NICE Stock Shot Up 9% Pre-Market Today – Investors Cheer Upbeat Q4, $600M Buyback Plan

• Cloud revenue led the way, rising 14% year-on-year to $608.3 million, and operating income reached $176.2 million, growing 14% year-on-year.
• The CEO said in Q4, AI's annual recurring revenue increased 66% year-on-year. 
• The board also approved a new $600 million share repurchase authorization, lifting total remaining buyback capacity to roughly $1 billion.

NiCE (NICE) on Thursday announced steady revenue growth in the fourth quarter (Q4), capping a year marked by expanding cloud demand and rising AI-driven sales. 

The customer experience software provider also authorized a $600 million share buyback program and unveiled fresh guidance for 2026.

Fourth-Quarter Performance

In Q4, total revenue climbed to $786.5 million, reflecting a 9% year-on-year (YoY) increase with an adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $3.24. While revenue exceeded analysts’ consensus estimate of $779.94 million, EPS was in line, according to Fiscal AI data. 

Cloud revenue led the way, rising 14% YoY to $608.3 million. Operating income reached $176.2 million, growing 14% YoY, while operating margin improved 100 basis points to 22.4%.

Following the earnings announcement, NiCE stock traded nearly 9% higher in Thursday’s premarket. On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for the stock shifted to ‘extremely bullish’ from ‘bullish’ amid ‘high’ message volume. 

“In the fourth quarter 2025, AI ARR increased 66% year over year to $328 million, and AI was included in 100% of our new seven-figure CXone deals for the full year 2025, underscoring strong enterprise demand for our AI-native platform.”

-Scott Russell, CEO, NiCE

Capital Strategy, Buybacks And Outlook 

On February 18, the company secured a $300 million revolving credit facility arranged by JPMorgan Chase Bank, providing additional financial flexibility through early 2029. The board also approved a new $600 million share repurchase authorization, lifting total remaining buyback capacity to roughly $1 billion.

NiCE projects first-quarter 2026 revenue between $755 million and $765 million, with adjusted EPS in the range of $2.45 to $2.55. For 2026, revenue is forecast between $3.17 billion and $3.19 billion, alongside adjusted EPS of $10.85 to $11.05.

NICE stock has declined by over 445 in the last 12 months. 

Also See: Sam Altman Urges Caution On Superintelligent AI – Says Biggest Risks Remain Unknown

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