S&P Global earnings: third quarter 2026

S&P Global, which grades the debt that companies and governments issue, runs share indices and sells financial data, grew sales 7% to $3.678 billion in the third quarter of 2026. Earnings per share excluding one-off items rose 9% to $4.58. It raised its forecasts for the year's sales growth and for adjusted profit per share. ¹

Against what analysts expected

Earnings per share came in at $4.58 excluding one-off items and $4.45 on the standard basis, both above the $4.43 analysts expected on average, according to Nasdaq's earnings calendar. ¹²

The strong points

• Sales rose 7% from a year ago to $3.678 billion, led by the index and data businesses. ¹
• The index business, which earns fees when funds track S&P Global's share indices, grew sales 20%. ¹
• Cash from running the business over the first nine months rose about 10%, faster than sales. ¹

The weak points

• Adjusted net income grew just 4%, so much of the rise in profit per share came from the company buying back its own shares. ¹
• Ratings, the business that grades debt, grew only 2%. ¹
• Growth of 7% this quarter was slower than the 9% of the first nine months, and just under the company's own forecast range for the year. ¹

What the company expects

• S&P Global raised its forecast for 2026 earnings per share excluding one-off items to $17.70 to $17.95, from $17.50 to $17.75. ¹
• It now expects sales for the year to grow faster than the range it gave before, thanks mainly to Ratings and Indices, though it gives no new figure. ¹

Our verdict on the quarter

A strong report. A solid quarter, ahead of what analysts expected, and a raised forecast for sales and adjusted profit, but growth slowed and buybacks did much of the work in profit per share.

The results as published

• The results release itself
• The filing it came with (SEC)

Notes

1. S&P Global's results release, 27 October 2026: sec.gov. ↩
2. Nasdaq's earnings calendar, 27 October 2026. ↩