CLEAR Secure (NYSE:YOU) Announces Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.09 EPS

CLEAR Secure (NYSE:YOU) posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The company reported $0.49 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.40 by $0.09, RTT News reports. CLEAR Secure had a return on equity of 68.98% and a net margin of 13.01%.The firm had revenue of $277.76 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $269.71 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.26 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 26.6% compared to the same quarter last year.

Here are the key takeaways from CLEAR Secure’s conference call:

• Positive Sentiment: CLEAR reported strong Q2 momentum, with bookings up 33% year over year to $295.9 million, revenue up 26.6% to $277.8 million, and free cash flow up 60% to a record $189 million.
• Positive Sentiment: Profitability exceeded the company’s IPO-era target, as adjusted EBITDA margin reached 36.4%, up approximately 900 basis points year over year, supported by eGate-driven labor efficiencies and roughly 70% EBITDA flow-through.
• Positive Sentiment: CLEAR Travel active CLEAR+ members grew 15.2% to 8.3 million, while management cited record customer-experience scores, healthy retention after the July price increase to $219, and further opportunities from airport expansion, Concierge, eGates, and international members.
• Positive Sentiment: CLEAR1 momentum continued, with total members reaching 43.5 million, more than 50% sequential growth in new customer signings and pipeline, and increasing interest across government, healthcare, workforce, and consumer identity applications.
• Negative Sentiment: Q3 free cash flow is expected to be negatively affected by the planned settlement of approximately $315 million in accrued partnership liability with the company’s credit-card partner, although the payment is included in full-year guidance, which was raised to at least $480 million.

CLEAR Secure Price Performance

Shares of YOU opened at $56.20 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $7.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 45.33 and a beta of 1.06. The business’s 50-day moving average is $54.34 and its 200-day moving average is $49.39. CLEAR Secure has a fifty-two week low of $29.43 and a fifty-two week high of $69.07.

CLEAR Secure Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 24th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, September 10th will be issued a $0.15 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 10th. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.1%. CLEAR Secure’s dividend payout ratio is currently 48.39%.

Key Stories Impacting CLEAR Secure

Here are the key news stories impacting CLEAR Secure this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 results exceeded expectations: Revenue rose 26.6% year over year to $277.8 million, above the $269.7 million consensus estimate, while diluted earnings of $0.49 per share surpassed expectations of $0.40 and increased from $0.26 a year earlier. Operating income was $83.0 million, net income was $72.3 million and adjusted EBITDA reached $101.1 million, with a 36.4% margin. CLEAR Announces Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results
• Positive Sentiment: Management raised cash-flow expectations: Full-year 2026 free-cash-flow guidance increased from at least $465 million to at least $480 million, representing at least 39.9% year-over-year growth. Third-quarter revenue guidance of $284 million to $287 million is also above the $275.9 million analyst consensus, while bookings are expected to reach $311 million to $316 million. Clear Secure Tops Q2 Earnings and Revenue Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Membership and product expansion remain strong: Total CLEAR members reached 43.5 million, up 30%, while active CLEAR+ members increased 15.2% to 8.3 million. CLEAR+ was available at 62 airports, and eGates had launched at 50 airports, supporting the company’s plan for a network-wide rollout during 2026. CLEAR also introduced a service upgrade at San Francisco International Airport intended to help travelers move through security more efficiently. CLEAR SFO Service Upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: Shareholder returns continue: CLEAR declared a quarterly dividend of $0.15 per share, payable September 24 to shareholders of record on September 10. The company said it returned approximately $22.2 million to shareholders during the quarter through dividends and distributions.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have commented on YOU. Wall Street Zen raised shares of CLEAR Secure from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, May 9th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on shares of CLEAR Secure from $33.00 to $40.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of CLEAR Secure from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Friday, May 15th. Zacks Research lowered shares of CLEAR Secure from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, July 6th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group set a $70.00 price objective on shares of CLEAR Secure in a research report on Monday, July 20th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $58.57.

Insider Activity at CLEAR Secure

In other CLEAR Secure news, insider Jonathan Schlegel sold 4,412 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $59.02, for a total value of $260,396.24. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, President Michael Z. Barkin sold 11,550 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $56.29, for a total transaction of $650,149.50. Following the completion of the sale, the president owned 22,994 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,294,332.26. The trade was a 33.44% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 23,962 shares of company stock valued at $1,360,146. Corporate insiders own 29.70% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of CLEAR Secure

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd grew its stake in CLEAR Secure by 249.6% in the fourth quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 867 shares of the company’s stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 619 shares in the last quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of CLEAR Secure by 329.5% during the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 975 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 748 shares in the last quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of CLEAR Secure during the 1st quarter valued at about $28,000. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of CLEAR Secure during the 4th quarter valued at about $109,000. Finally, Vestcor Inc bought a new stake in shares of CLEAR Secure in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $105,000. 73.80% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

CLEAR Secure Company Profile

CLEAR Secure, Inc operates a biometric identity platform designed to expedite identity verification for air travelers and venue guests. The company’s core offering is the CLEAR membership service, which uses fingerprint and iris scans to confirm a member’s identity and provide access to dedicated security lanes at participating airports. Members link government-issued IDs and personal biometric data via the CLEAR app, enabling faster processing through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints and select event entrances.

Founded in 2010 by Caryn Seidman‐Becker and Ken Cornick, CLEAR is headquartered in New York City.