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Stride, Inc. (LRN - Free Report) and Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. (BFAM - Free Report) are two distinct players in the education space, yet both are leaning on expansion strategies to capitalize on opportunities. Stride has carved out its niche in virtual K-12 education, scaling digital platforms that serve public and private school systems, while also branching into career training and tutoring services to widen its reach. Bright Horizons, on the other hand, has built its model around childcare and family support, expanding its network of centers, strengthening employer partnerships and broadening offerings like backup care and educational advisory services.
The two companies reflect distinct models for growth in education. Stride is betting on technology-driven platforms that can reach students across the country, while Bright Horizons is strengthening its position as a trusted partner for families and employers navigating the challenges of childcare and education. For investors, the question is whether digital expansion or employer-backed service growth offers the stronger opportunity in today’s market.
Let us dive deep and closely compare the fundamentals of the two stocks to determine which is a better investment now.
The Case for LRN
Stride is gaining momentum in the school choice market by expanding its virtual K-12 offerings and career-focused programs. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, revenues climbed 22% year over year to $654 million, driven by broad-based enrollment growth across both General Education and Career Learning. Career Learning enrollments advanced 33% year over year to more than 96,000, while General Education enrollments rose 13% year over year to nearly 138,000. This demand translated into full-year revenues of $2.4 billion, up 18% year over year, underscoring the strength of Stride’s digital-first education model.
The company continues to invest heavily in technology to support growth and improve student outcomes. In fiscal 2025, it expanded high-dosage tutoring programs for early-grade learners and reinforced its focus on responsible artificial intelligence. Stride’s strategy blends proprietary digital tools with new instructional models, aiming to make online learning more engaging while creating scalable platforms for future expansion. These efforts position the company to capture long-term opportunities as families increasingly seek alternatives outside the traditional education system.
However, Stride’s adult learning business remained a weak spot in fiscal 2025, particularly in technology-related programs, wherein demand has fallen. The company faces the challenge of stabilizing enrollment in this area while working to improve the overall performance. In addition, while the gross margin improved by 180 basis points in the year, the company cautioned that margin expansion is likely to moderate in fiscal 2026 as new investments are made.
The outlook for fiscal 2026 is encouraging. Stride is projecting first-quarter year-over-year enrollment growth of 10-15%, supported by strong application volumes that the company views as a reliable indicator of demand. Funding conditions also appear favorable, with some states planning increases and no material downside expected at the federal level. Combined with its focus on technology-driven learning and expanding student reach, Stride looks positioned to build on its growth trajectory in the coming year.
The Case for BFAM
Bright Horizons continues to expand its reach through childcare, family care and educational advisory services. In the second quarter of 2025, revenues grew 9% year over year to $732 million, supported by steady enrollment gains, tuition increases and the addition of centers. Full-service childcare accounted for the majority of revenues, advancing 7% year over year, while backup care grew 19% and educational advisory services increased 8%. These results highlight the breadth of the company’s portfolio and its ability to capture demand across multiple segments.
Expansion remains central to the company’s growth strategy. In the quarter, Bright Horizons opened five centers, including two for the University of Virginia, and strengthened employer relationships with new contracts such as McKesson in backup care. The company also advanced its “One Bright Horizons” strategy, which encourages clients to adopt multiple services, such as childcare centers, backup care and college coaching, under a single employer partnership. This approach has not only driven higher client engagement but also deepened its position in the employer-sponsored care market.
However, the company continues to face headwinds as it works to improve occupancy and optimize its center portfolio. In the second quarter of 2025, average occupancy in childcare centers was in the high-60% range, still below the pre-pandemic levels. Some centers operated under 40% occupancy, weighing on overall utilization, while eight center closures offset five openings in the quarter. This uneven performance highlights the challenge of lifting underperforming centers while maintaining steady growth across the broader network.
