Core Viewpoint - Stride, Inc. is facing challenges due to the termination of a key partnership with Gallup-McKinley County Schools, which is expected to impact its market value and revenue visibility, despite experiencing significant enrollment growth in its K-12 and career learning segments [3][7][15]. Company Performance - Stride's share price has decreased by 9.4% over the past month, underperforming compared to the Zacks Schools industry and the broader market [1]. - The company has reported a 20% overall enrollment growth in fiscal 2025, with General Education and Career Learning segments growing by 12.8% and 32%, respectively [15]. Partnership and Regulatory Challenges - The termination of the partnership with GMCS, effective June 30, 2025, was due to Stride's failure to meet legal and academic requirements, which poses risks to its growth and profitability [6][7]. - Stride's business model heavily relies on contracts with educational institutions, making it vulnerable to compliance issues that could lead to contract terminations [6]. Market and Economic Conditions - Stride is experiencing macroeconomic pressures, including inflation and tariff concerns, which could indirectly affect its top-line growth through strained government budgets [9]. - The company is facing increased operational costs, with instructional costs and SG&A expenses rising by 12.5% and 0.6% year-over-year, respectively [9]. Financial Position - Stride maintains a strong liquidity position with cash and cash equivalents of $528.5 million, up from $500.6 million at the end of fiscal 2024, while long-term debt has slightly increased to $415.9 million [18]. - The stock is trading at a forward P/E ratio of 16.98, indicating a premium compared to industry peers, which reflects its growth potential [10]. Growth Prospects - The shift in demand towards tech-based and career-focused educational programs is expected to enhance Stride's revenue visibility and profitability in the long term [5][21]. - The company is strategically expanding its online education offerings, which aligns with the growing trend of digital learning [12][16].

Investors interested in Schools stocks are likely familiar with Vasta Platform Limited (VSTA) and Universal Technical Institute (UTI) . But which of these two stocks is more attractive to value investors? We'll need to take a closer look to find out.We have found that the best way to discover great value opportunities is to pair a strong Zacks Rank with a great grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system. The proven Zacks Rank puts an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, while o ...

Core Insights - Stride, Inc. (LRN) has experienced a 20% year-over-year growth in enrollment, reaching approximately 233,500 students during the first nine months of fiscal 2025, driven by positive market sentiment for online education and diversified program offerings [1][8] - The company is strategically focusing on enhancing brand visibility through innovative marketing strategies while managing to reduce selling, general, and administrative expenses as a percentage of total revenues [2][4][3] Enrollment and Market Trends - Enrollment trends have continued to rise despite limitations on marketing spend, indicating strong demand for Stride's diverse offerings, which include K-12 and career-learning programs [2][8] - The favorable market backdrop and ongoing regulatory reforms in the U.S. education sector suggest a bright outlook for Stride's enrollment prospects [4] Financial Performance - Stride's selling, general, and administrative expenses decreased by 360 basis points year-over-year to 22.9% of total revenues, reflecting improved operational efficiency [4][8] - The stock has shown a price increase of 31.1% year-to-date, outperforming the Zacks Schools industry and the broader market [5][8] Competitive Positioning - Stride's stock is currently trading at a forward price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 2.29, which is considered a discount compared to peers like Chegg (0.36) and Grand Canyon Education (4.44) [10][11] - Earnings estimates for fiscal 2025 and 2026 remain unchanged at $7.09 and $7.76 per share, respectively, indicating expected year-over-year growth of 51.2% and 9.4% [12]

Core Insights - Stride, Inc.'s (LRN) career learning portfolio is well-positioned for growth due to increasing demand for non-college degrees and online education options [1][2] - The company's focus on career learning and adult certification programs is yielding positive results, with significant enrollment and revenue growth [2][8] Enrollment and Revenue Growth - Stride's Career Learning segment experienced a 33.7% year-over-year enrollment growth in Q3 of fiscal 2025, with revenues increasing by 26.4% to $242.6 million [2][8] - For the first nine months of fiscal 2025, enrollment in the Career Learning segment grew by 32% year over year [2] Market Demand and Competitive Advantage - Stride offers career-focused programs in high-demand industries such as information technology, healthcare, and general business, providing a competitive edge in the education sector [3] - The shift in demand towards career-focused and tech-based alternatives is driving the company's strategic expansion [2] Funding Environment and Strategic Investments - Early indicators suggest a long-term positive funding environment due to ongoing state budget processes [4] - Stride's investments in diversifying offerings and personalizing the learning model are expected to support long-term growth [4] Stock Performance and Valuation - Stride's shares have increased by 36.2% year-to-date, outperforming peers in the education sector [5][8] - The stock is trading at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 19.95X, indicating strong market potential despite being at a premium compared to industry peers [10] Earnings Estimates - Earnings estimates for fiscal 2025 and 2026 remain unchanged at $7.09 and $7.76 per share, respectively, implying year-over-year growth of 51.2% and 9.4% [12]

