Core Insights - Lincoln Educational Services Corporation (LINC) has seen a significant increase in 'student start' numbers since February 2021, leading to a share price rally of over 280% [1] Investment Strategy - The investment approach focuses on acquiring undervalued, profitable stocks with strong balance sheets and minimal debt, while also considering writing calls against positions for additional income [1]

Company Overview - Inspirato Incorporated (ISPO) is a notable stock within the Consumer Discretionary sector, which consists of 255 individual stocks [2] - The company currently holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating a favorable investment outlook based on earnings estimates and revisions [3] Performance Analysis - Year-to-date, Inspirato has achieved a return of approximately 5.4%, outperforming the average return of 3% for the Consumer Discretionary sector [4] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ISPO's full-year earnings has increased by 35.1% over the past quarter, reflecting improved analyst sentiment and a stronger earnings outlook [4] Industry Context - Inspirato is part of the Leisure and Recreation Services industry, which includes 31 companies and currently ranks 88 in the Zacks Industry Rank [6] - The Leisure and Recreation Services industry has experienced a decline of about 7.1% year-to-date, indicating that ISPO is performing better than its industry peers [6] Comparison with Peers - Lincoln Educational Services Corporation (LINC), another stock in the Consumer Discretionary sector, has returned 39.2% year-to-date and has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [5] - The Schools industry, to which LINC belongs, is currently ranked 27 and has seen an average increase of 8% year-to-date [7]

Industry Overview - The Zacks Schools industry is experiencing a rebound driven by increased demand for career-focused programs in healthcare, skilled trades, cybersecurity, and IT, supported by a labor market that values job-ready skills and government initiatives promoting non-degree pathways [1][4] - The industry is addressing the critical shortage of healthcare workers through rigorous, workforce-aligned training programs [5] Trends Influencing the Industry - Digital innovation is a key driver of differentiation, with companies investing in adaptive learning tools and scalable online platforms to enhance engagement and support flexible learning for working adults [2][7] - There is a rising demand for workforce-oriented programs, particularly among adult learners and career switchers, as the labor market increasingly values job-ready skills over traditional degrees [4] - The sector is witnessing consolidation, with larger players acquiring niche or financially weaker institutions to expand offerings and improve scale [6] Financial Performance and Market Position - The Zacks Schools industry currently ranks 30 within the broader Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector, placing it in the top 12% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating strong near-term prospects [10][11] - The industry's earnings estimates for 2025 have increased to $1.38 per share from $1.37 since April 2025, reflecting growing analyst confidence in the group's earnings growth potential [12] Enrollment and Revenue Growth - For-profit providers are expected to see enrollment and revenue growth in 2025, driven by demographic tailwinds, state and federal support for vocational education, and digital innovation [2] - Companies like Stride, Inc., Laureate Education, Inc., and American Public Education, Inc. are positioned to benefit from these trends, with significant enrollment growth reported [21][29][25] Valuation Metrics - The industry is currently trading at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 16.86X, compared to the S&P 500's 21.81X and the sector's 19.73X, indicating potential undervaluation [17][20] Company Highlights - Stride, Inc. reported a 20% rise in total enrollment, with a 12.8% increase in General Education and a 32% increase in Career Learning [21] - American Public Education has seen a 60.2% stock increase over the past year, with earnings expected to grow 150.9% in 2025 [25] - Laureate Education's fully online programs account for about 20% of its student base, growing at three to four times the pace of face-to-face programs [28] - Perdoceo Education has benefited from a 10.6% enrollment increase at Colorado Technical University, driven by strong student engagement [32] - Lincoln Educational Services has achieved an 82.4% stock increase over the past year, supported by strong enrollment growth and operational efficiencies [36]

Financial Performance & Growth Strategy - Lincoln's Q1 2025 revenue reached $117.5 million, marking a $16.2 million increase compared to the previous year[71] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q1 2025 was $10.6 million, a $4.1 million increase year-over-year[71] - The company projects 2027 revenue to reach $550 million and adjusted EBITDA to $60.5 million[9] - Lincoln anticipates net income of approximately $36 million and EPS of $1.13 by 2027[9] - The company's growth strategy includes new program development, strategic acquisitions, and new school construction to expand market share and diversify program offerings[7] Hybrid Learning Model & Campus Expansion - Lincoln's hybrid learning model aims to expand capacity at existing campuses and generate instructional cost savings[13] - New campuses are expected to generate approximately $6 million of EBITDA 36 months after opening[7] - A new campus pro-forma hybrid learning model anticipates approximately $4.5 million of EBITDA loss prior to opening, with profitability within two years of class start and an average population of approximately 700 students by Year 4[15] - Capital expenditures for new and relocated campuses and new programs are projected at $60 million in 2025[90] Market Position & Compliance - Over 95% of Lincoln's students are pursuing careers considered essential critical infrastructure workers by the U S Department of Homeland Security[21] - The company's 90/10 actual ratio is 82% overall, indicating strong revenue from non-federal financial aid sources[50] - Lincoln maintains a composite score of 2.5, reflecting overall financial health[50]

