Autodesk, Inc. (ADSK)
Autodesk creates the essential design and engineering software used by architects, builders, and manufacturers to build everything from skyscrapers to cars.
Is Autodesk, Inc. a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: Autodesk creates the essential design and engineering software used by architects, builders, and manufacturers to build everything from skyscrapers to cars.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only; any dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
Autodesk becomes the standard platform for digital construction and manufacturing globally.
Technological disruption makes their core design tools obsolete.
What does Autodesk, Inc. do?
Autodesk provides the digital tools that professionals use to draft blueprints, model 3D structures, and manage complex construction projects. Recurring subscription fees for access to its software suites are what bring in the cash. Their fortunes hinge on keeping existing customers paying for these subscriptions while expanding into new areas like cloud-based project management.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on growth and quality, and weakest on income.
- !Pays no dividend - the whole return rides on the share price
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 18% over the year
- ✓Very profitable - turns about 19% of sales into profit
- !High P/E of 34 - big growth is already priced in
- ✓Strong return on shareholder money (ROE 50%)
- Quality screens high (75/100)
- Growth screens high (82/100)
- Extremely high profit margins on software sales
- Essential tools that are difficult for customers to replace
- Strong ability to generate profit from shareholder capital
- Income screens low (16/100)
- Economic downturns often lead to reduced spending on construction and design
- Rapid changes in technology could threaten their current software dominance
- Reliance on corporate IT budgets which can be cut during lean times
What do Autodesk, Inc.'s numbers mean?
How much money does Autodesk, Inc. make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does Autodesk, Inc. pay a dividend?
No - Autodesk, Inc. doesn't currently pay a dividend, so the whole return would rest on the share price. Plenty of growing companies reinvest their profits instead of paying them out - neither approach is better or worse, they're just different.
When does Autodesk, Inc. report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
Autodesk, Inc. is next scheduled to report on about 2026-08-27 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-28 | $2.84 | $2.99 | Beat +5% |
| 2026-02-26 | $2.64 | $2.85 | Beat +8% |
| 2025-11-25 | $2.50 | $2.67 | Beat +7% |
| 2025-08-28 | $2.45 | $2.62 | Beat +7% |
| 2025-05-22 | $2.15 | $2.29 | Beat +7% |
| 2025-02-27 | $2.14 | $2.29 | Beat +7% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, Autodesk, Inc. came in ahead of what analysts expected 6 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
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Hewlett Packard EnterpriseWhat are the scenarios for Autodesk, Inc.?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of Autodesk, Inc.?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Extremely high profit margins on software sales
- Essential tools that are difficult for customers to replace
- Strong ability to generate profit from shareholder capital
- No dividend payments for those seeking regular income
- High sensitivity to broader market volatility
- Significant share price decline over the past year
- Economic downturns often lead to reduced spending on construction and design
- Rapid changes in technology could threaten their current software dominance
- Reliance on corporate IT budgets which can be cut during lean times
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A sustained drop in subscription renewal rates
- A major competitor launching a significantly cheaper or more advanced alternative
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-01 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.