S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) tech stock Nuix Ltd (ASX: NXL) shares are on fire today.
Shares in the investigative analytics and intelligence software provider closed on Friday trading for $1.36. In early trade on Monday, shares leapt to $1.73, up 27.2%. After some likely profit-taking, in later morning trade, shares are changing hands for $1.65 apiece, up 21.3%.
For some context, the ASX 300 is down 0.3% at this same time.
Here's what's grabbing investor interest today.
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Nuix shares leap on return to profitability
Investors are bidding up Nuix shares following the release of the company's half-year results covering the six months to 31 December (H1 FY 2026).
Highlights include an 8.4% year-on-year increase in annualised contract value (ACV) to $234.4 million. Management highlighted that ACV has increased by 2.6% since June.
And Nuix Neo demonstrated tremendous growth, with ACV up 148% year on year (and up 67% since June) to $46.8 million. This now represents 20% of the company's total ACV.
According to the ASX 300 tech stock, Nuix Neo's AI strategy centres on a "Bring Your Own AI" framework, which allows customers to integrate any AI model they wish, helping to safeguard AI tools when working with sensitive data.
First-half revenue, meanwhile, was up 15.2% to $121.2 million. While statutory earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of $26.5 million increased by 72.7% from H1 FY 2025.
Underlying cash flow also surged over the six months, rising 307.3% year on year to $28.4 million.
And Nuix shares look to be getting a big lift with the company reporting a statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) of $11.1 million, up from a net loss of $10.4 million in H1 FY 2025.
As at 31 December, the ASX 300 tech stock had a cash balance of $57.8 million, up 88.4% from a year earlier.
Looking ahead, the company reaffirmed its full-year FY 2026 ACV guidance range of $240 million to $260 million. ACV is expected to be weighted to the second half, in line with previous years.
What did management say?
Commenting on the results sending Nuix shares surging today, interim CEO John Ruthven said, "The first half results demonstrate further momentum in our business transformation, with ACV growth of 8.4% and particularly impressive Nuix Neo growth of 148%."
As for potential impact of the ongoing AI revolution, Ruthven added:
The rapidly evolving AI landscape presents both challenges and opportunities for enterprise software companies. Nuix is well positioned to capitalise on these dynamics through our BYO AI framework, which allows customers to integrate their preferred AI models whilst Nuix Neo provides the critical enterprise infrastructure required by regulated industries.
This approach creates competitive advantages through robust enterprise controls whilst enabling flexible integration with emerging AI technologies, creating a strong structural advantage as the AI ecosystem continues to evolve.
