Here at Zacks, we focus on our proven ranking system, which places an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, to find winning stocks. But we also understand that investors develop their own strategies, so we are constantly looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong companies for our readers.Of these, perhaps no stock market trend is more popular than value investing, which is a strategy that has proven to be successful in all sorts of market environments. Value ...

Investors interested in stocks from the Schools sector have probably already heard of Afya (AFYA) and Bright Horizons Family Solutions (BFAM) . But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now? Let's take a closer look.We have found that the best way to discover great value opportunities is to pair a strong Zacks Rank with a great grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system. The Zacks Rank favors stocks with strong earnings estimate revision trends, and ...

Afya Limited (NASDAQ:AFYA) Q1 2024 Earnings Conference Call May 9, 2024 5:00 PM ET Company Participants Renata Couto - IR Virgilio Gibbon - CEO Luis Andre Blanco - CFO Conference Call Participants Lucca Marquezini - Itau Mirela Oliveira – Bank of America Marcelo Santos - JPMorgan Lucas Nagano - Morgan Stanley Leandro Bastos - Citi Renata Couto Good night, everyone. Thank you for joining us for Afya's First Quarter 2024 Conference Call. I'm here today with Afya's CEO, Virgilio Gibbon; and Luis Andre Blanco, ...

Afya (AFYA) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.55 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.47 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.34 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of 17.02%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this medical education company would post earnings of $0.34 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.36, delivering a surprise of 5.88%.Over the last four quarters, the co ...

Afya Limited Unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements March 31, 2024 Afya Limited Unaudited interim condensed consolidated statements of financial position As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 | | Notes | March 31, 2024 | December 31, 2023 | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | (unaudited) | | | Assets | | | | | Current assets | | | | | Cash and cash equivalents | 4 | 611,077 | 553,030 | | Trade receivables | 5 | 536,175 | 546,438 | | Inventories | | 653 | 1,382 | | Recoverable taxes | ...

Investors looking for stocks in the Schools sector might want to consider either Afya (AFYA) or Grand Canyon Education (LOPE) . But which of these two stocks offers value investors a better bang for their buck right now? We'll need to take a closer look.We have found that the best way to discover great value opportunities is to pair a strong Zacks Rank with a great grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system. The proven Zacks Rank puts an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, whi ...

Solskin/DigitalVision via Getty Images Note: This is a Brazilian company. Other than the stock price and valuation where the currency used is in USD, Brazilian Real (BRL) was used. Introduction I covered AFYA (NASDAQ:AFYA) 10 months ago in this article, Afya: An Undiscovered Gem With High Return Potential. The stock gained 45% in six months but since January 2024, it has crashed 25.89% compared to SPY which gained 4.64% year-to-date (as of 19 April 2024). FAST Graphs More specifically, the stock price g ...

