Are Chegg's Aggressive Cost Cuts Enough to Protect Its Margins?

Core Insights - Chegg, Inc. experienced a significant decline in Q2 2025, with revenues dropping 36% year over year to $105.1 million, and subscription service revenues falling 39% to $89.7 million, attributed to a 40% decrease in its subscriber base to 2.6 million due to reduced traffic from Google's AI Overviews [1][9] Financial Performance - Total operating expenses for Chegg decreased by 72% year over year to $202.5 million in the first half of 2025, driven by aggressive cost-cutting measures including workforce reduction and office closures [2] - The company anticipates adjusted expense savings of $165 million to $175 million for 2025, with an additional $100 million to $110 million expected in 2026 [2] Business Strategy - Chegg is focusing on integrating AI into its business model through diversified service offerings such as Chegg Study, Chegg Skills, and Busuu, while moving away from its traditional Q&A-based subscription model [3] - The success of margin sustainability will depend on Chegg's ability to offset subscriber losses with growth in its Busuu and Skills businesses [3][4] Market Position - Chegg operates in a competitive landscape with key players like Duolingo and Udemy, facing challenges in the edtech ecosystem [5] - Duolingo leads in language learning with a gamified app and strong user engagement, while Udemy is enhancing its offerings with AI-powered tools [6] - Chegg's existing content and platforms provide a modest competitive edge, contingent on effective execution of AI enhancements [7] Stock Performance - Chegg's stock has surged 179.9% over the past six months, outperforming the Zacks Internet - Software industry and the S&P 500 index [8] - The stock is currently trading at a forward 12-month price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 0.41, indicating a discounted valuation compared to industry peers, suggesting an attractive entry point for investors [10] Earnings Estimates - Earnings estimates for Chegg indicate a loss per share of $0.11 for 2025, with expectations of breakeven earnings in 2026 [11][12] - The estimated figures for 2025 reflect a downtrend of 114.7% year over year, while estimates for 2026 indicate a potential growth of 100% [12]