Laureate Education (NASDAQ:LAUR) Releases Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.04 EPS

Laureate Education (NASDAQ:LAUR) issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The company reported $1.00 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.96 by $0.04, Briefing.com reports. Laureate Education had a return on equity of 22.07% and a net margin of 16.08%.During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.79 earnings per share. Laureate Education’s revenue was up 17.5% compared to the same quarter last year. 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 NASDAQ:LAUR remained flat at $38.41 during mid-day trading on Thursday. The company had a trading volume of 1,401,055 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,011,784. The company has a current ratio of 0.57, a quick ratio of 0.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15. The company has a market capitalization of $5.38 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.22, a P/E/G ratio of 1.23 and a beta of 0.40. Laureate Education has a fifty-two week low of $21.53 and a fifty-two week high of $40.93. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $36.40 and its 200 day moving average price is $34.65.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

LAUR has been the topic of several research analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on shares of Laureate Education from $41.50 to $41.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, June 4th. Barrington Research initiated coverage on shares of Laureate Education in a report on Thursday, July 23rd. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $45.00 price target for the company. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Laureate Education from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 29th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Laureate Education from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Thursday, July 2nd. Finally, UBS Group boosted their price objective on shares of Laureate Education from $37.50 to $39.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Laureate Education has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $40.50.

Key Stories Impacting Laureate Education

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

• Positive Sentiment: Second-quarter adjusted earnings were $1.00 per share, exceeding the $0.96 consensus estimate and rising from $0.79 a year earlier. Revenue increased 17% to $615.9 million, while net income rose 40% to $137.1 million. Laureate Education Q2 Earnings and Revenues Surpass Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Operating momentum was broad-based: adjusted EBITDA increased 17% to $250.6 million, new enrollments rose 10%, and total enrollments grew 6% to 501,400 students. Management expects enrollment growth of 4%-5% for 2026. Laureate Education Reports Financial Results
• Positive Sentiment: Laureate raised its full-year outlook and expanded its share-repurchase authorization by $150 million, after buying back approximately $76 million of stock during the first half. The larger buyback supports per-share earnings and signals confidence in its balance sheet.
• Positive Sentiment: The company announced a three-year agreement with Google Cloud to expand AI infrastructure, digital learning, and career programs across its Mexican and Peruvian universities, potentially strengthening long-term competitiveness. Laureate Education AI-Powered Learning Partnership
• Neutral Sentiment: Reported growth benefited from favorable foreign-exchange movements. On a constant-currency basis, second-quarter revenue grew 8%, and first-half revenue grew 6%; roughly $9 million of first-half revenue and EBITDA was deferred by academic-calendar timing and is expected to shift into the second half.
• Negative Sentiment: Full-year adjusted EPS guidance of $2.04-$2.10 was below the $2.13 consensus estimate. Third-quarter revenue guidance of $471-$476 million also trailed the $481 million consensus, creating a potential overhang despite the improved annual outlook.
• Negative Sentiment: Gross debt increased to $223.2 million, although net debt remained relatively modest at $61.5 million. Recent insider activity also showed sales without reported purchases, which may temper sentiment.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Laureate Education

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of LAUR. Quarry LP bought a new position in shares of Laureate Education during the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Laureate Education by 328.6% in the second 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. Summit Securities Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Laureate Education in the fourth quarter worth $43,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Laureate Education in the fourth quarter worth $100,000. Finally, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board acquired a new position in Laureate Education during the second quarter worth $108,000. Institutional investors own 96.27% of the company’s stock.

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.