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Spotify Tops Q3 Estimates, Raises Profit Outlook on User Surge

Higher prices paired with leaner operations are lifting margins toward the company’s long-stated targets.

Overview

  • Q3 results beat forecasts with revenue at €4.27–€4.3 billion, gross margin at 31.6%, operating income at €582 million, and adjusted EPS at €3.28.
  • User growth remained strong as monthly active users reached 713 million and premium subscribers hit 281 million, with record free cash flow of €806 million.
  • Q4 guidance calls for €620 million in operating income above consensus, €4.5 billion in revenue below estimates, 745 million MAUs, and 289 million premium subscribers.
  • Ad-supported revenue declined about 6% to €446 million despite ad-supported MAUs rising to 446 million, underscoring monetization challenges.
  • Product updates and partnerships included a lossless audio option, expanding audiobooks with listeners up 36%, and an integration that links Spotify accounts to ChatGPT for recommendations, as the co-CEO transition takes effect Jan. 1, 2026.