← Freshworks overview

Freshworks vs ExlService: why the prices moved differently

Weekly · monthly · quarterly news summaries, side by side in time

Freshworks Inc (FRSH)

Q3 2026
▲4

Freshworks gains on strong guidance, AI traction, and S&P index inclusion

  • Strong 2026 guidance and first GAAP profit Freshworks guided 2026 revenue to $963.5–966.5 million and expects to stay GAAP profitable after a better-than-planned second quarter. Revenue rose 16% to $237.4 million, with 24% non-GAAP operating margin. This tells investors the business is growing and now making real accounting profit, supporting a higher stock price.

    This is the core fundamental news that directly lifts investor confidence in FRSH.

  • AI products gaining paying customers Over 7,000 customers now pay for an AI add-on, and the AI Copilot is attached to more than 70% of larger deals. Growing AI revenue makes Freshworks look like a winner in the shift to AI-powered customer software, which can attract more buyers and push the stock up.

    AI adoption is a key growth driver that investors are rewarding in software stocks.

  • Added to S&P SmallCap 600 index Freshworks will join the S&P SmallCap 600 on October 8, replacing BioLife Solutions. Index funds that track this benchmark must buy the stock, creating fresh demand. Shares rose 3.9% and then 5.4% on the news, and the buying pressure can continue around the effective date.

    Index inclusion is a concrete, near-term catalyst that directly boosts demand for FRSH shares.

  • New product chief and analyst praise Freshworks appointed Ryan Manning as Chief Product and Technology Officer, and StockStory named it a top software pick, citing 25.8% annual revenue growth, 85% gross margin, and 25.7% free cash flow margin. Both reinforce confidence in execution and financial strength, helping the stock.

    Leadership and third-party validation support the bull case for FRSH.

August 2026
▲4

Freshworks gains on strong guidance, AI traction, and S&P index inclusion

  • Strong 2026 guidance and first GAAP profit Freshworks guided 2026 revenue to $963.5–966.5 million and expects to stay GAAP profitable after a better-than-planned second quarter. Revenue rose 16% to $237.4 million, with 24% non-GAAP operating margin. This tells investors the business is growing and now making real accounting profit, supporting a higher stock price.

    This is the core fundamental news that directly lifts investor confidence in FRSH.

  • AI products gaining paying customers Over 7,000 customers now pay for an AI add-on, and the AI Copilot is attached to more than 70% of larger deals. Growing AI revenue makes Freshworks look like a winner in the shift to AI-powered customer software, which can attract more buyers and push the stock up.

    AI adoption is a key growth driver that investors are rewarding in software stocks.

  • Added to S&P SmallCap 600 index Freshworks will join the S&P SmallCap 600 on October 8, replacing BioLife Solutions. Index funds that track this benchmark must buy the stock, creating fresh demand. Shares rose 3.9% and then 5.4% on the news, and the buying pressure can continue around the effective date.

    Index inclusion is a concrete, near-term catalyst that directly boosts demand for FRSH shares.

  • New product chief and analyst praise Freshworks appointed Ryan Manning as Chief Product and Technology Officer, and StockStory named it a top software pick, citing 25.8% annual revenue growth, 85% gross margin, and 25.7% free cash flow margin. Both reinforce confidence in execution and financial strength, helping the stock.

    Leadership and third-party validation support the bull case for FRSH.

Latest
▲4

Freshworks gains on strong guidance, AI traction, and S&P index inclusion

  • Strong 2026 guidance and first GAAP profit Freshworks guided 2026 revenue to $963.5–966.5 million and expects to stay GAAP profitable after a better-than-planned second quarter. Revenue rose 16% to $237.4 million, with 24% non-GAAP operating margin. This tells investors the business is growing and now making real accounting profit, supporting a higher stock price.

    This is the core fundamental news that directly lifts investor confidence in FRSH.

  • AI products gaining paying customers Over 7,000 customers now pay for an AI add-on, and the AI Copilot is attached to more than 70% of larger deals. Growing AI revenue makes Freshworks look like a winner in the shift to AI-powered customer software, which can attract more buyers and push the stock up.

    AI adoption is a key growth driver that investors are rewarding in software stocks.

  • Added to S&P SmallCap 600 index Freshworks will join the S&P SmallCap 600 on October 8, replacing BioLife Solutions. Index funds that track this benchmark must buy the stock, creating fresh demand. Shares rose 3.9% and then 5.4% on the news, and the buying pressure can continue around the effective date.

    Index inclusion is a concrete, near-term catalyst that directly boosts demand for FRSH shares.

  • New product chief and analyst praise Freshworks appointed Ryan Manning as Chief Product and Technology Officer, and StockStory named it a top software pick, citing 25.8% annual revenue growth, 85% gross margin, and 25.7% free cash flow margin. Both reinforce confidence in execution and financial strength, helping the stock.

    Leadership and third-party validation support the bull case for FRSH.

