olivlawolivlaw

olivLaw · US equity research

C3.ai, Inc. AI

Services-Prepackaged Software · SIC 7372 · Vertical: Services-Prepackaged Software (SIC 7372)

11.54USD−0.09% · 1 dayClose 03 Nov 2026

C3.ai is an enterprise AI software company offering a platform, industry applications and generative tools to large organizations. The company is in a restructuring after revenue fell in fiscal 2026, and its fiscal 2027 first-quarter revenue of 52.4 million USD suggests possible stabilization, though losses remain significant.

At the close of 03 Nov 2026, C3.ai, Inc. (AI) stock was 11.54 USD (−0.09% on the day), with market capitalisation 40.4 m USD, beta 1.99, 52-week range 7.76–16.08 USD. Latest reported quarter (Q1 2027): revenue of 52.4 m USD (−25.5% YoY), net income of -92.8 m USD, diluted EPS -0.60 USD.

Data as of · AI analysis dated · Source: SEC filings and closing prices, computed by olivLaw.

Market cap
40.4 m USD
shares as of 30 Apr 2021
P/E (TTM)
unavailable
Diluted EPS TTM -3.08 · TTM to 31 Jul 2026
E/P (TTM)
-26.69%
TTM to 31 Jul 2026
Dividend yield
unavailable
Beta (2y)
1.99
Volatility (1y) 59%
52-week range
7.7616.08

Price history

Loading chart…

Technical reading

RSI (14)
48.8
neutral
Bollinger (20, 2)
10.98 – 12.68
in the lower half of the band · %B 0.33 · band width 14.3%
SMA 50 / 200
11.12 / 10.02
uptrend (price > SMA50 > SMA200)
MACD (12, 26, 9)
0.24 / 0.33
MACD below signal

Indicators describe past prices; on their own they do not predict direction. On our history the RSI ≤ 40 filter added no return (see the signals methodology).

Performance

CompanyS&P 500vs S&P 500Vertical median
1 month+4.8%−2.0%+6.8 pp—
3 months+14.8%−2.2%+17.0 pp—
6 months+22.6%+4.3%+18.4 pp—
Year to date−14.4%+10.6%−25.0 pp—
1 year−32.7%+10.5%−43.1 pp−5.9%
3 years−59.6%+73.7%−133.3 pp+30.2%
5 years−76.4%+61.7%−138.1 pp—
Max drawdown (1y)
−51.7%
10 Nov 2025 → 27 Mar 2026
Max drawdown (5y)
−84.7%
09 Nov 2021 → 27 Mar 2026
Compound annual growth (5y)
−25.1%
S&P 500 +10.1%

Price returns, dividends excluded.

Quarterly results

Latest quarter: Q1 2027 · 31 Jul 2026

Revenue
52.4 m USD
−25.5% YoY
Net income
-92.8 m USD
unavailable YoY
Diluted EPS
-0.60
unavailable YoY
net / operating
-177.2% / -187.6%

Quarterly margins

Quarterly statements · USD

Fiscal yearQ2 '25Q3 '25Q4 '25Q1 '26Q2 '26Q3 '26Q4 '26Q1 '27
Revenue94.3 m98.8 m108.7 m70.3 m75.1 m53.3 m51.6 m52.4 m
Cost of revenue36.5 m40.4 m41.2 m43.8 m44.8 m44.0 m40.3 m35.7 m
Gross profit57.8 m58.3 m67.5 m26.4 m30.4 m9.2 m11.3 m16.7 m
Research & development55.7 m59.4 m58.4 m64.7 m58.4 m58.8 m47.3 m46.5 m
Operating income-75.3 m-87.6 m-89.0 m-124.8 m-112.1 m-140.4 m-121.2 m-98.3 m
Depreciation & amortisation3.0 m ≈3.1 m ≈3.4 m3.4 m3.4 m ≈3.4 m ≈3.3 m3.4 m
Pre-tax income-65.7 m-79.9 m-79.6 m-116.5 m-104.4 m-133.2 m-115.5 m-92.6 m
Income tax257.0 k336.0 k111.0 k300.0 k237.0 k174.0 k111.0 k163.0 k
Net income-66.0 m-80.2 m-79.7 m-116.8 m-104.7 m-133.4 m-115.6 m-92.8 m
Diluted EPS-0.52-0.62-0.60 ≈-0.86-0.75-0.94-0.79 ≈-0.60
Operating cash flow-38.7 m ≈-22.0 m ≈11.3 m-33.5 m-46.5 m ≈-55.8 m ≈-54.4 m2.1 m
Capex815.0 k ≈362.0 k ≈938.0 k760.0 k386.0 k ≈439.0 k ≈323.0 k8.0 k

≈ derived quarter (cumulative difference / share-days average)

E/P over time

E/P = trailing-12-month diluted EPS / price at quarter end. E/P is the inverse of P/E and stays defined when earnings are negative.

