Benchmark Research has reaffirmed its Buy rating on i3 Verticals (NASDAQ:IIIV) and maintained a $39.00 price target in the wake of the company's first-quarter 2026 earnings release. The firm notes that the target equates to approximately an 86% gain from the stock's trading level of $20.97, a price that sits close to the company's 52-week low of $19.89.
InvestingPro data referenced in the recent analysis indicates that the shares are trading below the service's calculated Fair Value.
On the top line, i3 Verticals recorded modest revenue growth of 1% compared with the same quarter a year earlier. Benchmark emphasizes that this pace marks a notable deceleration from the 13.4% revenue growth the company posted over the prior twelve-month period.
Despite the slower overall revenue expansion, the research firm called attention to internal improvements in the revenue composition. Benchmark reported that the results revealed accelerating growth in Software-as-a-Service, along with an increasing share of recurring revenue in the company's mix. Those shifts are cited as positive signals for revenue quality.
Benchmark also identified i3 Verticals’ disciplined capital deployment as a constructive factor in its assessment. The analyst team observed that the company's business model appears to be gradually less exposed to the variability historically associated with its legacy professional services and license revenue streams.
Q1 2026 quarterly results
Separately, i3 Verticals reported quarterly results that exceeded analyst expectations. The company posted diluted earnings per share of $0.26 versus a consensus estimate of $0.24, an 8.33% beat. Reported revenue reached $52.7 million, topping the forecast of $52.16 million.
However, the company also disclosed pressures that affected profitability. Declining EBITDA margins and higher hosting costs were highlighted as concerns, and these cost trends were among the factors behind a decline in the company’s stock during aftermarket trading following the release.
Investors and market observers are monitoring these developments closely. Analysts cited in the reporting continue to evaluate the implications of the company’s evolving revenue mix, margin dynamics, and cost structure for future earnings and revenue growth.
Context and market reaction
Benchmark’s reiteration of a Buy rating and a $39.00 target underscores the analyst view that the longer-term upside is substantial if the company sustains SaaS acceleration and recurring revenue expansion. At the same time, near-term margin deterioration and elevated hosting expenses have introduced volatility into the stock’s reaction to the quarter.
For investors, the tension between improving revenue quality and near-term cost pressure defines the current investment debate around the shares.