LiveRamp Stock Surges 27% on Fourth Quarter Beat and Publicis Acquisition Deal

2026-05-18 17:00:38 ET

LiveRamp Holdings Inc. (NYSE:RAMP) crushed analyst expectations with its fourth quarter fiscal 2026 results on Monday, while simultaneously announcing a blockbuster acquisition deal that sent shares soaring.

Shares jumped 26.57% in pre-market trading after the data collaboration platform revealed it had entered a definitive agreement to be acquired by Publicis Groupe for $2.5 billion.

On the earnings front, LiveRamp delivered adjusted earnings per share of $0.52, topping the analyst consensus of $0.49 by three cents. Revenue climbed to $206 million, marking a 9% year-over-year increase and edging past the $205.48 million estimate. Furthermore, subscription revenue grew 9% to $158 million, while Marketplace & Other revenue jumped 11% to $49 million.

We finished FY26 on a strong note, with Q4 revenue and operating income ahead of consensus and ARR growth accelerating sequentially, CEO Scott Howe stated. We also achieved record operating cash flow in FY26, and returned over 100% to shareholders through buybacks.

Beyond the top-line beat, the companys adjusted operating income skyrocketed 75% to $40 million. Meanwhile, adjusted operating margin expanded 7 percentage points to 20%, and annual recurring revenue climbed 8% to $545 million. Subscription net retention also improved to 107%.

Throughout fiscal 2026, LiveRamp generated record operating cash flow of $168 million and aggressively repurchased approximately 7.1 million shares for $194 million. Additionally, the company ended the year with 133 customers whose annualized subscription revenue exceeds $1 million, up from 128 in the prior year.

Turning to the acquisition, shareholders will receive $38.50 per share in cash under the agreement with Publicis Groupe -- a 30% premium to the May 15 closing price.

The transaction is expected to close by the end of calendar 2026, pending shareholder approval and customary closing conditions. To find out more information about LiveRamp please visit www.liveramp.com .

The post LiveRamp Stock Surges 27% on Fourth Quarter Beat and Publicis Acquisition Deal appeared first on PRISM MarketView .

COMTEX_479393930/2927/2026-05-18T16:00:38