K12 (LRN) reported $631.26 million in revenue for the quarter ended December 2025, representing a year-over-year increase of 7.5%. EPS of $2.50 for the same period compares to $2.03 a year ago.The reported revenue represents a surprise of +0.62% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $627.36 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $2.33, the EPS surprise was +7.14%.While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street exp ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue for the second quarter was $631.3 million, an increase of nearly 8% from the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 [10] - Adjusted operating income rose to $159 million, up $23.4 million or 17% year-over-year [10] - Adjusted EPS increased to $2.50, reflecting a 13% growth from the previous year [10] - Adjusted EBITDA reached $188.1 million, up 17% [10] - Gross margin for the quarter was 41.1%, up 30 basis points from last year [12] - Free cash flow was $75.9 million, down from $208.6 million last year due to timing of payments [14] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total enrollments for the second quarter were 248.5 thousand, up 7.8% year-over-year [11] - Revenue from Career Learning programs grew 29% to $275.6 million, driven by a 17.6% increase in enrollment [11] - General Education revenue declined 3.6% to $341.4 million compared to last year [11] - Average enrollments were slightly up to 137,000, but revenue per enrollment decreased by 3.6% due to mix [11] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted a generally positive state funding environment, although some impacts from state and program mix are anticipated [11] - The company expects to finish the year flattish compared to last year due to these factors [11] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on stabilizing its platforms and enhancing customer experience, with plans to build proprietary solutions to maintain control over user experience [4][7] - The strategy includes a cautious approach to growth, prioritizing stability over aggressive enrollment increases [5][30] - The company aims to balance investments in organic growth and potential M&A transactions with share repurchases [15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence that the primary issues from the previous fall are behind them, with significant improvements in customer support call volumes and social media sentiment [8] - The company believes it is well-positioned for a return to expected growth patterns next year based on current trends in demand and customer experience [8] - Management reaffirmed full-year revenue guidance of $2.480-$2.555 billion, with adjusted operating income expected between $485-$505 million [15][17] Other Important Information - Capital expenditures for the quarter were $16 million, with full-year expectations unchanged at $70-$80 million [15] - The board authorized a share repurchase of up to $500 million, with $88.6 million already purchased in the second quarter [14][15] Q&A Session Summary Question: Clarification on withdrawal trends and enrollment - Management confirmed that withdrawal rates have returned to normal levels, which is positive news [20] Question: Demand characterization - Demand remains strong, with application volumes similar to last year, indicating robust organic demand [22] Question: School and program relations post-issues - Partners expressed frustration but also faith in the company's ability to resolve issues, indicating a shared mission [25] Question: Enrollment growth potential in the third quarter - Management is taking a cautious approach to growth, prioritizing long-term stability over immediate enrollment increases [30] Question: Revenue per enrollment changes - Variations in revenue per enrollment are attributed to state and program mix, with a focus on combined revenue per enrollment for forecasting [38] Question: Gross margin adjustments - A long-term lease exit positively impacted gross margins, with a 200 basis point improvement noted [40]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue for the second quarter was $631.3 million, an increase of nearly 8% from the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 [10] - Adjusted operating income rose to $159 million, up $23.4 million or 17% year-over-year [10] - Adjusted EPS increased to $2.50, reflecting a 13% rise from the previous year [10] - Adjusted EBITDA reached $188.1 million, up 17% [10] - Gross margin for the quarter was 41.1%, up 30 basis points from last year [12] - Free cash flow was $75.9 million, down from $208.6 million last year due to timing issues with payments [13] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total enrollments for the second quarter were 248.5 thousand, up 7.8% year-over-year [11] - Revenue from Career Learning programs grew 29% to $275.6 million, driven by a 17.6% increase in enrollment [11] - General Education revenue declined 3.6% to $341.4 million, with average enrollments slightly up but revenue per enrollment down 3.6% [11] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted a generally positive state funding environment, although some impacts from state and program mix are anticipated [11] - The company expects to finish the year flattish compared to last year due to these factors [11] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on stabilizing its platforms and enhancing customer experience, with a goal of maintaining control over user experience through proprietary solutions [4][6] - The strategy includes investing in new platforms to replace outdated systems while ensuring a degree of control over operations [6] - The company aims for stability rather than aggressive growth this year, prioritizing long-term success over short-term gains [5][30] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence that primary issues from the previous fall are resolved, as evidenced by reduced customer support calls and improved social media sentiment [7][8] - The company is optimistic about returning to expected growth patterns next year based on current demand trends and customer experience [8] - Management reaffirmed full-year revenue guidance of $2.480-$2.555 billion, with adjusted operating income expected between $485-$505 million [14][16] Other Important Information - The board authorized a share repurchase of up to $500 million, with $88.6 million already purchased in the second quarter [13][14] - Capital expenditures for the year are expected to be between $70-$80 million, unchanged from prior guidance [16] Q&A Session Summary Question: Clarification on enrollment and attrition trends - Management confirmed that withdrawal rates have returned to historical norms, indicating stabilization in attrition [20] Question: Demand characterization - Demand remains strong, with application volumes similar to last year, despite less aggressive marketing efforts [22] Question: School and program relations post-issues - Partners expressed frustration but also faith in the company's ability to resolve issues, indicating a shared mission [25] Question: Enrollment growth potential in the third quarter - Management is taking a cautious approach to growth, prioritizing long-term stability over immediate enrollment increases [30] Question: Revenue per enrollment analysis - Variations in revenue per enrollment are attributed to state and program mix, with a focus on combined revenue metrics [36] Question: Gross margin adjustments - A long-term lease exit positively impacted gross margins by approximately 200 basis points [40]

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]

Core Insights - K12 (LRN) reported a revenue of $620.88 million for the quarter ended September 2025, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 12.7% and surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.03% [1] - The earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter was $1.52, significantly higher than the $0.94 reported in the same quarter last year, resulting in an EPS surprise of 23.58% compared to the consensus estimate of $1.23 [1] Revenue Breakdown - General Education revenue was $363.12 million, slightly below the average estimate of $365.73 million from two analysts [4] - Total Career Learning revenue reached $257.77 million, exceeding the average estimate of $245.96 million from two analysts [4] - Career Learning revenue for Adults was $16.27 million, falling short of the estimated $21.08 million [4] - Career Learning revenue for Middle to High School was $241.5 million, outperforming the average estimate of $224.87 million [4] Stock Performance - K12 shares have returned +1.8% over the past month, while the Zacks S&P 500 composite has increased by +3.6% [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating potential for outperformance in the near term [3]

Financial Performance - Q3 FY25 revenue reached $613.4 million, an 18% year-over-year increase[9] - Adjusted Operating Income for Q3 FY25 was $141.7 million, a 47% year-over-year increase[9] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q3 FY25 was $168.3 million, a 40% year-over-year increase[9] - Revenue for the first nine months of FY25 reached $1751.7 million, a 16% year-over-year increase[9] - Adjusted Operating Income for the first nine months of FY25 was $335.7 million, a 63% year-over-year increase[9] - Adjusted EBITDA for the first nine months of FY25 was $412.6 million, a 48% year-over-year increase[9] Enrollment Trends - Average Q3 enrollments reached 240200, up 21.1% from the prior year[7] - General Education enrollments increased by 16900, up 14% year-over-year[17] - Career Learning enrollments increased by 24900, up 34% year-over-year[17] Guidance and Targets - The company increased its full-year revenue guidance to a range of $2370 billion to $2385 billion[18] - The company increased its full-year Adjusted Operating Income guidance to a range of $455 million to $465 million[18]