Acquisition Strategy - The company plans to continue acquiring medical higher education institutions and healthtech companies as part of its expansion strategy, which may involve material acquisitions[28]. - The company faces risks in identifying suitable acquisition opportunities and integrating acquired institutions, which could adversely affect its strategic objectives[28]. - The company may face challenges related to regulatory approvals for acquisitions, which could impose conditions or restrictions[28]. - The company’s growth strategy may be materially affected if it cannot obtain adequate financing on favorable terms for acquisitions and expansion plans[31]. - Acquisitions contributed approximately 45.2% of total revenue growth in 2023[162]. - The company has a strong acquisition track record, having increased medical school seats by over 27.4% in 2021 and over 36% in 2020 through various acquisitions[193]. - The company intends to selectively pursue M&A opportunities to enhance its medical education services and product portfolio[193]. Financial Risks and Performance - The concentration of revenues in tuition fees for medical courses and health sciences programs poses a risk, as economic or regulatory factors could decrease demand[21]. - The company may require additional funds to support its expansion strategy, and failure to secure financing could materially affect growth plans[21]. - High inflation and economic uncertainty in Brazil could harm the company's financial condition and market performance[23]. - The company may face significant challenges in raising additional capital due to current macroeconomic trends, including high interest rates and rising inflation[31]. - The company reported payroll administrative expenses of 51.1%, 53.1%, and 53.1% for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, respectively, indicating a significant portion of costs related to labor unions in the higher education sector[74]. - The company generated R$376.1 million in revenue from residency preparatory courses and continuing medical education in 2023[164]. - The company's revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023, was R$2,875.9 million, representing a CAGR of 29.3% since 2021[164]. - Net income for 2023 was R$405.4 million, reflecting a CAGR of 29.4% since 2021[164]. - Adjusted EBITDA for 2023 totaled R$1,165.7 million, with a CAGR of 24.3% since 2021[164]. Regulatory and Compliance Challenges - The company may face liability for incidents at campuses, which could harm its reputation and financial results[50]. - Non-compliance with MEC regulations could lead to sanctions, including suspension of new student admissions and potential penalties affecting operational capabilities[53]. - The company is subject to regular evaluations by MEC, and lower scores could result in decreased enrollments and perceptions of reduced educational quality[52]. - The company may face challenges in maintaining compliance with evolving regulations, which could impact its ability to operate and affect financial performance[56]. - The company is subject to the LGPD, which imposes penalties for non-compliance, including fines of up to 2% of revenue, capped at R$50,000,000[1]. - The company faces potential increased operational and compliance costs due to the complexity of adapting to the LGPD and other privacy regulations[1]. - The company is at risk of regulatory scrutiny and potential sanctions due to its reliance on third-party collaborators for compliance and regulatory activities[1]. Market and Economic Conditions - The Brazilian government's influence on the economy, including interest rate changes and fiscal policies, could impact the company's operations and share price[23]. - Delays in tuition payments from the FIES program may adversely affect cash flows and overall business performance[22]. - Changes to the FIES program may adversely affect cash flows and the number of students enrolled, impacting revenues[34]. - The Brazilian economy experienced a GDP contraction of 4.1% in 2020, followed by growth of 4.6% in 2021, 3.0% in 2022, and 2.9% in 2023[108]. - Brazilian inflation rates were reported at 10.1%, 5.8%, and 4.6% as of December 31 for the years 2021, 2022, and 2023 respectively[106]. - The SELIC rate was increased from 2.75% in March 2021 to 13.75% by August 2022, before being reduced to 10.75% by April 2024[106]. - Political instability in Brazil, including ongoing investigations into corruption, has negatively impacted investor confidence and market perception[105]. Operational Challenges - The company is experiencing significant expansion-related issues, including cash flow management and corporate culture preservation, which may divert management's attention from other business opportunities[47]. - The ability to attract and retain key personnel is critical for the company's success, with a competitive market for qualified employees posing a risk to operational continuity[48]. - The company faces significant competition in distance learning, which may impact its market share and profitability if it fails to adapt[43]. - The company’s ability to maintain quality standards while expanding new campuses is critical to avoid losing market share[42]. - The company faces challenges in updating and developing educational programs to remain competitive, which may adversely affect student attraction and retention[47]. Student Enrollment and Satisfaction - As of December 31, 2023, Afya Brazil had 66,034 undergraduate students, with 42,563 in health-related fields and 23,471 in non-health-related fields[147]. - The company achieved a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 40 for medical students graduating less than two years ago, indicating high satisfaction levels[177]. - Increased student attrition rates may negatively impact enrollment numbers and revenue, particularly during economic uncertainty[50]. - The average payback period for medical graduates in Brazil is five years, with nearly 100% employability[216]. Strategic Initiatives and Future Plans - The company aims to maintain its status as a foreign private issuer, which could significantly reduce regulatory and compliance costs compared to U.S. domestic issuers[137]. - The company plans to open seven new medical school campuses under the "Mais Médicos" program, contributing an additional 350 medical school seats per year[150]. - The company aims to expand its network of medical school seats to approximately 3,113 operating seats by the end of 2023, up from 2,773 in 2022[157]. - The company plans to expand its distribution channels by launching graduate courses or CME for third-party continuing medical education hubs[192]. - The company aims to develop new products, including new medical webseries seasons and a virtual reality product, to meet growing student demands[196]. Intellectual Property and Brand Management - The company has 375 trademark registrations in Brazil and 169 pending trademark applications, indicating a focus on protecting intellectual property[57]. - The company has no issued patents as of the report date, which may limit its competitive advantages in the market[57]. - The company is exposed to potential intellectual property claims that could be costly to defend and harm its financial condition if not resolved favorably[60]. - Maintaining brand recognition is critical for the company, as failure to enhance brand awareness could lead to reduced student enrollments and negatively impact financial results[52]. Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) - The company acknowledges climate change as a risk factor that could impact its supply chain and operational stability due to extreme weather events[1]. - The company is committed to reducing its carbon footprint by transitioning to digital educational materials, minimizing physical printing[1]. - Failure to meet ESG commitments could materially impact the company's reputation and financial condition[1]. - The company may face increased compliance costs and regulatory requirements related to environmental matters, which could affect its business opportunities[1].

In the latest market close, Afya (AFYA) reached $18.13, with a -1.47% movement compared to the previous day. This change lagged the S&P 500's daily loss of 1.23%. Elsewhere, the Dow saw a downswing of 1.36%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq depreciated by 1.4%.The medical education company's shares have seen a decrease of 9.05% over the last month, not keeping up with the Consumer Discretionary sector's loss of 0.81% and the S&P 500's gain of 1.61%.The upcoming earnings release of Afya will be of great interest ...

Pekic Afya (NASDAQ:AFYA) is one of the leading private medical education providers in Brazil. I covered the company in December 2023 with a Hold rating. I liked the company's quality characteristics but believed the price was high. In this review, I analyze the company's 4Q23 and FY24 guidance and its investors' day. My conclusion is that considering FY24 guidance, the company is attractively priced at these levels, balancing present profitability and future growth. That's why I'm upgrading the rating t ...