Fiscal years

Fiscal year20192020202120222023202420252026
Revenue91.6 m156.7 m183.2 m252.8 m266.8 m310.6 m389.1 m250.3 m
Revenue YoYunavailable+71.0%+16.9%+38.0%+5.6%+16.4%+25.3%−35.7%
Net income-33.3 m-69.4 m-55.7 m-192.1 m-268.8 m-279.7 m-288.7 m-470.4 m
Net income YoYunavailableunavailableunavailableunavailableunavailableunavailableunavailableunavailable
Diluted EPSunavailableunavailableunavailable-1.84-2.45-2.34-2.24-3.35
Diluted EPS YoYunavailableunavailableunavailableunavailableunavailableunavailableunavailableunavailable
net %-36.4%-44.3%-30.4%-76.0%-100.8%-90.1%-74.2%-187.9%
Free cash flow-41.7 m-63.6 m-39.2 m-90.3 m-186.2 m-87.6 m-44.4 m-192.1 m

Reported results vs expectations

Loading…

Balance sheet & financial health

Fiscal year 2026 · 30 Apr 2026

Cash
66.2 m USD
Financial debt
unavailable USD
Net debt
unavailable USD
Equity
653.8 m USD
Total assets
816.3 m USD
Debt / equity
unavailable
Current ratio
6.64x
ROE
-63.0%
ROA
-51.1%
FCF margin
-76.8%

Financial statements (source on every figure)

Revenue and net income (USD)

