NetApp (NASDAQ: NTAP) is poised to announce its quarterly earnings for Q3 2026 on February 26, 2026, following market close. Analysts project that the data management and storage company will report earnings of $2.07 per share and revenue of $1.6996 billion for the quarter. This announcement is highly anticipated, with many investors keen to assess the company’s performance amidst a competitive landscape.
The company’s guidance for the fiscal year 2026 ranges from $7.750 to $8.050 earnings per share (EPS), while the specific guidance for Q3 2026 is between $2.010 and $2.110 EPS. Investors can find further details on the company’s earnings results page, which includes information about the conference call scheduled for 5:30 PM ET on the same day.
In its previous earnings release on November 25, 2025, NetApp reported an EPS of $2.05, exceeding analysts’ expectations of $1.88 by $0.17. The company achieved a net margin of 17.73% and a remarkable return on equity of 121.28%. Notably, NetApp generated revenue of $1.71 billion during that quarter, surpassing analyst estimates of $1.69 billion. This represented a year-over-year revenue growth of 2.8%.
Analysts remain optimistic about NetApp’s future performance. The consensus forecast for the current fiscal year stands at an EPS of $6, with a similar expectation for the next fiscal year.
Market Performance and Analyst Ratings
As of Thursday, NetApp’s shares opened at $101.32. The company boasts a market capitalization of $20.07 billion, with a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 17.62. Its share price has fluctuated within a 52-week range, with a low of $71.84 and a high of $127.78. The company maintains a quick ratio of 1.30 and a current ratio of 1.34, while its debt-to-equity ratio stands at 2.52.
NetApp also recently declared a quarterly dividend of $0.52, paid on January 21, 2026, to investors recorded on January 2, 2026. This dividend represents an annualized amount of $2.08 and a yield of 2.1%, with a dividend payout ratio of 36.17%.
Several equity research analysts have weighed in on NetApp’s stock. Northland Securities set a target price of $137.00 with an “outperform” rating, while UBS Group raised its target from $114.00 to $120.00, maintaining a “neutral” rating. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price from $100.00 to $115.00, and Bank of America raised its target from $125.00 to $129.00. The average price target among analysts sits at $122.86, indicating a “Moderate Buy” consensus based on data from MarketBeat.
Insider Trading and Institutional Investments
In more recent developments, Executive Vice President Elizabeth M. O’Callahan sold 1,000 shares of the company’s stock on February 10, 2026, for an average price of $103.45, totaling $103,450. Following this transaction, O’Callahan retains 20,075 shares valued at approximately $2,076,758.75, marking a 4.74% decrease in her position. This sale was disclosed to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Institutional investors have also been actively trading NetApp shares. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership increased its stake by 94.6% in the third quarter, now owning 1,823,292 shares valued at $215.99 million. Similarly, AQR Capital Management LLC raised its holdings by 71.6%, now owning 1,849,218 shares. Other notable investors include Wellington Management Group LLP, which grew its stake by 17.1%, and Bank of America Corp DE, which lifted its holdings by 83.0%. Collectively, institutional investors hold 92.17% of NetApp’s stock.
Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, NetApp specializes in hybrid cloud data services, enabling organizations to manage, protect, and migrate data across both on-premises and cloud environments. The company’s flagship product is the ONTAP data management software, supported by a diverse range of storage systems and services.
As NetApp prepares to unveil its Q3 earnings, all eyes will be on the financial results and guidance, which could significantly influence its stock performance and investor sentiment in the coming months.