The outlook for 2025 appears encouraging. Bright Horizons raised its full-year revenue guidance to $2.9-$2.92 billion, or 8-9% year-over-year growth, and expects adjusted earnings per share of $4.15-$4.25. The company anticipates continued strength in backup care, projecting 14-16% growth for the year, alongside steady mid-single-digit expansion in educational advisory services. With employer demand for childcare and family support solutions showing resilience, Bright Horizons is positioned to build on its growth strategy while addressing operational challenges in its center network.
Stock Performance & Valuation
As witnessed from the chart below, year to date, Stride’s share price performance stands above that of Bright Horizons.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Considering valuation, Stride stock is currently trading at a premium compared with the Bright Horizons on a forward 12-month price-to-sales (P/S) ratio basis.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Comparing EPS Estimate Trends: LRN vs. BFAM
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for LRN’s fiscal 2026 EPS indicates 5.9% year-over-year growth, while the fiscal 2027 estimate suggests an increase of 8.7%. The fiscal 2026 and 2027 EPS estimates have been unchanged over the past 30 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BFAM’s 2025 and 2026 earnings estimates has been unchanged over the past 30 days. However, the estimated figures of 2025 and 2026 reflect 22.2% and 16.1% year-over-year growth, respectively.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Return on Equity (ROE) of LRN & BFAM Stocks
Stride’s trailing 12-month ROE of 25.5% significantly exceeds Bright Horizons’ average of 16.9%, underscoring its efficiency in generating shareholder returns.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Better Pick
Stride is emerging as a growth leader in the education space, supported by its strong enrollment momentum, favorable funding environment and continued investment in technology-driven learning. The company’s double-digit growth in Career Learning enrollments and its cautious but ambitious use of artificial intelligence highlight an expanding model that balances innovation with scale.
Bright Horizons continues to benefit from resilient demand for employer-sponsored childcare and backup care services, with guidance raised for 2025 and steady growth expected across its portfolio. However, the company has been facing ongoing occupancy challenges in its childcare centers, which remain below the pre-pandemic levels.
Considering stronger share price performance and higher ROE, Stride, which currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), presents a better investment opportunity than Bright Horizons, which has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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Stride vs. Bright Horizons: Which Education Stock Should You Pick?
Key Takeaways
Stride, Inc. (LRN - Free Report) and Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. (BFAM - Free Report) are two distinct players in the education space, yet both are leaning on expansion strategies to capitalize on opportunities. Stride has carved out its niche in virtual K-12 education, scaling digital platforms that serve public and private school systems, while also branching into career training and tutoring services to widen its reach. Bright Horizons, on the other hand, has built its model around childcare and family support, expanding its network of centers, strengthening employer partnerships and broadening offerings like backup care and educational advisory services.
The two companies reflect distinct models for growth in education. Stride is betting on technology-driven platforms that can reach students across the country, while Bright Horizons is strengthening its position as a trusted partner for families and employers navigating the challenges of childcare and education. For investors, the question is whether digital expansion or employer-backed service growth offers the stronger opportunity in today’s market.
Let us dive deep and closely compare the fundamentals of the two stocks to determine which is a better investment now.
The Case for LRN
Stride is gaining momentum in the school choice market by expanding its virtual K-12 offerings and career-focused programs. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, revenues climbed 22% year over year to $654 million, driven by broad-based enrollment growth across both General Education and Career Learning. Career Learning enrollments advanced 33% year over year to more than 96,000, while General Education enrollments rose 13% year over year to nearly 138,000. This demand translated into full-year revenues of $2.4 billion, up 18% year over year, underscoring the strength of Stride’s digital-first education model.
The company continues to invest heavily in technology to support growth and improve student outcomes. In fiscal 2025, it expanded high-dosage tutoring programs for early-grade learners and reinforced its focus on responsible artificial intelligence. Stride’s strategy blends proprietary digital tools with new instructional models, aiming to make online learning more engaging while creating scalable platforms for future expansion. These efforts position the company to capture long-term opportunities as families increasingly seek alternatives outside the traditional education system.