Margins

Income statement · USD

Revenue
2024
310.6 m
2025
389.1 m
2026
250.3 m

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026verified

Cost of revenue
2024
132.0 m
2025
153.2 m
2026
172.9 m

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026verified

Gross profit
2024
178.6 m
2025
235.9 m
2026
77.4 m

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026verified

Research & development
2024
201.4 m
2025
226.4 m
2026
229.1 m

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026verified

Operating income
2024
-318.3 m
2025
-324.4 m
2026
-498.5 m

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026verified

Depreciation & amortisation
2024
12.7 m
2025
12.6 m
2026
13.6 m

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026verified

EBITDA
2024
-305.6 m ≈
2025
-311.8 m ≈
2026
-484.9 m ≈

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026derived

Pre-tax income
2024
-278.9 m
2025
-287.7 m
2026
-469.5 m

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026verified

Income tax
2024
792.0 k
2025
976.0 k
2026
822.0 k

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026verified

Net income
2024
-279.7 m
2025
-288.7 m
2026
-470.4 m

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026verified

Diluted EPS
2024
-2.34
2025
-2.24
2026
-3.35

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026verified

Weighted average diluted shares
2024
119.4 m
2025
129.1 m
2026
140.5 m

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026verified

Balance sheet · USD

Cash
2024
167.1 m
2025
164.4 m
2026
66.2 m

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026verified

Receivables
2024
130.1 m
2025
137.2 m
2026
100.5 m

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026verified

Current assets
2024
904.4 m
2025
904.3 m
2026
708.0 m

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026verified

Property, plant & equipment, net
2024
88.6 m
2025
79.3 m
2026
66.9 m

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026verified

Goodwill
2024
625.0 k
2025
625.0 k
2026
625.0 k

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026verified

Total assets
2024
1.0 bn
2025
1.0 bn
2026
816.3 m

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026verified

Accounts payable
2024
11.3 m
2025
15.2 m
2026
5.5 m

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026verified

Current liabilities
2024
102.3 m
2025
131.9 m
2026
106.6 m

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026verified

Total liabilities
2024
164.9 m
2025
187.6 m
2026
162.5 m

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026verified

Equity
2024
873.4 m †
2025
838.3 m †
2026
653.8 m †

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026verified

Cash flow · USD

Operating cash flow
2024
-62.4 m
2025
-41.4 m
2026
-190.2 m

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026verified

Capex
2024
25.3 m
2025
3.0 m
2026
1.9 m

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026verified

Free cash flow
2024
-87.6 m ≈
2025
-44.4 m ≈
2026
-192.1 m ≈

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026derived

Investing cash flow
2024
-66.6 m
2025
16.4 m
2026
75.1 m

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026verified

Financing cash flow
2024
11.3 m
2025
22.2 m
2026
17.0 m

SEC (XBRL)· 24 Jun 2026verified

Share repurchases
2024
0
2025
—
2026
—

SEC (XBRL)· 18 Jun 2024verified

Computed indicators

Growth

Revenue growth (YoY)
-35.7%
computed by olivLawFY 2026
Revenue CAGR 3Y
-2.1%
computed by olivLawFY 2023 → FY 2026
Revenue CAGR 5Y
6.4%
computed by olivLawFY 2021 → FY 2026
EBIT growth (YoY)
unavailable
the base of the ratio is not positive
Net income growth (YoY)
unavailable
the base of the ratio is not positive
Net income CAGR 3Y
unavailable
the base of the ratio is not positive
Net income CAGR 5Y
unavailable
the base of the ratio is not positive
EPS growth (YoY)
unavailable
the base of the ratio is not positive
EPS CAGR 3Y
unavailable
the base of the ratio is not positive
EPS CAGR 5Y
unavailable
input data missing
FCF growth (YoY)
unavailable
the base of the ratio is not positive

Profitability

Gross margin
29.1%
computed by olivLawTTM to 31 Jul 2026
EBITDA margin
-197.3%
computed by olivLawTTM to 31 Jul 2026
EBIT margin
-203.1%
computed by olivLawTTM to 31 Jul 2026
Net margin
-192.1%
computed by olivLawTTM to 31 Jul 2026
FCF margin
-67.0%
computed by olivLawTTM to 31 Jul 2026

Returns

ROE
-59.8%
computed by olivLawTTM to 31 Jul 2026 · balance sheet at 31 Jul 2026
ROA
-48.4%
computed by olivLawTTM to 31 Jul 2026 · balance sheet at 31 Jul 2026
ROIC
unavailable
input data missing
ROCE
-63.0%
computed by olivLawTTM to 31 Jul 2026 · balance sheet at 31 Jul 2026
Payout ratio (EPS)
unavailable
input data missing
Payout ratio (FCF)
unavailable
input data missing

Balance sheet

Net debt
unavailable
input data missing
Net debt / EBITDA
unavailable
input data missing
Debt / equity
unavailable
input data missing
Interest coverage
unavailable
input data missing

Liquidity

Current ratio
6.2x
computed by olivLawbalance sheet at 31 Jul 2026
Cash ratio
1.1x
computed by olivLawbalance sheet at 31 Jul 2026

Cash

Operating cash flow
-154.6 m USD
computed by olivLawTTM to 31 Jul 2026
Capital expenditure
1.2 m USD
computed by olivLawTTM to 31 Jul 2026
Free cash flow
-155.8 m USD
computed by olivLawTTM to 31 Jul 2026
FCF conversion
unavailable
insufficient data
Cash conversion
unavailable
insufficient data

Efficiency

Days sales outstanding
164 days
computed by olivLawTTM to 31 Jul 2026 · balance sheet at 31 Jul 2026
Days payables outstanding
23 days
computed by olivLawTTM to 31 Jul 2026 · balance sheet at 31 Jul 2026

Market and valuation

Market capitalisation
40.4 m USD
computed by olivLawbalance sheet at 31 Jul 2026
Enterprise value
unavailable
input data missing
Market cap / net income TTM
unavailable
insufficient data
P/E (TTM)
unavailable
insufficient data
Earnings yield
-26.7%
computed by olivLawTTM to 31 Jul 2026
P/B
0.1x
computed by olivLawbalance sheet at 31 Jul 2026
P/S
0.2x
computed by olivLawTTM to 31 Jul 2026 · balance sheet at 31 Jul 2026
EV/EBITDA
unavailable
input data missing
EV/EBIT
unavailable
input data missing
EV/Sales
unavailable
input data missing
P/FCF
unavailable
the base of the ratio is not positive
FCF yield
-385.7%
computed by olivLawTTM to 31 Jul 2026 · balance sheet at 31 Jul 2026
Dividend yield
unavailable
no dividend in the structured statements; a missing line is not a confirmed zero
Shareholder yield (distributions)
unavailable
input data missing

4 indicators that do not apply to the sector.