ExlService Holdings Inc (EXLS)

Q3 2026
▲3

EXL's AI pivot drives strong Q2 beat, raised guidance, and new products

  • Q2 beat and raised guidance EXL reported Q2 revenue of $594.8 million, up 15.6% year over year, beating estimates by 3.5% and posting the highest full-year guidance raise among data services peers. Adjusted EPS rose 22%, with data and AI services now 61% of revenue. This strong execution directly boosts investor confidence and supports a higher stock price.

    This is the core fundamental driver: better-than-expected results and raised outlook directly lift the stock.

  • iMerit acquisition completed EXL completed its acquisition of iMerit, an AI model training and reinforcement learning company, creating an end-to-end enterprise AI platform. This expands EXL into high-growth AI technology sectors and deepens its specialized AI capabilities, positioning it to capture more AI spending and drive future revenue growth.

    The acquisition is a strategic move that expands EXL's AI offerings and growth potential, directly affecting its competitive position.

  • New $1B credit facility boosts flexibility EXL closed a new $1 billion senior secured credit facility, increasing borrowing capacity from $600 million and providing greater covenant flexibility. This gives EXL more firepower for acquisitions and share repurchases under its $500 million buyback program, which can support earnings per share and strategic growth.

    The expanded credit facility enhances EXL's ability to fund growth initiatives and return capital, a positive for the stock.

  • Leadership departure and AI product launches President Vivek Jetley is leaving to become CEO of Hexaware, a loss of a key executive who led insurance and healthcare. However, EXL embedded agentic AI into its LifePRO and Payment Integrity solutions, cutting product launch times and boosting productivity. The departure is a negative, but new AI products reinforce growth prospects.

    This captures both a negative event (leadership loss) and a positive development (AI product integration) that affect EXL's future performance.

September 2026
▲3

EXL's AI pivot drives strong Q2 beat, raised guidance, and new products

  • Q2 beat and raised guidance EXL reported Q2 revenue of $594.8 million, up 15.6% year over year, beating estimates by 3.5% and posting the highest full-year guidance raise among data services peers. Adjusted EPS rose 22%, with data and AI services now 61% of revenue. This strong execution directly boosts investor confidence and supports a higher stock price.

    This is the core fundamental driver: better-than-expected results and raised outlook directly lift the stock.

  • iMerit acquisition completed EXL completed its acquisition of iMerit, an AI model training and reinforcement learning company, creating an end-to-end enterprise AI platform. This expands EXL into high-growth AI technology sectors and deepens its specialized AI capabilities, positioning it to capture more AI spending and drive future revenue growth.

    The acquisition is a strategic move that expands EXL's AI offerings and growth potential, directly affecting its competitive position.

  • New $1B credit facility boosts flexibility EXL closed a new $1 billion senior secured credit facility, increasing borrowing capacity from $600 million and providing greater covenant flexibility. This gives EXL more firepower for acquisitions and share repurchases under its $500 million buyback program, which can support earnings per share and strategic growth.

    The expanded credit facility enhances EXL's ability to fund growth initiatives and return capital, a positive for the stock.

  • Leadership departure and AI product launches President Vivek Jetley is leaving to become CEO of Hexaware, a loss of a key executive who led insurance and healthcare. However, EXL embedded agentic AI into its LifePRO and Payment Integrity solutions, cutting product launch times and boosting productivity. The departure is a negative, but new AI products reinforce growth prospects.

    This captures both a negative event (leadership loss) and a positive development (AI product integration) that affect EXL's future performance.

Latest
▲3

EXL's AI pivot drives strong Q2 beat, raised guidance, and new products

  • Q2 beat and raised guidance EXL reported Q2 revenue of $594.8 million, up 15.6% year over year, beating estimates by 3.5% and posting the highest full-year guidance raise among data services peers. Adjusted EPS rose 22%, with data and AI services now 61% of revenue. This strong execution directly boosts investor confidence and supports a higher stock price.

    This is the core fundamental driver: better-than-expected results and raised outlook directly lift the stock.

  • iMerit acquisition completed EXL completed its acquisition of iMerit, an AI model training and reinforcement learning company, creating an end-to-end enterprise AI platform. This expands EXL into high-growth AI technology sectors and deepens its specialized AI capabilities, positioning it to capture more AI spending and drive future revenue growth.

    The acquisition is a strategic move that expands EXL's AI offerings and growth potential, directly affecting its competitive position.

  • New $1B credit facility boosts flexibility EXL closed a new $1 billion senior secured credit facility, increasing borrowing capacity from $600 million and providing greater covenant flexibility. This gives EXL more firepower for acquisitions and share repurchases under its $500 million buyback program, which can support earnings per share and strategic growth.

    The expanded credit facility enhances EXL's ability to fund growth initiatives and return capital, a positive for the stock.

  • Leadership departure and AI product launches President Vivek Jetley is leaving to become CEO of Hexaware, a loss of a key executive who led insurance and healthcare. However, EXL embedded agentic AI into its LifePRO and Payment Integrity solutions, cutting product launch times and boosting productivity. The departure is a negative, but new AI products reinforce growth prospects.

    This captures both a negative event (leadership loss) and a positive development (AI product integration) that affect EXL's future performance.