Laureate Education (NASDAQ:LAUR) Releases FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Laureate Education (NASDAQ:LAUR) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 1.950-2.030 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 1.950. The company issued revenue guidance of $1.9 billion-$1.9 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $1.8 billion. Laureate Education also updated its Q1 2026 guidance to EPS.

Laureate Education Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ LAUR traded down $0.42 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $33.58. The company had a trading volume of 158,703 shares, compared to its average volume of 921,547. Laureate Education has a 12 month low of $17.91 and a 12 month high of $37.91. The stock has a market cap of $4.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.68 and a beta of 0.57. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.06, a current ratio of 0.81 and a quick ratio of 0.81. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $34.39 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $30.94.

Laureate Education (NASDAQ:LAUR) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The company reported $0.76 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.76. Laureate Education had a return on equity of 22.99% and a net margin of 12.86%.The firm had revenue of $541.39 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $527.10 million. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.62 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 27.9% on a year-over-year basis. Laureate Education has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.950-2.030 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Laureate Education will post 1.51 earnings per share for the current year.

Laureate Education announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock buyback plan on Thursday, October 30th that permits the company to repurchase $150.00 million in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization permits the company to purchase up to 3.5% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are often an indication that the company’s leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have commented on LAUR. JPMorgan Chase & Co. initiated coverage on shares of Laureate Education in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $40.00 target price for the company. UBS Group boosted their price objective on Laureate Education from $36.00 to $39.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Wall Street Zen cut Laureate Education from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, February 14th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Laureate Education in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased their price target on Laureate Education from $32.00 to $36.50 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $34.88.

More Laureate Education News

Here are the key news stories impacting Laureate Education this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 revenue beat and solid growth: Reported Q4 revenue of $541.4M vs. consensus ~$527.1M; revenue was up ~28% year-over-year, a core reason investors initially bid the stock higher. Laureate Education shares rise 4% on strong revenue growth, despite earnings miss
• Positive Sentiment: Share buyback increase: Company authorized an additional $150M of repurchases, a direct shareholder-friendly action that supports EPS and buyback-driven demand. Laureate Education Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2025 and Provides 2026 Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: FY?2026 outlook generally constructive: Company set FY?2026 EPS guidance of $1.95–$2.03 (around consensus) and raised full?year revenue target to ~$1.9B, above street estimates — supports medium?term growth story. Laureate Education Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2025 and Provides 2026 Outlook
• Neutral Sentiment: Company emphasizing digital and campus investment: Management projects ~11–12% revenue growth in 2026 while increasing digital and campus spending — supports long?term expansion but may pressure near?term margins. Laureate projects 11%-12% revenue growth in 2026 while expanding digital and campus investments
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call and transcripts focus on margin expansion and strategic priorities — useful detail for investors but not an immediate price driver on its own. Laureate Education, Inc. (LAUR) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Q4 EPS was essentially in line (reported $0.76 vs. $0.76 estimate) — earnings didn’t provide an upside surprise, which can limit further immediate gains after the revenue-driven rally. Laureate Q4 results summary
• Negative Sentiment: Confusing/weak near-term guide item reported for Q1: an entry noted a Q1 revenue range (~$261–$265M) that looks inconsistent with Q4 and street expectations — such mixed or poorly communicated near?term guidance can trigger selling or volatility. (Disclosure: item appears in filings/press materials and may reflect a reporting error.)
• Negative Sentiment: Short?term profit?taking and headline choppiness: After the post?earnings pop and positive headlines, some traders appear to be locking in gains; several outlets highlighted both beats and an “earnings miss” narrative that may have confused market reaction. Laureate Education shares rise 4% on strong revenue growth, despite earnings miss

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Laureate Education

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of LAUR. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Laureate Education in the 4th quarter worth approximately $100,000. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV lifted its stake in Laureate Education by 53.9% during the fourth quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 15,999 shares of the company’s stock valued at $539,000 after purchasing an additional 5,602 shares during the last quarter. Vident Advisory LLC lifted its stake in Laureate Education by 7.7% during the fourth quarter. Vident Advisory LLC now owns 181,141 shares of the company’s stock valued at $6,099,000 after purchasing an additional 12,924 shares during the last quarter. EP Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Laureate Education during the fourth quarter worth approximately $237,000. Finally, NewEdge Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Laureate Education in the fourth quarter worth approximately $376,000. 96.27% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Laureate Education Company Profile

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.