Core Viewpoint - Bright Scholar Education Holdings Limited has formed a special committee to evaluate a preliminary non-binding proposal received on May 26, 2025 [1][2]. Company Overview - Bright Scholar is a premier global education service group that provides quality international education to students worldwide, equipping them with essential academic foundations and skillsets for higher education success [3].

Market Overview - A recent ruling by the U.S. trade court declared President Trump's global tariffs illegal, contributing to a new wave of market uncertainty [1] - The Federal Reserve's current wait-and-see approach adds to the uncertainty regarding future interest rate directions [1] Investment Strategy - Creating a curated portfolio of low-beta stocks is recommended as a strategy to navigate market volatility [1] - Low-beta stocks are less volatile than the market, providing a safeguard against uncertainty [1] Stock Recommendations - Suggested stocks include Natural Gas Services Group Inc (NGS), Stride Inc. (LRN), AptarGroup Inc. (ATR), and Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) [2] Stock Characteristics - Beta measures the volatility of a stock relative to the market, with a beta of 1 indicating movement in line with the market [3][4] - Stocks with a beta between 0 and 0.6 are screened for lower volatility [5] Screening Criteria - Stocks must have a positive price change over the last four weeks [5] - Average 20-day trading volume should exceed 50,000 to ensure liquidity [6] - Stocks must be priced at $5 or higher [6] - Zacks Rank of 1 indicates strong buy potential, suggesting significant outperformance over the next one to three months [6] Company Insights - **Natural Gas Services (NGS)**: Increased demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports is driving the need for compression equipment, benefiting NGS as more pipelines are built [7] - **AptarGroup (ATR)**: Positioned for growth due to trends in healthcare moving towards home settings and rising demand for drug delivery systems [8] - **Stride Inc. (LRN)**: Focuses on innovative educational solutions, benefiting from the growing demand for school choice and tutoring services [10] - **Philip Morris International (PM)**: Transitioning from traditional cigarettes to smoke-free products, with a focus on shareholder rewards and cost-cutting initiatives [11]

Core Viewpoint - The integration of ideological and political education across different educational stages is being actively promoted, with a focus on creating a cohesive curriculum that addresses the concerns of youth and avoids repetitive teaching methods [1][2]. Group 1: Integration of Ideological Education - The integration practice initiated by East China Normal University (ECNU) addresses the fragmentation in ideological education, where content often lacks continuity across different educational stages [2][3]. - ECNU has developed a comprehensive model over five years that includes course alignment, teacher collaboration, and resource sharing to facilitate the integration of ideological education [1][4]. Group 2: Teacher Collaboration and Curriculum Development - ECNU has established a collaborative mechanism for teachers across different educational stages, promoting joint lesson preparation and discussions to transition from fragmented to systematic teaching content [2][4]. - The curriculum developed for the integrated lesson includes themes relevant to ecological awareness, scientific spirit, and modern Chinese values, ensuring that the content is practical and contemporary [3][4]. Group 3: Resource Sharing and Network Building - ECNU has formed a national alliance of schools to share resources and best practices in ideological education, expanding from 24 to 47 schools across 16 provinces [6][7]. - The university has created a demonstration network that has reached over 26,000 participants, utilizing a pyramid structure of student-led advocacy groups to disseminate ideological education [5][6]. Group 4: Challenges and Future Directions - Despite progress, challenges remain in cultivating a unified teaching approach and addressing distractions from digital devices in the classroom [7]. - ECNU plans to leverage digital technology to bridge gaps between educational stages and enhance the engagement of students in ideological education [7].

Core Insights - Zacks Premium provides various tools for investors to enhance their stock market engagement and confidence [1][2] Zacks Style Scores - Zacks Style Scores are indicators that rate stocks based on value, growth, and momentum methodologies, helping investors identify stocks likely to outperform the market in the next 30 days [3][4] - Each stock is rated from A to F, with A indicating the highest potential for outperformance [4] Value Score - The Value Score identifies attractive and discounted stocks using ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, and Price/Cash Flow [4] Growth Score - The Growth Score focuses on a company's financial strength and future outlook, analyzing projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow [5] Momentum Score - The Momentum Score helps investors capitalize on price trends, utilizing factors like one-week price change and monthly earnings estimate changes [6] VGM Score - The VGM Score combines the three Style Scores, providing a comprehensive rating based on value, growth, and momentum [7] Zacks Rank - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that uses earnings estimate revisions to assist investors in building successful portfolios [8] - Stocks rated 1 (Strong Buy) have achieved an average annual return of +25.41% since 1988, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [9] Stock Selection Strategy - Investors are encouraged to select stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B for optimal success [10] - The direction of earnings estimate revisions is crucial; stocks with lower ranks but high Style Scores may still face downward price pressure [11] Company Spotlight: Universal Technical Institute (UTI) - Universal Technical Institute is a leading provider of post-secondary education in the U.S., offering various programs in automotive and related fields [12] - UTI holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) and a VGM Score of B, with a Momentum Style Score of B [12][13] - UTI's shares have increased by 28.2% over the past four weeks, with upward revisions in earnings estimates for fiscal 2025 [13]