Valuation

olivLaw classification

Insufficient data
What is missing
  • valuation methods computed: 0 of at least 1

A scoring methodology on indicators and valuation, not investment advice.

Closing price

11.54 USD

03 Nov 2026Source: olivLaw, closing series

Market cap: 40.4 m USD

Key indicators

Market capitalisation
40.4 m USD
computed by olivLawbalance sheet at 31 Jul 2026
P/E (TTM)
unavailable
insufficient data
P/B
0.1x
computed by olivLawbalance sheet at 31 Jul 2026
EV/EBITDA
unavailable
input data missing
ROE
-59.8%
computed by olivLawTTM to 31 Jul 2026 · balance sheet at 31 Jul 2026
Net margin
-192.1%
computed by olivLawTTM to 31 Jul 2026
Revenue growth (YoY)
-35.7%
computed by olivLawFY 2026
Dividend yield
unavailable
no dividend in the structured statements; a missing line is not a confirmed zero

Coverage and freshness

28/37 reporting lines present
Latest full fiscal year: 2026
Latest reported period: 31 Jul 2026
Latest balance sheet date: 31 Jul 2026
Source: SEC (XBRL)published 09 Sept 2026
verified 843derived 91

Score by group

72% · Insufficient data

Estimated value range

unavailable — no valuation method could be computed

Valuation assumptions are editorial choices, not measured; beta is not measured.

Valuation methods

  • DCF (discounted cash flow)unavailable · input data missing
  • Peers: EV/Salesunavailable · net debt missing: EV cannot be bridged to equity (missing debt is not zero)
  • Peers: EV/EBITDAunavailable · net debt missing: EV cannot be bridged to equity (missing debt is not zero)

no valuation method could be computed

Multiple comparisons use the SIC vertical: Services-Prepackaged Software (SIC 7372)

Classification (SIC) comparables group by industry code, not by economic activity; the direct group is an editorial selection by activity. Members' multiples are on their own trailing twelve months, at their own latest close.

Assumptions (illustrative, editorial)

Risk-free rate
4.3%
Equity risk premium
5.0%
Beta (default)
1.00
Cost of equity
9.3%
Terminal growth
2.5%

Factor scorecard

Insufficient data

Minimum-evidence gate: valuation methods computed: 0 of at least 1

FactorValueScoreWeight used
Gross margin · Quality29.1%0 (on a fixed band)15%
EBIT margin · Quality-203.1%10 (vs peers)12%
FCF margin · Quality-67.0%0 (on a fixed band)12%
Revenue CAGR 3Y · Growth-2.1%0 (on a fixed band)24%
Revenue growth (YoY) · Growth-35.7%5 (vs peers)12%
Net debt / EBITDA · Balance sheetunavailableunavailable—
Current ratio · Balance sheet6.2x100 (on a fixed band)9%
EV/Sales · Valuationunavailableunavailable—
FCF yield · Valuation-385.7%0 (on a fixed band)18%
Shareholder yield (distributions) · Returnsunavailableunavailable—

Factors without a value were dropped; the remaining weights were renormalised.

Score groups

  • Balance sheet· partial100/100 · 1/2 factors with a value
  • Growth2/100 · 2/2 factors with a value
  • Quality3/100 · 3/3 factors with a value
  • Returns· partialunavailable · 0/1 factors with a value
  • Valuation· partial0/100 · 1/2 factors with a value

A «partial» group is computed from under half of its weight or from one factor: it is not a full assessment of the group.

Memo

C3.ai, Inc. (AI). Latest full fiscal year: 2026; data up to 2026-07-31.

Figures computed from the financial statements: revenue 250.3 m USD in 2026; YoY growth -35.7%; net margin -192.1%; ROE -59.8%.

Valuation cannot be computed from the available data.

Insufficient data for a verdict (valuation methods computed: 0 of at least 1).

Text generated deterministically from the figures shown; no language model. Not investment advice.

What supports the thesis

  • Current ratio: 6.2x

What contradicts it

  • Gross margin: 29.1%
  • EBIT margin: -203.1%
  • FCF margin: -67.0%
  • Revenue CAGR 3Y: -2.1%
  • Revenue growth (YoY): -35.7%
  • FCF yield: -385.7%

Not assessed (insufficient data or a ratio without meaning): Net debt / EBITDA, EV/Sales, Shareholder yield (distributions).

