Red Cat Reports Q1 2026; Q1 Revenue Growth of 849% Y/Y; Q1 Gross Margins Increase of 64.8 Percent Points Y/Y; Gross Margins Increase 199% Sequentially From Q4 2025
SALT LAKE CITY, May 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: RCAT) ("Red Cat" or the "Company"), a U.S.-based provider of advanced all-domain drone and robotic solutions for defense and national security, reports its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2026.
First Quarter 2026 Financial Highlights
Total revenue was $15.5 million, representing an increase of 849% from $1.6 million for the prior year quarter.
Gross profit was $2.0 million, representing an increase of $2.8 million from the prior year quarter. Gross margin was 12.7%, compared to (52.1)% for the prior year quarter. Gross margin increased 199% from Q4 2025.
Business Highlights
"We are projecting an exciting year, with increasing revenues (our target annual revenues in the short-medium term in between $150 million to $180 million), strong backlog, improving margins, and greater product diversity," stated Jeff Thompson. "Over the past eight months, our team has been forward deployed to iterate on the Black Widow ISR drone, ensuring it excels in the most contested battlefields across multiple theaters. By leveraging our Ukrainian and Israeli partnerships, we continue to deliver best-in-class ISR technology to the US war fighter."
"Simultaneously, we launched Blue Ops: a platform born in combat, third-generation USV. With our manufacturing facility now fully operational, we are pairing these vessels with battle-tested payloads like the ACS Bullfrog—made famous by President Trump—and our own family of drone systems. This represents the first 'Made in the USA' integration of its kind, creating a distinct, lethal advantage for the modern war fighter."
"With 2026 shaping up to be a banner year for Red Cat, we are investing and positioning for the future. With 2027 on the horizon, Secretary of War Hegseth has signaled budget allocations of up to $74 billion for UAV and USV procurement. We are ready to scale, because in this arena, the Factory is the Weapon."
Balance Sheet
Target revenue
Conference Call Details
Red Cat will host a live video webinar to discuss its first quarter 2026 financial results at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time (1:30 p.m. Pacific Time) on May 7, 2026. Participants may register in advance to join the live Video Webinar on Zoom at Red Cat's Investor Relations website at https://ir.redcatholdings.com/news-events. Log-in instructions will be available after registering for the event. An archived replay of the event will be available on Red Cat’s investor relations website beginning approximately two hours after the call concludes.
About Red Cat Holdings, Inc.
Red Cat (Nasdaq: RCAT) is a U.S.-based provider of advanced all-domain drone and robotic solutions for defense and national security. Through its wholly owned subsidiaries, Teal Drones and FlightWave Aerospace, Red Cat develops American-made hardware and software that support military, government, and public safety operations across air, land, and sea. Its Family of Systems, led by Black Widow™, delivers unmatched tactical capabilities in small, unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS). Expanding into the maritime domain through Blue Ops, Inc., Red Cat is also innovating in uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), delivering integrated platforms designed to enhance safety and multi-domain mission effectiveness. Learn more at www.redcat.red.
Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “seek,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “target,” “aim,” “should,” “will,” “would,” or the negative of these words or other similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to Company's revenue guidance and financial outlook, expectations regarding gross margins and product diversity, anticipated timing of the Quaze Technologies acquisition, plans for manufacturing and strategic partnerships, expectations regarding future defense budget allocations, and the Company's ability to scale its operations the Company's revenue guidance and financial outlook, expectations regarding gross margins and product diversity, anticipated timing of the Quaze Technologies acquisition, plans for manufacturing and strategic partnerships, expectations regarding future defense budget allocations, and the Company's ability to scale its operations. Forward-looking statements are based on Red Cat’s current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the section titled “Risk Factors” in the Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 19, 2026, Red Cat's quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and the other filings Red Cat makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and Red Cat undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.
Contact:
INVESTORS:
Ankit Hira
Solebury Strategic Communications for Red Cat Holdings, Inc.
E-mail: RCAT@soleburystrat.com
NEWS MEDIA:
Peter Moran
Phone: (347) 880-2895
Email: peter@indicatemedia.com
(1) Other (income) expense, net. Represents convertible note payable fair value adjustment, gain on extinguishment of convertible notes payable, and other income, net.
(2) Impairment loss. Represents an impairment charge to goodwill and or intangible assets.
(3) Restructuring costs. Represents restructuring costs incurred for cost reduction actions which may include employee termination costs, facility shut-down related costs, costs for unused, excess or exited facilities.
(4) Non-routine legal expenses. Represents external legal expenses incurred in connection with pending legal settlements and other legal related matters.
(5) Other adjustment items. Represents other adjustments that are non-recurring and outside the normal course of operations that do not readily fall into any other categories.
Notice Regarding Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This press release contains Non-GAAP financial measures, including Adjusted EBITDA (which excludes, among other things, income tax expenses (benefits), net interest (income) expenses, depreciation and amortization, other expenses (income), impairment losses, restructuring related items, stock based compensation expense, non-routine legal expenses, and any other one-time adjustments. The Company’s management uses these non-GAAP financial measures, along with the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, in evaluating the Company’s performance, capital resources and cash flow. Non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in isolation from, or as a substitute for, financial information presented in compliance with GAAP, and investors should carefully evaluate the Company’s financial results calculated in accordance with GAAP and reconciliations to those financial results. In addition, non-GAAP financial measures as reported by the Company may not be comparable to similarly titled amounts reported by other companies. As appropriate, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures and information reconciling these non-GAAP financial measures to the Company’s financial results prepared in accordance with GAAP are included in this news release.