Key Highlights

  • Slide Insurance grew third-quarter revenue 35.9% to $361.1 million, the fastest of the eight smaller companies in this group.
  • BigBear.ai grew revenue 31% to $43.6 million and raised 2026 guidance to $150 million to $165 million.
  • Beta Bionics grew net sales 30% to $35.5 million and narrowed 2026 revenue guidance to $124 million to $126 million.
  • The eight companies' third-quarter revenue adds to about $1,000.1 million, a calculated figure.
  • Five of the eight reported positive net income on a GAAP basis, while BigBear.ai, Beta Bionics and OrthoPediatrics reported losses.

Which Smaller Companies Posted the Fastest Revenue Growth in Their October 27 Earnings?

Eight smaller companies reported third-quarter 2026 results on Tuesday, October 27, and their revenue growth ran from 13.3% to 35.9%. Slide Insurance (NASDAQ:SLDE) topped the group with revenue up 35.9% to $361.1 million. BigBear.ai (NYSE:BBAI) grew 31% to $43.6 million, and Beta Bionics (NASDAQ:BBNX) grew 30% to $35.5 million. Pharming (NASDAQ:PHAR) reported $117.6 million, up 21%, OrthoPediatrics (NASDAQ:KIDS) $72.7 million, up 19%, and Acme United (NYSEAMERICAN:ACU) $58.0 million, up 18%. DMC Global (NASDAQ:BOOM) posted $172.8 million, up 14%, and Rocky Brands (NASDAQ:RCKY) $138.8 million, up 13.3%. Growth rates alone do not show profit quality, so the sections below add the margins, guidance and one-time items each company disclosed.

Slide Insurance: Did Revenue Growth of 35.9% Outrun a Higher Combined Ratio?

Slide Insurance, a residential property insurer, grew revenue to $361.1 million from $265.7 million, while net income rose 24.5% to $138.2 million and diluted EPS was $1.09 versus $0.79. The combined ratio rose to 59.3% from 48.5% on $34.2 million of catastrophe losses, and gross premiums written grew a slower 9.3% to $506.6 million. Full-year net income guidance was raised to $500 million to $520 million, and the board declared a $1.50 special dividend payable November 30 to holders of record on November 23.

BigBear.ai: Can 31% Growth Offset a $76.7 Million Goodwill Charge?

BigBear.ai, which supplies AI-powered decision tools to U.S. government and defense customers, grew revenue to $43.6 million from $33.1 million. Gross margin rose to 31.2% from 22.4%, credited to its Generative AI Platform. A non-cash goodwill impairment of $76.7 million pushed the net loss to $91.9 million, or $0.19 per share. Management raised 2026 revenue guidance to $150 million to $165 million, and backlog stood at about $330 million at September 30.

Beta Bionics: Why Could the Mint Launch Defer Up to $8.5 Million?

Beta Bionics grew net sales to $35.5 million from $27.3 million, helped by pharmacy channel sales of $13.6 million, up 118%. Gross margin was 57.3%, and the net loss was $24.4 million, or $0.52 per share, as operating expenses rose to $46.9 million. Management narrowed 2026 revenue guidance to $124 million to $126 million and said up to $8.5 million of fourth-quarter revenue could be deferred because patients may wait for the Mint pump, with a full U.S. launch expected in the first quarter of 2027.

Pharming: Did Ruconest and Joenja Carry a 21% Revenue Gain?

Pharming, which develops treatments for rare immune and metabolic diseases, grew revenue to $117.6 million from $97.3 million, with operating profit up 89% to $29.9 million and net profit of $22.4 million. Ruconest revenue was $93.8 million, up 14%, and Joenja was $23.8 million, up 58%. Revenue guidance was tightened to $380 million to $390 million from $375 million to $395 million, and operating expense guidance was lowered to $310 million to $315 million.

OrthoPediatrics: Why Did Guidance Rise Alongside a Loss Per Share?

