The Zacks Schools industry enters 2026 facing notable headwinds, including a shrinking traditional student base, intensifying competition from public and nonprofit institutions and continued affordability pressures. Regulatory oversight around student outcomes, financial transparency and federal aid eligibility is tightening, increasing compliance costs and execution risk, particularly for career-focused providers. At the same time, rising marketing, labor and technology expenses are weighing on margins, wh ...

Core Insights - The online education market is experiencing a structural reset driven by shifts in learner behavior towards flexible, outcome-oriented skill development and the influence of generative AI on knowledge consumption [1] - Chegg, Inc. (CHGG) and Udemy, Inc. (UDMY) represent two distinct approaches to monetizing digital learning platforms, each adapting to similar industry pressures from different starting points [1][2] Chegg (CHGG) Overview - Chegg is undergoing a structural reset, separating its legacy academic services from growth-oriented skilling operations to align resources with long-term demand trends in workforce education [4] - In Q3 2025, Chegg's non-GAAP operating expenses decreased by 46% year-over-year, with adjusted EBITDA exceeding expectations due to aggressive cost actions [5] - Total revenues for Chegg fell by 42% year-over-year in Q3 2025, primarily due to reduced traffic in legacy academic services and advertising revenue pressure [6] - The Chegg Skilling unit is projected to achieve 14% year-over-year revenue growth in Q4 2025, with expectations for sustained double-digit growth beyond 2025 [7] Udemy (UDMY) Overview - Udemy is shifting towards a subscription-led business model, focusing on professional skill development and enterprise learning, which allows for improved revenue quality and visibility [8][9] - In Q3 2025, Udemy's total revenues reached $196 million, slightly up year-over-year, with subscription revenues increasing by 8% and accounting for 74% of total revenues [10] - Despite improvements, Udemy faces challenges with a net dollar retention rate of 93% in its business segment and constrained growth in the consumer segment due to a strategic deemphasis on transactional course sales [11] Stock Performance & Valuation - Chegg's share price performance has lagged behind Udemy's and the broader industry over the past six months [13] - Udemy currently trades at a higher forward 12-month price-to-sales (P/S) ratio compared to Chegg [15] - Chegg's earnings estimates for 2026 have trended upward, indicating a projected year-over-year growth of 228.6% [17] - In contrast, Udemy's 2026 EPS estimates have trended downward, indicating only 0.8% growth [19] Investment Outlook - Chegg is emerging from a significant restructuring with a leaner cost structure and improving earnings visibility, positioning it for potential upside heading into 2026 [21] - Udemy benefits from its transition to a subscription model and expanding enterprise presence, but faces execution risks and a more measured growth outlook [21][22] - Chegg currently holds a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy), while Udemy has a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), appealing more to investors seeking stability [22]

Core Insights - The Zacks Schools industry is experiencing a recovery driven by increased demand for applied and career-oriented education, particularly in healthcare, skilled trades, cybersecurity, and IT [1][5] - Technology is becoming a significant competitive advantage, with institutions investing in adaptive learning systems and online platforms to enhance student engagement and operational efficiency [2][8] - The industry is consolidating, with larger providers acquiring smaller institutions to expand offerings and improve operational leverage [6] Industry Overview - The Zacks Schools industry includes for-profit education companies offering various programs in finance, healthcare, technology, and skilled trades, focusing on career-oriented education [4] - The sector is addressing the shortage of healthcare professionals through intensive training models linked to industry needs [1][5] Trends Influencing Growth - 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 [5] - Government initiatives supporting vocational education and non-degree pathways are contributing to the growth outlook [3][5] Financial Performance and Valuation - The Zacks Schools industry has a Zacks Industry Rank of 65, placing it in the top 27% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating positive near-term prospects [11][12] - The industry's forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio is currently at 12.58X, significantly lower than the S&P 500's 23.57X, suggesting potential undervaluation [18] Key Companies and Their Prospects - **McGraw Hill**: Experiencing growth from digital and subscription models, with a projected fiscal 2026 earnings of $1.63 per share on $2.05 billion in revenues, reflecting a 300% surprise in the last quarter [21][24] - **Grand Canyon Education**: Focused on scalable online expansion and healthcare programs, with expected earnings growth of 12.9% and 11.2% for 2025 and 2026, respectively [27][28] - **Perdoceo Education**: Benefiting from rising student interest and expanding program offerings, with expected earnings growth of 11.4% and 9% for 2025 and 2026 [31][32] - **Adtalem**: Gaining from enrollment momentum and strategic partnerships, with projected earnings growth of 17.7% and 13.7% for fiscal 2026 and 2027 [35][37] - **Nerdy**: Enhancing its platform with AI integration, with improvements in earnings estimates for 2025 and 2026, indicating a potential investment opportunity [39][40]

