C3.ai Q1 FY2027: Revenue Down 25%, But Positive Free Cash Flow and $651M Liquidity
AI sits 37% above its 52-week low of $7.675.
Summary
C3.ai's Q1 FY2027 10-Q shows revenue down 25% to $52.4 million but positive free cash flow of $2.1 million, with $651 million in liquidity and $371.8 million in cloud commitments. Two directors adopted 10b5-1 plans to sell up to 206,501 shares.
Key Events · Earnings and Guidance · AI
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Revenue Declines 25% Year-Over-Year
Total revenue fell to $52.4 million from $70.3 million, with subscription revenue down 18% to $49.2 million and professional services down 68% to $3.2 million.
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Positive Free Cash Flow Achieved
Free cash flow was $2.1 million for the quarter, a $36.4 million improvement from negative $34.3 million a year ago, driven by cost cuts and $72.8 million in option exercise proceeds.
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Liquidity and Commitments
Cash and marketable securities totaled $651.1 million as of July 31, 2026, against $371.8 million in non-cancellable cloud hosting commitments and $54.4 million in professional services commitments due over one to four years.
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RPO Flat at $200 Million
Remaining performance obligations were $200.0 million, down slightly from $203.1 million at April 30, 2026, with $133 million expected to be recognized in the next 12 months.
Analysis · AI · Technology
The fiscal Q1 2027 10-Q from C3.ai confirms the revenue decline already flagged in the September 2 earnings release, but adds critical detail: the company generated positive free cash flow of $2.1 million for the first time in recent quarters, holds $651 million in cash and marketable securities, and carries $371.8 million in non-cancellable cloud hosting commitments. The restructuring is working on the cost side — operating expenses fell 24% year-over-year — but revenue continues to shrink, with subscription revenue down 18% and professional services down 68%. RPO of $200 million is roughly flat sequentially, suggesting the bookings recovery has not yet translated into committed revenue growth. Two directors also adopted 10b5-1 plans to sell up to 206,501 shares combined, adding to the insider distribution signal already present in the 90-day data.
How filings like this one have moved
In the 30 days to Sep 10, 2026, 29.9% of the 1988 measured filings Wiseek scored 7 moved their stock by 5% or more by the next session's close. The median move was -0.12%. These are measured outcomes after filings of this importance, not a forecast for this one.
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At the time of this filing, AI was trading at $10.51 on NYSE in the Technology sector, with a market capitalization of approximately $1.6B. The 52-week trading range was $7.68 to $20.22. This filing was assessed with negative market sentiment and an importance score of 7 out of 10.