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Skillsoft Plummets 75% in a Year: Should You Hold or Fold the Stock?
ZACKS· 2026-02-11 16:40
Core Insights - Skillsoft Corp. (SKIL) shares have decreased by 75.2% over the past year, contrasting with a 4.4% growth in its industry and a 19.1% rise in the Zacks S&P 500 Composite [1] - The company has underperformed compared to peers such as Coherent Corp. (COHR), which saw a 161.5% increase, and Dave's (DAVE) 71.2% growth during the same period [1] Financial Performance - In the last six months, SKIL has lost 47.2%, while Coherent Corp and Dave experienced rallies of 95.9% and 0.4%, respectively [4] - For the third quarter of fiscal 2026, Skillsoft reported a 6% year-over-year decline in revenue, primarily due to a 16% drop in the Global Knowledge (GK) segment [5][6] - The GK segment's revenue decline was attributed to reduced demand for both physical and virtual instructor-led sessions, resulting in a non-cash goodwill impairment loss of $20.8 million and an adjusted net loss of $4.9 million [6] Strategic Initiatives - Skillsoft is conducting a strategic review of its GK segment with the potential for a sale, which could impact the balance sheet due to market reduction [5][6] - The Talent Development Solutions (TDS) segment experienced a 2% year-over-year dip, but management remains optimistic about the future growth potential driven by AI, particularly through the Percipio platform [7][9] Valuation Metrics - SKIL is trading at 1.6 times forward earnings, significantly lower than the industry average of 23.4 times, and has a trailing 12-month EV-to-EBITDA ratio of 2.5 compared to the industry average of 17.1 [10] - The company's return on equity (ROE) stands at 83.1%, well above the industry average of 15.6%, indicating effective utilization of shareholders' equity [12] - Return on invested capital is at 11.6%, surpassing the industry average of 7.7%, showcasing the company's efficiency in generating operating profits [14] Liquidity Concerns - Skillsoft's current ratio is 0.8, significantly below the industry average of 1.6, raising concerns about its liquidity sustainability [15] - The consensus estimate for revenues in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026 is $130.2 million, reflecting a 2.7% decline year-over-year, while the EPS estimate is $1.27, indicating a 39.8% year-over-year decline [16] Future Outlook - For fiscal 2026, the revenue consensus estimate is $512.2 million, suggesting a 3.6% year-over-year dip, with EPS expected to fall by 3.7% to $4.17 [17] - The management's strategic review of the GK segment is seen as crucial for the company's future, with potential benefits for the TDS segment and the Percipio platform [18][19]
Skillsoft's Prudent Expense Control: Means to Margin Resilience
ZACKS· 2026-01-20 14:25
Core Insights - Skillsoft Corp. (SKIL) experienced a 6% year-over-year decline in revenue during Q3 2026, primarily due to an 18% drop in Global Knowledge (GK) revenues, although the company maintained its margins through operational discipline [1][9] Financial Performance - The company recorded total operating expenses of $101 million, a 4.1% decrease year-over-year, achieved by reducing content, software, sales, marketing, and general and administrative expenses [2][9] - Productivity improvements from AI and a focused strategy led to a 2.4% year-over-year reduction in content and software development expenses, while selling and marketing expenses decreased by 7.1% due to headcount reductions [3][9] - General and administrative expenses saw an 11.9% year-over-year decline, contributing to an adjusted EBITDA of $28 million, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 22%, down from 23.3% in the previous year [4][9] Segment Analysis - The Talent Development Solutions segment remained profitable, while the GK segment reported a negative EBITDA of $3.3 million, indicating a strategic shift towards higher-margin SaaS platforms to stabilize long-term margins [5][9] Market Performance - Over the past year, SKIL's stock has decreased by 71.3%, contrasting with the industry growth of 10.2%, while peers Nable (NABL) and Agora (API) saw declines of 30.3% and 8.6%, respectively [6][9] Valuation Metrics - SKIL trades at a 12-month forward price-to-earnings ratio of 1.99X, significantly lower than the industry average of 25.21X and cheaper than Nable's 12.9X and Agora's 26.81X [10] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for EPS for 2025 is $4.17, revised up by 19.8% in the last 60 days, while the estimate for 2026 is $4.54, revised down by 9.9% [13]