However, Stride’s adult learning business remained a weak spot in fiscal 2025, particularly in technology-related programs, wherein demand has fallen. The company faces the challenge of stabilizing enrollment in this area while working to improve the overall performance. In addition, while the gross margin improved by 180 basis points in the year, the company cautioned that margin expansion is likely to moderate in fiscal 2026 as new investments are made.
The outlook for fiscal 2026 is encouraging. Stride is projecting first-quarter year-over-year enrollment growth of 10-15%, supported by strong application volumes that the company views as a reliable indicator of demand. Funding conditions also appear favorable, with some states planning increases and no material downside expected at the federal level. Combined with its focus on technology-driven learning and expanding student reach, Stride looks positioned to build on its growth trajectory in the coming year.
The Case for BFAM
Bright Horizons continues to expand its reach through childcare, family care and educational advisory services. In the second quarter of 2025, revenues grew 9% year over year to $732 million, supported by steady enrollment gains, tuition increases and the addition of centers. Full-service childcare accounted for the majority of revenues, advancing 7% year over year, while backup care grew 19% and educational advisory services increased 8%. These results highlight the breadth of the company’s portfolio and its ability to capture demand across multiple segments.
Expansion remains central to the company’s growth strategy. In the quarter, Bright Horizons opened five centers, including two for the University of Virginia, and strengthened employer relationships with new contracts such as McKesson in backup care. The company also advanced its “One Bright Horizons” strategy, which encourages clients to adopt multiple services, such as childcare centers, backup care and college coaching, under a single employer partnership. This approach has not only driven higher client engagement but also deepened its position in the employer-sponsored care market.
However, the company continues to face headwinds as it works to improve occupancy and optimize its center portfolio. In the second quarter of 2025, average occupancy in childcare centers was in the high-60% range, still below the pre-pandemic levels. Some centers operated under 40% occupancy, weighing on overall utilization, while eight center closures offset five openings in the quarter. This uneven performance highlights the challenge of lifting underperforming centers while maintaining steady growth across the broader network.
The outlook for 2025 appears encouraging. Bright Horizons raised its full-year revenue guidance to $2.9-$2.92 billion, or 8-9% year-over-year growth, and expects adjusted earnings per share of $4.15-$4.25. The company anticipates continued strength in backup care, projecting 14-16% growth for the year, alongside steady mid-single-digit expansion in educational advisory services. With employer demand for childcare and family support solutions showing resilience, Bright Horizons is positioned to build on its growth strategy while addressing operational challenges in its center network.
Stock Performance & Valuation
As witnessed from the chart below, year to date, Stride’s share price performance stands above that of Bright Horizons.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Considering valuation, Stride stock is currently trading at a premium compared with the Bright Horizons on a forward 12-month price-to-sales (P/S) ratio basis.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Comparing EPS Estimate Trends: LRN vs. BFAM
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for LRN’s fiscal 2026 EPS indicates 5.9% year-over-year growth, while the fiscal 2027 estimate suggests an increase of 8.7%. The fiscal 2026 and 2027 EPS estimates have been unchanged over the past 30 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BFAM’s 2025 and 2026 earnings estimates has been unchanged over the past 30 days. However, the estimated figures of 2025 and 2026 reflect 22.2% and 16.1% year-over-year growth, respectively.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Return on Equity (ROE) of LRN & BFAM Stocks
Stride’s trailing 12-month ROE of 25.5% significantly exceeds Bright Horizons’ average of 16.9%, underscoring its efficiency in generating shareholder returns.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Better Pick
Stride is emerging as a growth leader in the education space, supported by its strong enrollment momentum, favorable funding environment and continued investment in technology-driven learning. The company’s double-digit growth in Career Learning enrollments and its cautious but ambitious use of artificial intelligence highlight an expanding model that balances innovation with scale.
Bright Horizons continues to benefit from resilient demand for employer-sponsored childcare and backup care services, with guidance raised for 2025 and steady growth expected across its portfolio. However, the company has been facing ongoing occupancy challenges in its childcare centers, which remain below the pre-pandemic levels.
Considering stronger share price performance and higher ROE, Stride, which currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), presents a better investment opportunity than Bright Horizons, which has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here.