Group 1 - The 2025 World Digital Education Conference will be held in Wuhan from May 14 to 16, following the previous conferences in Beijing and Shanghai in 2023 and 2024 [1][2] - The theme of the conference is "Education Development and Transformation: The Intelligent Era," aiming to respond to the UN's global education transformation initiative and explore new paths for education in the context of smart technology [2][3] - The conference will feature the release of five key digital education outcomes, including the "China Smart Education White Paper" and the "Global Digital Education Development Index 2025" [6][7] Group 2 - The conference will include a global education digitalization achievement exhibition, showcasing over 50 exhibits across six core areas: basic education, vocational education, higher education, lifelong education, international education, and future education [6][7] - The World Digital Education Alliance, established in January 2024, will hold its first general assembly and council meeting during the conference, with 115 members from 43 countries and regions [7] - The conference will emphasize the integration of artificial intelligence in education, showcasing innovative teaching models and future classroom concepts [8][9] Group 3 - The National Smart Education Platform International Version has been launched, supporting multiple languages and providing resources and services to learners in over 120 countries [10][11] - The platform will feature over 300 new courses during the conference, including a "Understanding China" section aimed at international students [11] - Future plans for the platform include enhancing resource offerings and exploring credit recognition for international cooperation in higher education [11]

Financial Performance - Subscription Revenue increased by 17% to R$420 million[8] - Net Revenue increased by 11% compared to 2024[12] - Free Cash Flow increased significantly, reaching R$144 million, which is 176% higher than the R$52 million in 2024[10] - Adjusted EBITDA increased by 5% to R$18 million, reaching R$420 million compared to R$402 million in 2024[8] - Adjusted Net Profit decreased by 48.6% to R$26 million in 1Q25 compared to R$50 million in 1Q24[27] Margins - Adjusted EBITDA Margin decreased to 37.2% compared to 39.6% in 2024[8] - LTM FCF / LTM Adjusted EBITDA conversion improved to 50.8%, an 8.3 percentage point increase from 42.5% in 2024[11] - Gross Margin decreased, impacted by lower revenue in the period[21] Revenue Breakdown - Subscription revenue increased by 16.9% cycle to date[13] - Non-subscription revenue decreased by 27% in 1Q25 and 6.4% cycle to date[13] - B2G revenue decreased by 6.6% in 1Q25 and 40.5% cycle to date[13] Debt and Receivables - Net Debt decreased by R$77 million cycle to date[44] - Provision for Doubtful Accounts (PDA) as a percentage of net revenue decreased to 3.0% cycle to date, compared to 4.2% in 2024[35] - Average Days of Accounts Receivable increased by 8 days year-over-year[38]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Consolidated gross profit for Q1 2025 was $22 million, a 7.9% increase over Q1 2024, marking the highest gross profit in the past twelve quarters [21] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q1 2025 was $7.8 million, compared to $6.2 million for Q1 2024, reflecting a growth of 14.4% [21] - Adjusted EPS for Q1 2025 was $0.63, up from $0.53 in Q1 2024, indicating an 18.9% increase [21] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the healthcare segment, gross profit for Q1 2025 was $12.2 million, compared to $11.1 million in Q1 2024, a growth of 10.2% [21] - Engineering gross profit for Q1 2025 was $6.2 million, up from $5.5 million in Q1 2024, representing a 12.4% increase, marking the best engineering gross profit quarter in history [21][22] - In IT, life sciences, and data solutions, gross profit for Q1 2025 was $3.6 million, down from $3.8 million in Q1 2024, a decline of 5.3% [24] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - School revenue for Q1 2025 was $37.3 million, compared to $31.9 million in Q1 2024, reflecting a growth of 16.7% [22] - Non-school revenue for Q1 2025 was $6 million, slightly down from $6.3 million in Q1 2024, but would have been $5.5 million versus $5.1 million if excluding a large long-term care group [22] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on cultivating the next generation of leadership and enhancing operational efficiency through strategic investments [4][12] - There is a strong emphasis on expanding the sales team to capitalize on growth opportunities in various sectors, particularly in healthcare and life sciences [5][7] - The company aims to maintain a clean balance sheet while continuing to repurchase shares, enhancing shareholder value [20] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in navigating macroeconomic uncertainties, focusing on secular themes that can drive growth [30][31] - The outlook for the healthcare segment remains positive, with expectations for continued growth in the upcoming school year [5][6] - The aerospace and defense sectors are anticipated to see significant growth due to new contracts and increased demand for engineering services [16][19] Other Important Information - The company has reduced net debt by $12 million to $18.2 million in Q1 2025, compared to $30.2 million in Q4 2024 [26] - The company has maintained a 90% plus renewal rate while preserving margins and bottom line strength [9] Q&A Session Summary Question: Is political policy uncertainty affecting the business? - Management indicated that they have not encountered significant issues related to the macroeconomic environment and are focused on leveraging secular themes for growth [30][31] Question: Regarding healthcare gross margins, is the lower margin due to legacy business? - Management clarified that the lower gross margin is more of a quarterly fluctuation rather than a trend, with expectations for improvement in Q2 [32][33]

