New Research Reveals Busy Is Not the Same as Profitable for Commercial Landscaping Contractors in 2026
Rhea-AI Summary
Aspire (TTAN) released its 2026 Landscaping Technology Trends Report showing a shift from growth-by-busyness to margin-focused operations. The report finds 59% of contractors plan revenue growth while 47% prioritize margin improvement; integrated platforms correlate with higher margins, real-time cost visibility, and 11–20 weekly hours saved.
Contractors using deeply integrated systems report better job costing, scheduling, and forecasting, while manual-tool users show compressed margins and higher operational friction.
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
Positive
- 59% of contractors plan revenue growth in 2026
- Integrated users more likely to save 11–20 hours weekly
- 49% of Aspire users forecast profit growth this year
- Integrated platforms report measurable efficiency gains (15–26%)
Negative
- Manual-tool users report profit margins mostly under 11%
- 46% of contractors struggle with scheduling despite software
- 40% of manual-tool users forecast profit declines this year
- 43% of non-Aspire enterprise users lack estimating tools
News Market Reaction – TTAN
On the day this news was published, TTAN declined 0.17%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
TTAN’s pre-news move of about 0.13% came with mixed action in key software peers: PCOR down 0.93%, while APPF and MANH rose 2.08% and 1.62%. With no peers in the momentum scanner and no same-day peer headlines, the reaction appears more company-specific than sector-driven.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 31 | Customer milestone win | Positive | +4.6% | Best Choice Roofing scaled nationwide while standardizing operations on ServiceTitan. |
| Mar 30 | Industry AI report | Positive | +0.4% | Report showed rising AI adoption and profitability focus among contractors. |
| Mar 17 | Enterprise rollout | Positive | -1.8% | SPS PoolCare standardized 30+ branches on ServiceTitan to support growth. |
| Mar 17 | Aspire expansion deal | Positive | -1.8% | Visterra Landscape Group used Aspire to support multi-state expansion. |
| Mar 12 | Customer growth case | Positive | -6.4% | Vertex growth to over $600M revenue highlighted ServiceTitan’s role in scaling. |
Recent customer and industry wins often produced modest or even negative next-day moves, indicating mixed alignment between positive announcements and price action.
Over the last month, TTAN news has centered on large customer deployments and industry reports. Announcements highlighted scale milestones at Best Choice Roofing and Vertex, multi-state rollouts with SPS PoolCare and Visterra, and a sector AI adoption study. Price reactions varied: some customer wins saw gains above 4%, while other upbeat growth stories coincided with declines up to about -6.41%. Today’s Aspire landscaping report continues the theme of showcasing customer efficiency and profitability gains on TTAN-owned platforms rather than new financial disclosures.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement highlights how Aspire’s integrated platform users report stronger margins, forecast profit growth, and save up to 20 hours per week versus manual workflows. It extends TTAN’s pattern of customer case studies and industry research rather than changing guidance or capital structure. In context of prior wins with roofing, pool, and landscape customers, investors may watch whether continued proof points eventually translate into improved profitability metrics and a recovery from levels over 52% below the 52-week high.
Key Terms
job costing technical
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
Aspire’s 2026 Technology Trends Report Finds Integrated Platforms Help Contractors Improve Margins, Operate More Efficiently, and Save Up to 20 Hours per Week
CHESTERFIELD, Mo., April 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aspire Software, a ServiceTitan (Nasdaq: TTAN) company and leading software platform for commercial landscaping businesses, today released its 2026 Landscaping Technology Trends Report, revealing a key shift in the industry: while
"For years, growth was defined by adding more crews and winning more contracts," said Eli Zevin, General Manager at Aspire Software. "Now contractors are realizing that without real-time visibility into job costs and labor performance, growth can quietly erode profitability. The businesses pulling ahead are the ones that can see what is happening before a job closes, not after."
The findings suggest many contractors are learning that being busy does not necessarily translate to being profitable. The data shows that contractors with deeply integrated systems are better positioned to protect margins, reclaim time, and scale with confidence.
Revenue Growth Outpaces Margin Visibility
While
Among contractors relying primarily on manual tools, none reported profit margins above
By contrast, contractors operating on deeply integrated platforms show stronger financial performance. One in five Aspire users reported profit margins above
"Every year we have been on the system, we have made more money," said Ben Collinsworth, Founder of Native Land Design. "The visibility into performance while jobs are still in progress changes how you manage the business."
The difference, the report found, is not simply whether software exists, but how deeply it is embedded into daily operations. Businesses that regularly compare estimated hours to actual production and review job margins before invoicing report greater financial stability and stronger growth confidence.
Software Alone Does Not Solve Operational Challenges
Nearly half of contractors with software in place still struggle with core operational functions. The report found that
Contractors operating on consolidated platforms also report fewer disconnected systems. Sixty-five percent of those users operate with only one to four core systems, while
Time Savings Translate Into Strategic Growth
The operational impact extends beyond margin performance. Contractors using manual tools typically save less than five hours per week through their current setup. In contrast, contractors on optimized platforms are five times more likely to save 11 to 20 hours per week, nearly half of a full-time role without adding headcount.
Across key workflows, integrated platform users report measurable efficiency gains, including
Sixty-one percent of Aspire users cite labor efficiency improvements as a top driver of profit, more than any other surveyed platform.
Scale Feels Different With Real-Time Visibility
The research highlights a clear divide in how contractors perceive growth opportunities. Among integrated platform users,
For contractors relying on manual tools, scaling often feels riskier. Reporting delays, manual reconciliation, and limited forecasting visibility create operational friction that compounds as revenue grows.
The report concludes that the most confident contractors share a common capability: reporting that reflects field performance close to real time, with estimating, job costing, scheduling, and invoicing connected without manual reconciliation.
While revenue growth may still be achievable through hustle alone, the data suggests profit growth increasingly depends on visibility.
To view the full findings and key takeaways, download Aspire’s 2026 Landscaping Technology Trends Report here.
About the Research
This research was conducted by Thrive Analytics on behalf of Aspire, polling more than 500 commercial landscaping professionals representing a variety of geographical regions, business growth stages, and revenue levels. This research is for informational purposes only, and neither ServiceTitan nor Aspire provide any assurances (express or implied) regarding the accuracy of the survey data. Forward-looking economic and industry outlooks represent the views of the survey respondents, and may not represent the view of ServiceTitan, Aspire or their affiliates. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied.
About Aspire Software
Aspire Software, a ServiceTitan company, offers business management software for landscape maintenance and construction, snow & ice management, and commercial cleaning companies. Aspire's cloud-based SaaS solution helps field service companies manage, create, and execute against their business opportunities and challenges. Aspire helps contractors change the way they manage their business to enable them to provide better service, improve margins, and increase productivity. Aspire is based in Chesterfield, MO. For more information, please visit http://www.youraspire.com.
© 2026 Aspire Software. All rights reserved. Aspire Software, the Aspire Software logo, and all Aspire Software product and service names mentioned herein are registered trademarks or unregistered trademarks of Aspire Software. in the United States and other countries. Other brand names and marks mentioned herein are for identification purposes only and may be the trademarks of their respective holder(s).
Press Contact
Sarah Cantu
press@youraspire.com
