Second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2026
Filed Jul 30, 2026LAUREATE EDUCATION REPORTS FINANCIAL RESULTS FOR THE SECOND QUARTER AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2026 Company Increases Full-Year 2026 Guidance and Announces $150 Million Increase in Share Repurchase Authorization
Second-quarter reported revenue increased 17% to $615.9 million, operating income increased to $223.4 million, net income increased to $137.1 million, and Adjusted EBITDA increased to $250.6 million. The company increased full-year 2026 guidance and authorized an additional $150 million for share repurchases.
Key metrics
as reported| Metric | Value | q/q | y/y |
|---|---|---|---|
| Second-quarter revenueGAAP | $615.9 million | – | an increase of $91.7 million, or 17% |
| Second-quarter revenue growth on a constant currency basisother | 8% | – | increased 8% |
| Second-quarter operating incomeGAAP | $223.4 million | – | an increase of $30.1 million |
| Second-quarter net incomeGAAP | $137.1 million | – | – |
| Second-quarter basic and diluted earnings per shareGAAP | $0.98 | – | – |
| Second-quarter Adjusted EBITDAnon-GAAP | $250.6 million | – | – |
| Six-month revenueGAAP | $888.5 million | – | an increase of $128.2 million, or 17% |
| Six-month revenue growth on a constant currency basisother | 6% | – | increased 6% |
| Six-month operating incomeGAAP | $195.9 million | – | an increase of $15.8 million |
| Six-month net incomeGAAP | $115.5 million | – | – |
| Six-month basic and diluted earnings per shareGAAP | $0.82 | – | – |
| Six-month Adjusted EBITDAnon-GAAP | $248.2 million | – | – |
| Six-month new enrollmentsother | increased 10% | – | increased 10% |
| Six-month total enrollmentsother | up 6% | – | up 6% |
| Peru new enrollmentsother | increased 14% | – | increased 14% |
| Peru total enrollmentsother | increased 8% | – | increased 8% |
| Mexico new enrollmentsother | up 7% | – | up 7% |
| Mexico total enrollmentsother | up 5% | – | up 5% |
Fiscal 2026 outlook
- Revenue$1,920 million to $1,930 million, reflecting growth of 13% on an as-reported basis and growth of 6%-7% on a constant currency basis versus 2025
- NoteTotal enrollments are now expected to be in the range of 518,000 to 523,000 students, reflecting growth of 4%-5% versus 2025
- NoteAdjusted EBITDA is now expected to be in the range of $593 million to $599 million, reflecting growth of 14%-15% on an as-reported basis and 8%-9% on a constant currency basis versus 2025
- NoteAdjusted EPS is now expected to be in the range of $2.04 - $2.10 per share, reflecting growth of 19%-22% on an as-reported basis versus 2025
Capital returns
- Laureate repurchased approximately $76 million of its common stock during the six months ended June 30, 2026 under the existing stock repurchase program.
- On July 30, 2026, the Company announced that its Board of Directors had approved an additional $150 million increase to the existing authorization for the Company’s stock repurchase program, which has no fixed expiration date.
What drove it
- Second quarter results included the launch of a new campus and continued expansion of digital capabilities to meet market demand.
- New enrollments increased 10% and total enrollments increased 6% for the six months ended June 30, 2026.
- The increase in six-month net income was mainly driven by higher operating income as well as the effect of changes in foreign currency exchange rates on intercompany balances compared to the 2025 period.
- The updated 2026 outlook reflects an improved operational outlook as well as more favorable foreign currency exchange rates.
Concerns
- Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA in the first half of 2026 were unfavorably affected by approximately $9 million of intra-year academic calendar timing attributable to later semester start dates in 2026 as compared to 2025.
- Forward guidance is based on actual FX rates for January-July 2026 and assumed FX rates of MXN 17.55 and PEN 3.41 for August 2026 - December 2026, and FX impact may change based on fluctuations in currency rates in future periods.
- Laureate did not provide reconciliations of projected Adjusted EBITDA and projected Adjusted EPS to projected GAAP measures because it does not currently have sufficient data to accurately estimate the variables and individual adjustments.
What to watch
- Whether the approximately $9 million of intra-year academic calendar timing impacts on revenue and Adjusted EBITDA are offset in the second half of the year, as expected by Laureate.
- Full-year total enrollments relative to the guided range of 518,000 to 523,000 students.
- The effect of future currency-rate fluctuations on the updated revenue and Adjusted EBITDA outlook.
- Execution of the additional $150 million share repurchase authorization.
Balance sheet and cash flow
- As of June 30, 2026, Laureate had $161.7 million of cash and cash equivalents and gross debt of $223.2 million.
- Accordingly, net debt was $61.5 million as of June 30, 2026.
- As of June 30, 2026, Laureate had 137.7 million total shares outstanding.
Analysis
Laureate reported strong second-quarter growth, with revenue increasing 17% to $615.9 million on a reported basis and 8% on a constant currency basis. Operating income increased to $223.4 million from $193.3 million, net income increased to $137.1 million from $97.4 million, and Adjusted EBITDA increased to $250.6 million from $214.5 million. Basic and diluted earnings per share were $0.98.
Management, verbatim
Second quarter results demonstrate strong operating momentum, including the launch of a new campus and continued expansion of our digital capabilities to meet market demand. I am pleased to announce an increase to our full-year guidance. We are also adding $150 million to our share repurchase program, reflecting our strong balance sheet and commitment to returning capital to shareholders.
Eilif Serck-Hanssen, President and Chief Executive Officer
Not in the filing
stated, not guessed- Second-quarter prior-year revenue on its own revenue line
- Second-quarter and six-month gross profit
- Second-quarter and six-month gross margin
- Second-quarter and six-month operating expenses
- Second-quarter and six-month operating margin
- Prior-year basic and diluted earnings per share for the second quarter and six months
- GAAP and non-GAAP diluted weighted-average share counts for the reported periods
- Reported-period adjusted net income and adjusted earnings per share
- Operating cash flow
- Free cash flow
- Capital expenditures
- Dividend amount or dividend declaration
- Revenue by operating segment or by geography
- Actual enrollment counts for the reported six-month period
- Prior-quarter comparisons
- Fiscal 2026 gross margin guidance
- Fiscal 2026 operating expense guidance
- Fiscal 2026 tax-rate guidance
- Previous outlook for comparison with reported results
AlphaAI analysis generated from the company’s SEC earnings filing (Form 8-K Item 2.02, or Form 6-K for a foreign private issuer). Every figure was cross-checked against the filing text; consensus estimates, price targets and share-price reactions are not shown because they are not in the filing. AI-generated research, not investment advice.