Core Viewpoint - American Public Education, Inc. (APEI) is expected to report first-quarter 2025 results on May 12, with positive trends in enrollment and revenue growth anticipated despite some pressure on margins [1][3][7]. Revenue and Enrollment - APEI's first-quarter revenues are projected to increase by 4-6% year over year, reaching between $161 million and $163 million [4]. - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for first-quarter revenues is set at $161.9 million, indicating a 4.9% year-over-year rise [2]. - Strong enrollment growth is expected across all segments, particularly in the American Public University System (APUS), which accounted for 50.8% of total revenues in the previous quarter, and the Hondros College of Nursing (HCN) segment, which accounted for 10.8% [3][5]. Segment Performance - APUS is expected to have net course registrations between 100,500 and 102,000, reflecting a growth of 1.5-3% year over year [5]. - HCN's total enrollment is anticipated to increase by 10% to 3,600 students, while Rasmussen University (RU) is expected to see a 7% increase in enrollment to 14,500 students [5]. - Revenue growth predictions for APUS and HCN segments are 2.1% to $82.3 million and 9.5% to $18 million, respectively, while RU's revenue is expected to grow by 7.9% to $57.3 million [6]. Earnings and Margins - APEI expects net income to be between $1.7 million and $3.1 million, compared to a loss of $1 million a year ago [7]. - Adjusted EPS is anticipated to be between 9 cents and 17 cents, improving from a loss of 6 cents reported in the previous year [7]. - Adjusted EBITDA is projected to be between $13.5 million and $15.5 million, reflecting a decline of 21-9% year over year, with adjusted EBITDA margins expected to decrease by 170 basis points to 9.3% [7][8].

Universal Technical Institute, Inc.’s (UTI) stock gained 11.4% in yesterday’s after-hours trading session as it reported impressive second-quarter fiscal 2025 results. Both earnings and revenues surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increased on a year-over-year basis.The company achieved strong growth in the fiscal second quarter, driven by its strategy, focused on expansion, diversification and optimization. Both divisions saw year-over-year improvements in key financial and operational areas. Higher ...

Core Viewpoint - Diversified Royalty Corp. has adjusted the Mr. Lube + Tires royalty pool to include six new flagship locations, bringing the total to 149 locations, while removing one permanently closed location [1] Company Performance - Mr. Lube + Tires is experiencing strong same-store sales growth across its franchise system, indicating a positive outlook for continued growth [2] - The performance of franchisees in 2024 has been commendable, with a focus on brand growth and enhancing store-level economics [3] Royalty Pool Adjustments - The Mr. Lube + Tires Royalty Pool is adjusted annually on May 1 to include new locations opened since July 1 of the previous year and to remove permanently closed locations [4] - The initial consideration for the additional royalty revenue from the new locations was $4.0 million, which is 80% of the total estimated consideration of $5.0 million, paid in the form of common shares [5] - The remaining consideration for the new locations will be paid on May 1, 2026, adjusted based on actual system sales for the year ending December 31, 2025 [6] Previous Adjustments - On May 1, 2023, the royalty pool was adjusted to include five new locations, with an initial consideration of $4.7 million, which was also 80% of the total estimated consideration [7] - The actual system sales for the 2023 True-Up Locations were determined to be $10.1 million, leading to a total consideration of $7.1 million, with a remaining cash payment of $2.4 million made on May 1, 2025 [8] Dividend Announcement - The board of directors has approved a cash dividend of $0.02083 per common share for May 2025, equating to an annualized rate of $0.25 per share, to be paid on May 30, 2025 [10] Company Overview - Diversified Royalty Corp. is focused on acquiring top-line royalties from well-managed multi-location businesses and franchisors in North America, aiming to generate predictable and growing royalty streams [12][14]