Core Insights - Stride has been recognized in the 2026 GSV 150 list, highlighting its role in transforming digital learning and workforce skills globally [1][2] - The GSV 150 selection process involved over 3,000 companies, emphasizing Stride's strong business performance and social impact in education and training [2] Company Overview - Stride has been redefining education for 25 years, focusing on serving diverse learners and expanding educational choices for families [3] - The company operates in all 50 states and over 100 countries, offering a variety of education and career training brands, including K12-powered schools and professional skills training [3][5] Industry Context - The ASU+GSV Summit is a significant global event for stakeholders in the education and skills sector, with a focus on unlocking opportunities through innovation [6] - The education and skills sector is valued at $8 trillion, indicating substantial market potential for companies like Stride [6]

Core Viewpoint - McGraw Hill Inc (NYSE:MH) is experiencing a significant stock surge, attributed to strong fiscal first-quarter results and bullish analyst ratings [1][2]. Group 1: Financial Performance - The company reported revenue of $535.7 million for the fiscal first quarter, marking a 2.4% year-over-year increase [1]. - Despite the recent surge, the stock is still trading below its initial public offering (IPO) price of $17 [3]. Group 2: Analyst Ratings - A total of 12 analysts initiated coverage with bullish ratings, indicating strong market confidence [2]. - Morgan Stanley and J.P. Morgan Securities assigned "overweight" ratings with price targets of $20 and $21, respectively [2]. - BMO Capital Securities and William Blair also issued "outperform" ratings, further supporting the positive outlook [2]. Group 3: Market Sentiment and Drivers - Analysts highlighted the company's strong reputation in digital learning as a key factor driving investor confidence [3]. - Deutsche Bank pointed to the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) as an additional driver for the company's growth prospects [3]. - The stock is on track for its largest single-session gain since its public listing on July 24 of this year [3].

Core Viewpoint - Laureate Education reported a 5% year-over-year revenue growth to $524.2 million for Q2 2025, exceeding consensus estimates, while GAAP EPS fell short of expectations due to foreign currency translation losses [1][5][8] Financial Performance - Revenue for Q2 2025 was $524.2 million, up from $499.2 million in Q2 2024, representing a 5% increase [2] - Adjusted EPS was $0.79, a 21.5% increase from $0.65 in Q2 2024, while GAAP EPS decreased by 21.7% to $0.65 [2][8] - Adjusted EBITDA rose to $214.5 million, a 14.8% increase year-over-year, with operating income improving to $193.3 million, up 16% [2][6] - Enrollment growth was strong, with new student enrollments increasing by 7% overall, and total student enrollments reaching 472,100, up 6% [7] Business Overview - Laureate Education focuses on higher education in Mexico and Peru, emphasizing professional and applied programs in high-demand fields such as health sciences, STEM, and business [3][11] - The company has concentrated on growing market share, tailoring curricula to meet employer needs, strengthening local brands, and investing in digital education formats [4] Strategic Focus - The company aims to navigate regulatory requirements and maintain accreditation in Mexico and Peru, which are critical for its success [4][14] - Digital courses are expanding rapidly, with enrollments growing three to four times faster than traditional formats, catering to working adults [7][13] Outlook - Management raised FY2025 revenue guidance to between $1.615 billion and $1.630 billion, reflecting stronger-than-expected enrollment trends [15] - Adjusted EBITDA guidance was also increased to $489 million to $496 million for FY2025, with total enrollments projected to grow by 4% to 5% [15]

Business Transformation & Strategy - The company has transitioned from a traditional textbook publisher to a digital solutions provider for education at all levels [3][4][5] - The company augments its core material through strategic mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and organic investments to drive growth [5] - The company focuses on paid digital users as a key metric, currently boasting over 26 million paid digital users [6] AI & Technology Integration - The company leverages 19 billion data points of learning interactions annually to personalize the learning journey and improve student outcomes [7] - The company has been working with AI tools for at least 12 years, utilizing machine learning and data analytics to guide students [10] - The company views AI as a tool to enhance its educational materials and support teachers, rather than a replacement for comprehensive education [10] Market Focus - The company serves various educational markets, including K12, higher education, and the professional market [5] - The company emphasizes personalized learning to improve student outcomes by tracking progress and providing corrective actions [8]