Stride Q1 Earnings & Revenues Top Estimates, Enrollment Hits New Record

Core Insights - Stride, Inc. reported strong first-quarter fiscal 2026 results, with earnings and revenues exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate, and both metrics showing year-over-year growth [1][4][8] Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) reached $1.52, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.23 by 23.6%, compared to $1.09 in the same quarter last year [4][8] - Revenues totaled $620.9 million, beating the consensus estimate of $615 million by 1% and increasing by 12.7% year over year [5][8] - Total enrollment rose 11.3% year over year, reaching a record 247,700 students, indicating growing demand for alternative education options [5][8] - Average revenue per student increased by 3.7% from the previous year to $2,388 [5] Segment Performance - General Education segment revenues were $363.1 million, up 10.2% from the prior year, with enrollments growing 5.2% to 137,700 students [6] - Career Learning segment revenues for Middle-High School reached $241.5 million, up over 21% year over year, while Adult School revenues were $16.3 million, down from $22.8 million in the prior year [6] Operational Metrics - Stride's gross margin for the fiscal first quarter was 39%, a decrease of 20 basis points from the previous year [9] - Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses totaled $173.1 million, reflecting a 3% year-over-year increase [9] - Adjusted EBITDA was $108.4 million, compared to $83.9 million in the prior-year quarter [10] Balance Sheet - As of September 30, 2025, Stride's cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities amounted to $749.6 million, down from $1,011.4 million reported on June 30, 2025 [11] - Capital expenditures were $21.7 million as of September 30, 2025, an increase from $14.8 million a year earlier [12] Future Guidance - For the second quarter of fiscal 2026, Stride expects revenues between $620 million and $640 million, with capital expenditures projected at $15 million to $18 million [13][14] - For the full fiscal year 2026, the company anticipates revenues in the range of $2.48 billion to $2.555 billion, with capital expenditures expected to be between $70 million and $80 million [15][16]