Versus the vertical median

Services-Prepackaged Software (SIC 7372) · same industry (4-digit SIC) · compared with 39 companies

Multiples and returns vs the median

P/E
—
vertical median 27.2x
EV/EBITDA
—
vertical median 29.8x
P/S
0.2x
vertical median 6.6x
below median (−97.4%)
P/B
0.1x
vertical median 5.9x
below median (−99.0%)
ROE
-59.8%
vertical median 10.5%
below median (−669.8%)
Net margin
-192.1%
vertical median 9.4%
below median (−2,134.9%)
EBIT margin
-203.1%
vertical median 9.7%
below median (−2,199.1%)
Revenue YoY
-35.7%
vertical median 15.1%
below median (−335.9%)
Net debt/EBITDA
—
vertical median 0.9x
Dividend yield
—
vertical median 1.3%

Price rebased to 100 (monthly, 5 years)

Companies in the vertical

Market capP/EROENet marginRevenue YoY1A / 3A
MSFTMicrosoft Corporation3,869.0 bn27.234.2%41.2%+17.8%+6% / +37%
PLTRPalantir Technologies Inc.422.6 bn123.041.2%50.3%+56.2%+4% / +775%
ORCLOracle Corporation381.6 bn19.741.6%26.4%+17.3%−38% / +9%
CRWDCrowdStrike Holdings, Inc.250.5 bn1,137.51.3%1.1%+21.7%+92% / +313%
CRMSalesforce, Inc.182.9 bn20.319.4%22.0%+9.6%−4% / −12%
NOWServicenow, Inc.113.3 bn78.311.8%9.4%+20.9%−33% / −20%
SNOWSnowflake Inc.104.1 bn—-48.2%-20.1%+29.2%+17% / +57%
ADBEAdobe Inc.95.8 bn13.761.9%28.0%+10.5%−23% / −60%
INTUIntuit Inc.92.1 bn20.923.6%21.3%+13.9%−46% / −40%
CDNSCadence Design Systems, Inc.88.8 bn64.322.9%22.5%+14.1%+4% / +18%
SNPSSynopsys Inc88.7 bn81.83.7%11.4%+15.1%+11% / −15%
ADSKAutodesk, Inc.52.7 bn32.753.9%21.1%+17.5%−17% / +16%
VEEVVeeva Systems Inc.49.1 bn49.614.4%29.3%+16.3%+26% / +74%
TTWOTake-Two Interactive Software, Inc.36.5 bn—-9.0%-4.8%+18.2%−21% / +23%
KCKingsoft Cloud Holdings Ltd34.1 bn—-13.1%-9.8%+28.2%−38% / +74%
TWLOTwilio Inc.33.1 bn26.914.9%21.8%+13.7%+65% / +231%
RBLXRoblox Corporation32.5 bn—-478.2%-16.5%+35.8%−52% / +16%
MDBMongodb, Inc.27.0 bn458.72.0%2.1%+22.8%+1% / −19%
PTCPTC Inc.21.1 bn18.935.1%41.4%+19.2%+11% / +23%
SSNCSs&C Technologies Holdings, Inc.19.0 bn23.312.7%13.2%+6.6%−6% / +44%
UUnity Software Inc.17.8 bn—-18.9%-29.0%+2.0%−5% / +37%
NTNXNutanix, Inc.17.5 bn12.537,460.2%52.8%+12.4%+35% / +50%
TYLTyler Technologies, Inc.16.1 bn50.910.5%13.5%+9.1%−14% / −1%
DOCUDocusign, Inc.15.0 bn49.017.8%9.8%+8.2%+16% / +86%
DTDynatrace, Inc.13.5 bn87.46.4%7.4%+18.8%+6% / −12%

1- and 3-year price returns: for AI from daily closes (the same as the performance table), for the other companies from month-end closes.

olivLaw engine forecast

The world engine ran after the company's latest material disclosure. Probabilities are of TOUCHING a level within the horizon (not closing there) and sit next to the random walk (p_rw), the no-information benchmark.

The engine has no published run for this company yet.

Valuation scenarios (editable assumptions)

Illustrative scenarios

Illustrative: not forecasts and without probabilities. Each case is one coherent set of assumptions, computed on today's figures.

