By Adriano Marchese


Thomson Reuters Chief Executive Steve Hasker says he sees no evidence that artificial intelligence is undermining its business, even after AI-related fears have shaken software stocks this week.

"We have growing confidence in the value of our content and expertise to deliver expert grade AI products," Hasker said in an earnings call Thursday, shrugging off concerns that recent developments in AI could pose a threat to core offerings, which had sent jitters across stock markets this week. "It's very difficult to replicate," he said.

Earlier in the week, Anthropic, the maker of Claude AI, revealed a new legal-automation tool that could potentially encroach on Thomson Reuters's core contract-review and workflow-software business.

Hasker said Thursday the company's AI agentic tools--AI systems that can take actions on their own to complete tasks--are already raising the bar in legal research and that its midyear release of its main legal-research software, Westlaw, will solidify that lead.

The Canadian information-and-technology conglomerate said that for 2026 it expects total and organic revenue growth to range between 7.5% and 8%, up from total growth of 3% and organic growth of 7% in 2025.

It also expects full-year total revenue growth at its "big three" segments--legal professionals, corporates and tax, and audit & accounting professionals--to more than double to 9.5% from last year's 4%.

Thomson Reuters said it is planning to continue expanding its AI-driven tools this year, with the aim of making its products faster and clearer for customers.

In the fourth quarter, the company generated revenue of $2.01 billion, a 5% rise from a year earlier and slightly above what analysts projected, according to FactSet. Organic revenue rose 7% in the quarter. Net income fell to $332 million, or 74 cents a share, from $587 million, or $1.30 a share a year earlier.

The board declared a 10% increase in its annualized dividend to $2.62 a share, up 24 cents from 2025.

For the first quarter, the company expects organic revenue growth to be about 7% and anticipates its margin for adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization to be around 42%.

Dow Jones competes with Thomson Reuters in financial-news and information services.


Write to Adriano Marchese at adriano.marchese@wsj.com


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

02-05-26 0944ET