Core Viewpoint - Growth stocks are appealing due to their potential for above-average financial growth, but identifying stocks that can fulfill this potential is challenging [1] Group 1: Company Overview - Lincoln Educational Services Corporation (LINC) is highlighted as a recommended growth stock with a favorable Growth Score and a top Zacks Rank [2][9] Group 2: Earnings Growth - The historical EPS growth rate for Lincoln Educational Services is 10.3%, but projected EPS growth for this year is expected to be 28.6%, surpassing the industry average of 23.8% [4][3] Group 3: Cash Flow Growth - The year-over-year cash flow growth for Lincoln Educational Services is currently at 41%, significantly higher than the industry average of 3.2% [5] - The company's annualized cash flow growth rate over the past 3-5 years is 22.9%, compared to the industry average of 9.2% [6] Group 4: Earnings Estimate Revisions - There has been a positive trend in earnings estimate revisions for Lincoln Educational Services, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year increasing by 5.9% over the past month [7]

Core Viewpoint - Lincoln Educational Services Corporation (LINC) shows a significantly improving earnings outlook, making it a potentially solid investment choice as analysts continue to raise earnings estimates for the company [1][3]. Earnings Estimate Revisions - The trend in estimate revisions reflects growing analyst optimism regarding the company's earnings prospects, which is expected to positively influence its stock price [2]. - For the current quarter, the earnings estimate is $0.06 per share, unchanged from the previous year, with a 5.88% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate over the last 30 days [6][8]. - The full-year earnings estimate is projected at $0.72 per share, representing a 28.57% increase from the prior year [7]. Zacks Rank and Performance - Lincoln Educational Services has received a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating strong agreement among analysts in raising earnings estimates, which historically correlates with stock performance [9]. - Stocks with Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) and 2 (Buy) have shown significant outperformance compared to the S&P 500 [9]. Stock Performance - The stock has gained 20.9% over the past four weeks, driven by solid estimate revisions and positive earnings growth prospects [10].

Group 1: Company Overview - Lincoln Educational Services Corporation (LINC) currently holds a Momentum Style Score of B and a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [3][4] - The company has seen significant price increases, with shares up 14.38% over the past week and 20.87% over the past month, outperforming the Zacks Schools industry [6][7] Group 2: Performance Metrics - Over the past quarter, LINC shares have increased by 15.63%, and over the last year, they have gained 73.11%, while the S&P 500 has moved -3.37% and 13.7% respectively [7] - The average 20-day trading volume for LINC is 259,715 shares, indicating a bullish trend as the stock is rising with above-average volume [8] Group 3: Earnings Outlook - In the past two months, one earnings estimate for LINC has moved higher, increasing the consensus estimate from $0.67 to $0.72 for the full year [10] - For the next fiscal year, one estimate has also moved upwards with no downward revisions during the same period [10] Group 4: Investment Consideration - Given the positive momentum and earnings outlook, LINC is positioned as a promising investment opportunity for those seeking stocks set to soar in the near term [12]

While "the trend is your friend" when it comes to short-term investing or trading, timing entries into the trend is a key determinant of success. And increasing the odds of success by making sure the sustainability of a trend isn't easy.Often, the direction of a stock's price movement reverses quickly after taking a position in it, making investors incur a short-term capital loss. So, it's important to ensure that there are enough factors -- such as sound fundamentals, positive earnings estimate revisions, ...

Core Insights - Lincoln Educational Services Corporation (LINC) reported strong first-quarter 2025 results, with earnings and revenues exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate, marking the sixth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth [1][3] Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share were 11 cents, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 4 cents by 175% and increasing 83.3% year-over-year [3] - Total revenues reached $117.5 million, exceeding the consensus estimate of $114 million by 3.2% and rising 13.7% from the previous year [3] - Adjusted EBITDA was $10.6 million, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 62.5% [5] Student Enrollment - Student starts (excluding the Transitional segment) grew by 20.9% to 4,610, while the quarter-end student population rose 18.3% to 15,904 compared to the previous year [4] - The average student population increased to 15,469 from 13,311 a year ago [4] Expenses and Cash Flow - Selling, general and administrative expenses increased by 10.6% year-over-year to $66.9 million, primarily due to costs related to new programs and campuses [4] - Cash and cash equivalents as of March 31, 2025, were $28.7 million, down from $59.3 million as of December 31, 2024 [7] Guidance and Projections - LINC raised its 2025 revenue guidance to between $485 million and $495 million, up from the previous range of $480-$490 million [8] - Adjusted EBITDA is now expected to be in the range of $58-$63 million, an increase from the earlier expectation of $55-$60 million [8] - Student starts growth is projected in the 10-14% range, up from the previous expectation of 8-12% [9]

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 FORM 10-Q (Mark One) ☒ QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2025 or ☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from______ to______ Commission File Number 000-51371 LINCOLN EDUCATIONAL SERVICES CORPORATION (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) New Jersey 57- ...