Bear
Allowed range: -50 … 50%
Allowed range: -100 … 100%
Allowed range: 0 … 100
Allowed range: -10 … 20%
Allowed range: 0 … 100%
Base
Allowed range: -50 … 50%
Allowed range: -100 … 100%
Allowed range: 0 … 100
Allowed range: -10 … 20%
Allowed range: 0 … 100%
Bull
Allowed range: -50 … 50%
Allowed range: -100 … 100%
Allowed range: 0 … 100
Allowed range: -10 … 20%
Allowed range: 0 … 100%
Nothing is saved.

Estimated price (USD)

Estimated priceBearBaseBull
1 years
insufficient data
Total return unavailable · Per year unavailable
insufficient data
Total return unavailable · Per year unavailable
insufficient data
Total return unavailable · Per year unavailable
3 years
insufficient data
Total return unavailable · Per year unavailable
insufficient data
Total return unavailable · Per year unavailable
insufficient data
Total return unavailable · Per year unavailable
5 years
insufficient data
Total return unavailable · Per year unavailable
insufficient data
Total return unavailable · Per year unavailable
insufficient data
Total return unavailable · Per year unavailable
What moves the 3-year price the most

    AI analysis

    AI-generatedAI-generated analysis (Claude) from cited public sources; it may contain errors. Not investment advice. As of 27 Oct 2026 · Model: claude-haiku-5-5.

    In brief

    C3.ai is an enterprise AI software company offering a platform, industry applications and generative tools to large organizations. The company is in a restructuring after revenue fell in fiscal 2026, and its fiscal 2027 first-quarter revenue of 52.4 million USD suggests possible stabilization, though losses remain significant.

    SWOT

    Strengths

    • The platform has a patented model-driven architecture that the company says reduces application development time 1.
    • The revenue base is largely recurring, and the subscription share rose in the first quarter of fiscal 2027 23.
    • The company holds substantial cash reserves, giving it time to execute the recovery plan 3.

    Weaknesses

    • The company has recorded net losses every year since its founding, and its costs remain high 1.
    • Revenue fell sharply in fiscal 2026 and average contract value is declining 1.
    • A small number of large customers has historically accounted for a substantial share of revenue 1.

    Opportunities

    • If agentic AI and generative tools are widely adopted, the company could expand sales to existing customers 1.
    • Government and defense customers appear to be growing, according to the company's release, which could support demand 3.
    • The platform is industry agnostic, which could allow expansion into new sectors 1.

    Threats

    • Competition from cloud providers and generative AI model makers could limit growth 1.
    • Customers may reduce usage or negotiate less favorable terms, which would affect revenue 1.
    • Long sales cycles and fast technological change could make existing products less competitive 1.

    Risks

    • Lack of profitabilityhigh

      The company does not know whether or when it will reach profitability, and losses could continue 1. If revenue does not grow enough, the value of the business could decline 1.

    • Dependence on large customershigh

      The loss or reduced spending of large customers could seriously affect revenue and remaining performance obligations 1.

    • Contract renewalsmedium

      Customers have no obligation to renew subscriptions, and the company has limited experience with renewals of its AI products 1.

    • Pace of technological changemedium

      If products are not adapted quickly to new technologies, they could become less competitive 1.

    • Execution of the restructuringmedium

      The recovery plan depends on the productivity of reorganized sales teams and retention of senior management, both of which are uncertain 3.

    Investment thesis

    What would need to be true (bull case)

    • If revenue stabilizes and cash flow stays positive, the company could show that its recovery plan is working 3.
    • A higher share of recurring subscriptions and third-party recognition as a leader could support demand over the medium term 23.
    • If generative and agentic products are widely adopted, the value of existing contracts could increase 1.

    What would break the thesis

    • Net losses remain large and the company has no clear timeline for profitability, which could limit results 13.
    • The revenue decline of fiscal 2026 and the falling average contract value could persist if demand does not recover 1.
    • Competition from large cloud and AI model providers could compress margins and slow customer acquisition 1.

    What to watch

    • Revenue guidance for fiscal Q2 2027 and whether it is achievedQ2 2027
    • Full-year fiscal 2027 revenue guidance and non-GAAP operating loss2027
    • Level of cash and free cash flow, to test the sustainability of the planQ2 2027

    Products, market & competition

    AI-generatedAI-generated analysis (Claude) from cited public sources; it may contain errors. Not investment advice. As of 27 Oct 2026 · Model: claude-haiku-5-5.

