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| Source: Align Technology Announces First Quarter 2026 Financial Results, $200M Stock Repurchase, and Reaffirms Fiscal 2026 Guidance |
Global Shipments of 685,700 Cases / Revenue Up 6.2% / $200 Million Stock Buyback
DentalGoodNews|April 29, 2026 - Align Technology, the global leader in invisible orthodontics, released its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2026. Data shows that Align Technology's Q1 2026 revenue reached $1.0401 billion (approximately RMB 7.112 billion), a year-over-year increase of 6.2%; GAAP net income was $112.8 million (approximately RMB 771 million), up 21.0% year-over-year.
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| Source: Align Technology Q1 2026 Financial Slides and Historical Data |
By business segment, Clear Aligner Therapy revenue was $856.0 million (approximately RMB 5.854 billion), up 7.4% year-over-year; Imaging Systems and CAD/CAM Services revenue was $184.1 million (approximately RMB 1.259 billion), up 0.9% year-over-year. The company stated that although Capital Equipment* was impacted by seasonal factors and declined sequentially, the continued penetration of the iTero Lumina system and sales of certified pre-owned equipment supported a slight year-over-year increase.
In this quarter, Align Technology's global shipments of Invisalign clear aligners reached 685,700 cases, a year-over-year increase of 6.7%, setting a new all-time quarterly record for the company. Shipment growth was primarily driven by international markets, with Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Asia Pacific (APAC), and Latin America (LATAM) all achieving double-digit growth, while the North American market remained stable. According to a previous report by DGN, in the fourth quarter of 2025, Align Technology had already achieved double-digit shipment growth in the APAC region, driven by China, India, and South Korea.
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| Source: Align Technology Q1 2026 Financial Slides and Historical Data |
Operational metrics show that adult patient shipments in this quarter reached 449,000 cases, up 7.8% year-over-year and 0.7% sequentially, with growth primarily driven by EMEA, APAC, and LATAM regions; teen and child patient shipments were 237,000 cases, up 4.8% year-over-year and 2.4% sequentially, with China and LATAM markets contributing the main incremental volume. The quarterly average utilization rate per trained doctor was 7.8 cases, higher than the 7.5 cases in the same period last year.
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| Source: Align Technology Q1 2026 Financial Slides and Historical Data |
In terms of financial profitability, Align Technology's Q1 GAAP gross margin was 70.8%, recovering from 69.5% in the same period last year. Non-GAAP net income was $184.6 million (approximately RMB 1.262 billion), up 17.7% year-over-year; Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $2.58 (approximately RMB 17.64 per share); Q1 GAAP operating profit was $142.0 million (approximately RMB 971 million), with an operating margin of 13.6%. It should be noted that the company disclosed a legal settlement expense of $30.63 million (approximately RMB 209 million) recorded in this quarter; the Non-GAAP measure excludes certain adjustments including such items.
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| Source: Align Technology Q1 2026 Financial Slides and Historical Data |
In terms of cash flow, Align Technology's Q1 operating cash flow was $151.0 million (approximately RMB 1.033 billion), a significant improvement from $52.7 million (approximately RMB 360 million) in the same period last year; free cash flow was $120.3 million (approximately RMB 823 million). As of March 31, 2026, the company's cash and cash equivalents totaled $1.0598 billion (approximately RMB 7.247 billion), an increase of approximately $186.8 million (approximately RMB 1.277 billion) year-over-year, of which approximately $206.6 million (approximately RMB 1.413 billion) was held in the U.S. and approximately $853.2 million (approximately RMB 5.834 billion) was held by overseas subsidiaries. Net accounts receivable was $1.1251 billion (approximately RMB 7.694 billion), with DSO (Days Sales Outstanding) at 97 days, flat year-over-year but slightly up from 94 days in the previous quarter.
Additionally, Align Technology simultaneously announced that it will initiate a $200 million (approximately RMB 1.368 billion) stock buyback program under its existing repurchase authorization around May 1, 2026, expected to be completed within six months.
The company stated that in 2026, it will continue to increase investment in innovation and long-term growth opportunities, focusing on deepening the digital dentistry layout through the Align™ Digital platform, accelerating the expansion of the iTero Lumina ecosystem, strengthening international market penetration through localization strategies, and continuously improving the differentiated product portfolio for teen and growing patient populations.
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