Group 1 - Lincoln Educational Services Corporation (LINC) is part of the Consumer Discretionary group, which consists of 256 companies and currently ranks 10 in the Zacks Sector Rank [2] - LINC has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating a positive outlook, with the consensus estimate for its full-year earnings increasing by 5.9% over the past quarter [3] - Year-to-date, LINC has achieved a return of approximately 45.7%, significantly outperforming the average gain of 11.7% for the Consumer Discretionary sector [4] Group 2 - LINC belongs to the Schools industry, which includes 18 stocks and is currently ranked 11 in the Zacks Industry Rank, with an average gain of 9.2% this year [5] - In comparison, another stock in the Consumer Discretionary sector, Carnival (CCL), has a year-to-date return of 12.8% and is part of the Leisure and Recreation Services industry, which is ranked 79 and has gained 4.4% year to date [4][6]

Core Viewpoint - The article compares Strategic Education (STRA) and Universal Technical Institute (UTI) to determine which stock is more attractive to value investors [1] Group 1: Zacks Rank and Analyst Outlook - STRA has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating a positive earnings estimate revision trend, while UTI has a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [3] - STRA's improving analyst outlook suggests a more favorable investment opportunity compared to UTI [3] Group 2: Valuation Metrics - STRA has a forward P/E ratio of 15.09, significantly lower than UTI's forward P/E of 32.64 [5] - STRA's PEG ratio is 1.01, while UTI's PEG ratio is 2.18, indicating STRA is more reasonably priced relative to its expected earnings growth [5] - STRA's P/B ratio is 1.26, compared to UTI's P/B of 6.39, further highlighting STRA's valuation advantage [6] Group 3: Value Grades - STRA has a Value grade of A, while UTI has a Value grade of C, reflecting STRA's superior valuation metrics and earnings outlook [6]

Uh my name is Sarita Jadav. I work as a national program officer in the UNESCO South Asia regional office based in New Delhi. And the work that uh I am involved in is on uh promoting health and wellness of learners and uh promote you know promoting safety and security and preventing violence in schools.I'd like to start by asking all of you over here in this esteemed gathering to please close your eyes for 15 seconds. Close your eyes for 15 seconds and imagine a 15-year-old child who is waking up with an al ...

Company Performance - Adtalem Global Education (ATGE) has gained approximately 41.4% year-to-date, significantly outperforming the average gain of 11.2% in the Consumer Discretionary sector [4] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ATGE's full-year earnings has increased by 5.1% in the past quarter, indicating improved analyst sentiment and earnings outlook [4] - Adtalem Global Education holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), suggesting a favorable investment outlook [3] Industry Context - Adtalem Global Education is part of the Schools industry, which ranks 10 in the Zacks Industry Rank, with an average gain of 10.4% this year [6] - The Consumer Discretionary group, which includes 255 companies, currently ranks 9 within the Zacks Sector Rank [2] - Fox (FOXA), another stock in the Consumer Discretionary sector, has returned 16.9% year-to-date and also holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [5]

Core Insights - Afya (AFYA) currently holds a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), indicating a more favorable earnings estimate revision trend compared to K12 (LRN), which has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [3] - Value investors typically assess various fundamental metrics to identify undervalued stocks, beyond just earnings estimates [3][4] Valuation Metrics - AFYA has a forward P/E ratio of 10.86, significantly lower than LRN's forward P/E of 20.74, suggesting AFYA may be undervalued [5] - The PEG ratio for AFYA is 0.58, while LRN's PEG ratio is 1.04, indicating AFYA's expected earnings growth is more favorable relative to its price [5] - AFYA's P/B ratio stands at 2.16, compared to LRN's P/B of 4.52, further supporting the notion that AFYA is a better value option [6] - Overall, AFYA's Value grade is A, while LRN's Value grade is C, highlighting AFYA's superior valuation metrics and earnings outlook [6]

Company Performance - Afya (AFYA) has returned 8.5% year-to-date, outperforming the average gain of 5.3% in the Consumer Discretionary sector [4] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Afya's full-year earnings has increased by 8.2% over the past three months, indicating improved analyst sentiment and a stronger earnings outlook [4] Industry Context - Afya is part of the Schools industry, which consists of 17 companies and currently ranks 19 in the Zacks Industry Rank [6] - The Schools industry has gained an average of 2.8% so far this year, showing that Afya is performing better than its industry peers [6] Sector Ranking - The Consumer Discretionary group is ranked 10 within the Zacks Sector Rank, which evaluates 16 different sector groups [2] - Afya holds a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), indicating a favorable outlook compared to other stocks in the sector [3]