Laureate Education (NASDAQ:LAUR – Get Free Report) issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday. The company reported $1.00 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.96 by $0.04, Briefing.com reports. The company had revenue of $615.90 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $607.56 million. Laureate Education had a net margin of 17.57% and a return on equity of 23.54%. Laureate Education’s quarterly revenue was up 17.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.79 EPS. Laureate Education updated its FY 2026 guidance to 2.040-2.100 EPS.
Here are the key takeaways from Laureate Education’s conference call:
- Strong first-half execution drove 10% growth in new enrollments, 6% growth in total enrollments, and 7% revenue growth on a timing-adjusted, constant-currency basis. Second-quarter revenue reached $616 million and adjusted EBITDA was $251 million, both ahead of prior guidance.
- Laureate raised its 2026 outlook, increasing midpoint guidance by $28 million for revenue, $8 million for adjusted EBITDA, and $0.03 for adjusted EPS. The company now expects $1.920–$1.930 billion of revenue, $593–$599 million of adjusted EBITDA, and $2.04–$2.10 of adjusted EPS.
- The company announced a $150 million increase to its share-repurchase authorization after buying back $181 million of stock through June. Management cited strong free cash flow, a cash-accretive model, and a solid balance sheet, which ended the quarter with $61 million of net debt.
- Laureate highlighted multiple growth avenues, including expanding fully online programs for working adults, improving student retention through digital tools and AI tutoring, and opening new campuses. Puebla is ramping in Mexico, while campuses in southern Lima and Mérida are planned for 2027, with additional opportunities under development.
- Mexico’s year-to-date adjusted EBITDA declined 2% because of investments and the Puebla campus ramp-up, although management expects margin accretion in the second half. Executives also noted that the growing mix of lower-priced online programs creates a price-mix headwind, even as online offerings provide attractive contribution margins and higher returns on invested capital.
Laureate Education Price Performance
Shares of LAUR stock traded down $0.10 on Friday, reaching $38.31. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 1,286,533 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,028,591. The company has a quick ratio of 0.57, a current ratio of 0.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. Laureate Education has a 12-month low of $21.53 and a 12-month high of $40.92. The company has a market capitalization of $5.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.18, a PEG ratio of 1.23 and a beta of 0.40. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $36.50 and its 200-day simple moving average is $34.68.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
Get Our Latest Stock Report on LAUR
More Laureate Education News
Here are the key news stories impacting Laureate Education this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Laureate reported second-quarter adjusted earnings of $1.00 per share, exceeding the $0.96 consensus estimate, while revenue of $615.9 million surpassed expectations of $607.6 million. Revenue increased 17% year over year, and net income rose 41% to $137.1 million. Laureate Education Q2 Earnings and Revenues Surpass Estimates
- Positive Sentiment: Operating momentum remained strong: second-quarter adjusted EBITDA increased 17% to $250.6 million, new enrollments grew 10%, and total enrollment increased 6% during the first half. Management also cited continued campus expansion and digital investment. Laureate Education Reports Financial Results
- Positive Sentiment: The board authorized an additional $150 million for share repurchases after the company bought back approximately $76 million of stock in the first six months, supporting per-share value and signaling confidence in cash generation. Laureate Forecasts Revenue and Expands Buyback
- Neutral Sentiment: Laureate raised its 2026 outlook to revenue of $1.920 billion-$1.930 billion, adjusted EBITDA of $593 million-$599 million, and adjusted EPS of $2.04-$2.10. The company expects unfavorable academic-calendar timing to reduce first-half revenue and EBITDA by about $9 million, with the impact offset in the second half.
- Negative Sentiment: The updated full-year adjusted EPS outlook is below the roughly $2.13 analyst consensus, while third-quarter revenue guidance of $471 million-$476 million also trails the $481 million consensus. These figures likely explain the muted investor reaction despite the quarterly beat. Laureate Education Q2 Outlook
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Laureate Education
A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. AQR Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Laureate Education by 48.7% during the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 156,668 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,204,000 after purchasing an additional 51,337 shares in the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. lifted its position in Laureate Education by 3.0% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 98,173 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,008,000 after purchasing an additional 2,838 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC grew its stake in Laureate Education by 7.4% in the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 407,255 shares of the company’s stock worth $8,328,000 after buying an additional 27,978 shares in the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC grew its stake in Laureate Education by 179.4% in the 1st quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 163,912 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,352,000 after buying an additional 105,247 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Intech Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Laureate Education by 20.0% in the 1st quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 66,933 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,369,000 after buying an additional 11,170 shares during the last quarter. 96.27% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
About Laureate Education
Laureate Education, Inc (NASDAQ: LAUR) is a leading global network of higher education institutions dedicated to providing undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs to a diverse student body. The company designs and delivers academic offerings through a combination of campus-based and online platforms, focusing on fields such as business, health sciences, engineering, education and hospitality management. By aligning its curriculum with regional workforce needs, Laureate aims to equip students with practical skills and industry insights that support career advancement and lifelong learning.
Through its network, Laureate operates a broad portfolio of universities and colleges, including both longstanding campus institutions and digitally native programs.
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