OrthoPediatrics, which sells implants and instruments for children with orthopedic conditions, grew revenue to $72.7 million from $61.2 million, with trauma and deformity at $52.6 million and scoliosis at $19.2 million. The adjusted loss was $0.23 per share and the GAAP loss $0.25, versus $0.50. Operating expenses rose 6% to $58.2 million, narrowing the operating loss to $4.2 million. Revenue guidance rose to $270.0 million to $273.0 million, with adjusted EBITDA held near $25.0 million.

Acme United: How Much of the Record $58.0 Million Quarter Came From Tariff Refunds?

Acme United, a supplier of cutting, measuring and first aid products, reported record net sales of $58.0 million, up 18% from $49.1 million, or up 10% excluding the My Medic acquisition. Diluted EPS was $0.80 versus $0.46. Gross margin was 45.3% versus 39.1%, with tariff refunds adding about 690 basis points and a $1.8 million plant closure cost subtracting about 310 basis points. Bank debt less cash was $29.7 million.

DMC Global: What Does a 14% Sales Gain Signal for the Fourth-Quarter Guide?

DMC Global, which owns Arcadia, DynaEnergetics and NobelClad, grew net sales to $172.8 million from $151.5 million, with adjusted EPS of $0.48 versus a loss of $0.08. Arcadia sales rose 25% and NobelClad 38%, while DynaEnergetics slipped 3%. Tariff refunds of $5.4 million helped adjusted EBITDA. Fourth-quarter guidance is net sales of $154 million to $164 million and adjusted EBITDA of $10 million to $13 million, and net debt was $13.7 million.

Rocky Brands: Why Did a 13.3% Sales Gain Bring a 480 Basis Point Margin Jump?

Rocky Brands, which designs footwear and apparel for work, outdoor and western use, grew net sales to $138.8 million from $122.5 million, with retail up 20.0% and wholesale up 11.8%. Gross margin widened to 45.0% from 40.2%, helped by $2.5 million of tariff refunds and a temporary $3.5 million benefit from free trade zone inventory. Adjusted EPS was $1.76 versus $1.03, and total debt fell 16.6% to $116.0 million. The release gave no numerical guidance.

Revenue Growth Compared: How Do the Eight Smaller Reporters Stack Up?

The spread between Slide Insurance at 35.9% and Rocky Brands at 13.3% is 22.6 percentage points (calculated). The gap between the third-fastest, Beta Bionics at 30%, and the fourth, Pharming at 21%, is 9 percentage points (calculated), so the top three sit well clear of the rest. Dollar gains tell a different story: Slide Insurance added $95.4 million of revenue (calculated), while DMC Global added $21.3 million, Pharming $20.3 million and Rocky Brands $16.3 million, all calculated, which means DMC Global's 14% outweighed several faster growers in dollars. Combined third-quarter revenue is about $1,000.1 million (calculated).

Guidance changes can also be compared at the midpoint, all calculated. Slide Insurance's net income range rose to a $510 million midpoint from $462.5 million, up about 10.3%. BigBear.ai's revenue midpoint rose to $157.5 million from $150 million, up 5%. OrthoPediatrics' revenue midpoint rose to $271.5 million from $267 million, up about 1.7%, and Beta Bionics' to $125 million from $123.5 million, up about 1.2%. Pharming's revenue midpoint stayed at $385 million.

What to Watch Next: Dividend Dates, Product Launches and Fourth-Quarter Guidance

Slide Insurance's November 23 record date for the $1.50 special dividend and November 30 payment are the next dated events, along with Hurricane Isaias losses against a $50 million allowance. Pharming expects Phase II results for leniolisib in common variable immunodeficiency in November and a decision on a lower-dose pediatric application by January 30, 2027. Beta Bionics plans a revised 510(k) submission in mid-fourth quarter and a first-quarter 2027 Mint launch. DMC Global's fourth-quarter guide will show how much margin holds without tariff refunds, and Acme United and Rocky Brands face the same refund comparison.