Laureate Education (NASDAQ:LAUR) Releases Earnings Results, Meets Expectations

Laureate Education (NASDAQ:LAUR) posted its earnings results on Thursday. The company reported $0.76 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.76, FiscalAI reports. The company had revenue of $541.39 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $527.10 million. Laureate Education had a net margin of 12.86% and a return on equity of 22.99%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 27.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.62 earnings per share. Laureate Education updated its FY 2026 guidance to 1.950-2.030 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from Laureate Education’s conference call:

• Laureate reported a strong 2025 with $1.702 billion revenue, $519 million Adjusted EBITDA (30.5% margin, a record), ended the year with a net cash position, and returned $217 million to shareholders via buybacks while the board authorized an additional $150 million repurchase.
• 2026 guidance is constructive — revenue of $1.890–$1.905 billion (11%–12% reported), Adjusted EBITDA of $583–$593 million, adjusted EPS of $1.95–$2.03, ~50bps margin expansion and ~50% Adjusted EBITDA to unlevered free cash flow conversion.
• Growth initiatives center on scaling fully online programs (>100,000 online students), AI and digital investments (claimed to improve retention and outcomes), and expansion in health sciences plus new campus openings to broaden capacity and address long?term demand.
• A rising mix of lower?priced fully online enrollments—especially in Peru—is pressuring average revenue per student, and face?to?face capacity constraints in Peru will persist until new campus projects come online.
• Seasonal and academic calendar timing shifted roughly $25 million of revenue (and ~$21 million of Adjusted EBITDA) into Q4 2025, and Q1 2026 guidance reflects a seasonal loss (Adjusted EBITDA of approximately –$20M to –$17M) due to out?of?session timing and new campus investments.

Laureate Education Stock Down 1.8%

Laureate Education stock traded down $0.60 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $33.39. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 199,115 shares, compared to its average volume of 924,169. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.06, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a current ratio of 0.81. Laureate Education has a 12 month low of $17.91 and a 12 month high of $37.91. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $34.39 and its 200 day simple moving average is $30.94. The company has a market capitalization of $4.92 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.37 and a beta of 0.57.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Laureate Education

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Quarry LP bought a new stake in Laureate Education during the fourth quarter worth about $29,000. Summit Securities Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Laureate Education during the 4th quarter worth approximately $43,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Laureate Education by 328.6% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,650 shares of the company’s stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 1,265 shares in the last quarter. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Laureate Education during the 4th quarter worth approximately $100,000. Finally, Van ECK Associates Corp boosted its holdings in shares of Laureate Education by 26.2% in the 3rd quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 3,617 shares of the company’s stock valued at $114,000 after buying an additional 751 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 96.27% of the company’s stock.

Laureate Education News Roundup

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

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

LAUR has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Laureate Education in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. began coverage on Laureate Education in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $40.00 target price for the company. UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of Laureate Education from $36.00 to $39.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Laureate Education from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, February 14th. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on shares of Laureate Education from $32.00 to $36.50 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $34.88.

Laureate Education declared that its board has authorized a share repurchase plan on Thursday, October 30th that allows the company to repurchase $150.00 million in shares. This repurchase authorization allows the company to reacquire up to 3.5% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are usually an indication that the company’s management believes its shares are undervalued.

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.