    The business

    C3.ai develops the C3 Agentic AI Platform, an end-to-end environment for designing, deploying and operating enterprise AI applications, built on a patented model-driven architecture 1. On top of it the company offers ready-made industry applications and C3 Generative AI, which lets users retrieve and analyze data from their own sources with answers cited to source 1. In 2026 the company reorganized its offerings into a platform, a tooling layer and a portfolio of applications and modules 2.

    The revenue model relies mainly on subscriptions, which made up 91% of revenue in fiscal 2026, with the rest from professional services 1. Customers typically begin with an initial production deployment and then pay a monthly fee plus compute consumption or a multi-period commitment 1. The company targets mainly large organizations in energy, industry, defense and financial services 1.

    Subscriptions rose to 94% of revenue in the first quarter of fiscal 2027, suggesting a shift toward recurring revenue 23. The company cites a restructuring of its sales and services organization and the return of its founder as chief executive as part of the recovery plan 3.

    Segments

    C3 Agentic AI Platform and tooling

    The platform is the base layer on which all other products run, and C3 AI Studio and C3 Code are the tools engineers and analysts use to build applications 12. C3 Code generates applications from natural-language instructions, which the company describes as reducing manual work 1.

    Industry applications

    Applications cover asset performance, supply chain, defense and intelligence, and property appraisal for local governments 1. The company says its supply chain applications can complement existing ERP systems rather than replace them 1.

    Market context

    The target market is platforms and applications for enterprise data, machine learning and AI, which the company describes as evolving quickly 1. The company intends to widen its customer base to smaller organizations with lower entry prices, but notes its experience there is limited 1.

    The number of initial production deployment agreements fell to 71 in fiscal 2026, which could reflect stricter project selection or weaker demand 1. The market remains sensitive to large customers' budget cycles, which could influence whether the trend reverses 1.

    Trends

    • Adoption of generative and agentic AItailwind

      The company links growth to demand for AI agents that can carry out multi-step tasks, an area where it reports patent protection 1. If customers adopt these products, the value of each contract could increase.

    • Sales force restructuringmixed

      The company says the restructuring of its sales organization disrupted fiscal 2026, but reports a recovery in results in the following quarter 13. The outcome depends on how productive the reorganized teams become.

    • Losses and cash consumption pressureheadwind

      The company has reported net losses every year since its founding and expects costs to keep rising 1. In fiscal Q1 2027 free cash flow was slightly positive, but the non-GAAP operating loss remained significant 3.

    Competitive position

    The supplied sources do not detail competitors, but the company positions itself against providers of data, machine learning and analytics platforms as well as industry application vendors 1. The company notes its partnerships with cloud providers and consultancies can act as both collaboration and competition 1.

    Forrester Research named the company a leader in enterprise AI, which the company presents as a reputational advantage 3. Competitive pressure increases if customers choose alternative platforms instead of migrating to new capabilities 1.

    • Cloud and data platform providers

      Cloud partners of C3.ai may also offer competing machine learning and data services, making the relationship both collaborative and competitive 1.

    • Consulting firms and systems integrators

      Consulting firms named in the sources could develop their own AI solutions for clients, competing with the company's products 1.

    • Enterprise industry application vendors

      Vendors of enterprise planning and supply chain software could offer similar modules, though the sources mainly describe them as integration partners 1.

    • Generative AI model platforms

      Large language model providers could offer enterprise search and chat directly, an area the company covers with C3 Generative AI 1.

    News & filings

    In the press

    The latest news item in our archive is from 14 Sept 2026; the newest SEC filing is from 30 Oct 2026. The press archive comes from the RSS feeds we follow and does not necessarily cover the latest event — the filings alongside do.

    SEC filings

    Sources

    1. [1] Form 10-K, fiscal year ended 2026-04-30 · SEC / C3.ai, Inc. · 24 Jun 2026
    2. [2] Form 10-Q, quarter ended 2026-07-31 · SEC / C3.ai, Inc. · 09 Sept 2026
    3. [3] Form 8-K, results release (exhibit 99.1) · SEC / C3.ai, Inc. · 02 Sept 2026

    Figures computed by olivLaw from SEC filings and closing prices; the qualitative analysis is AI-generated from cited sources. Not investment advice.