3 million. The firm estimates that recurring revenue expanded by 7% on a pro forma basis to $41.9 million, which would represent roughly 80% of total revenue. Non-recurring revenue is projected to decline by about 20% to $10.5 million.

Within the revenue mix, DA Davidson singled out high-margin software license fees as a significant headwind for the quarter. The firm models a sharp year-over-year drop of 73% in license fee revenue to approximately $0.7 million. Despite that anticipated compression, DA Davidson expects management will either reaffirm or only modestly revise the company's fiscal 2026 guidance when commenting alongside the quarter.


Recent company disclosures provide additional context. i3 Verticals reported fourth-quarter revenue of $54.9 million, up 7% from the prior year and topping the Street estimate of $53.6 million. Nevertheless, the midpoint of the company's fiscal 2026 guidance fell short of consensus expectations, prompting analysts to adjust their views and targets.

Responses from the analyst community have been mixed. DA Davidson maintained a Buy rating and a price target referenced elsewhere in firm commentary. In its most recent published reaction to the prior quarter, the firm noted that revenue slightly exceeded its forecast while adjusted EBITDA landed approximately 5% below their expectation. KeyBanc lowered its price target from $35.00 to $32.00, pointing to stronger-than-expected performance in software and related services. Morgan Stanley trimmed its target to $28.00 from $30.00, attributing investor concern to timing issues in the fiscal 2026 outlook rather than to fundamental business deficiencies. Benchmark, meanwhile, reiterated a Buy on the shares.

These developments underscore divergent analyst assessments following i3 Verticals' latest results and guidance, with some firms tightening targets and others maintaining positive ratings. Investors will be watching the upcoming quarter and management commentary closely to see how revenue composition and margin dynamics evolve.

Risks

  • A pronounced decline in high-margin software license fees - DA Davidson forecasts a 73% year-over-year drop to $0.7 million - could pressure profitability and investor sentiment.
  • Company guidance midpoints for fiscal 2026 were below consensus, creating uncertainty around near-term expectations and prompting some analysts to cut price targets.
  • Adjusted EBITDA came in below at least one firm's forecast - DA Davidson noted adjusted EBITDA was about 5% below expectations - introducing execution risk around margin management.

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