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Stride Q1 Earnings & Revenues Top Estimates, Enrollment Hits New Record

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Key Takeaways

  • Stride's Q1 FY26 EPS rose to $1.52, beating estimates and up from 94 cents in the prior-year.
  • Revenues climbed 12.7% YoY to $620.9M, led by strong General Education and Career Learning.
  • After results, LRN stock jumped 39.4% as enrollments and tech-focused learning demand drove momentum.
Stride, Inc. (LRN - Free Report) reported first-quarter fiscal 2026 results, with both earnings and revenues surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Additionally, both the top and bottom lines increased year over year.
 
The company’s growth has been driven by strong performance in its General Education and Career Learning segments, along with sustained demand for its core offerings. Investments in upgrading learning and technology platforms, supported by partnerships with industry-leading third-party providers, have also contributed to this momentum. Stride continues to focus on meeting the diverse needs of families seeking flexible, personalized, career-oriented and tech-enabled education at an affordable cost.
 
Following the result, LRN stock rallied 39.4% during after-hours trading yesterday.
 

LRN’s Q1 Earnings & Revenue Discussion

Stride reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.52, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.23 by 23.6%. In the year-ago quarter, the company reported an adjusted EPS of $1.09.
 
Revenues of $620.9 million beat the consensus estimate of $615 million by 1% and were up 12.7% year over year. Total enrollment for the quarter climbed 11.3% year over year, reaching a record 247,700 students. Record enrollment once again reflects growing demand, as more families turn to alternative education options. Average revenue per student rose 3.7% from a year ago to $2,388.
 

Q1 Segmental Performance of Stride

 
General Education: Revenues in this segment totaled $363.1 million, up 10.2% from the year-ago quarter. Enrollments grew 5.2% to 137,700 students.
 
Career Learning: Career Learning’s Middle-High School revenues for the quarter were $241.5 million, up more than 21% year over year. Career Learning Adult School revenues for the quarter were $16.3 million compared with $22.8 million in the prior-year quarter. Total Career Learning enrollments increased 20% to 110,000 students.
 

Operational performance of LRN

 
Stride’s gross margin for the fiscal first quarter was 39%, down 20 basis points from the prior-year quarter. Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses totaled $173.1 million, up 3% year over year.
 
Adjusted EBITDA was $108.4 million, compared with $83.9 million from the prior-year quarter.
 

Balance Sheet of LRN

 
As of Sept. 30, 2025, Stride’s cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities were $749.6 million, down from $1,011.4 million reported at June 30, 2025.
 
Capital expenditures, as of Sept. 30, 2025, were $21.7 million, down from $14.8 million as of Sept. 30, 2024.
 

Q2 Guidance by Stride

 
For second-quarter fiscal 2026, Stride is expecting revenues in the range of $620-$640 million. Capital expenditures are projected to be in the range of $15-$18 million.
 
Adjusted operating income is anticipated to be between $135 million and $145 million.
 

Stride’s FY26 Outlook

 
For fiscal 2026, Stride is expecting revenues in the range of $2.48 billion to $2.555 billion. Capital expenditures are projected to be in the range of $70-$80 million.
 
Adjusted operating income is anticipated to be between $475 million and $500 million.
 

LRN’s Zacks Rank & Recent Consumer Discretionary Releases

 
Stride currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
 
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (HLT - Free Report) reported third-quarter 2025 results, wherein earnings and revenues surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The top and bottom lines increased on a year-over-year basis.
 
Hilton’s results were supported by its resilient business model, which delivered strong bottom-line performance despite softer RevPAR trends. Growth was driven by a robust development pipeline, increased construction starts and strong demand for brand conversions. Global expansion and sustained net unit growth momentum further reinforced Hilton’s performance and outlook confidence.
 
Hasbro, Inc. (HAS - Free Report) reported third-quarter fiscal 2025 results, with earnings and revenues beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The top line increased year over year, while the bottom line declined from the prior-year quarter’s figure. The downside was mainly due to weaker contributions from the Consumer Products segment.
 
Nonetheless, Hasbro raised its full-year revenue and adjusted EBITDA guidance. The update was supported by strong performance in the Wizards segment, along with steady contributions from the games portfolio, licensing partnerships and execution of the “Playing to Win” strategy. Despite ongoing macroeconomic challenges, Hasbro expects cost efficiency measures and business diversification to support its growth plans for 2025 and beyond.
 
Mattel, Inc. (MAT - Free Report) reported third-quarter 2025 results, with both earnings and revenues missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The top and bottom lines also fell year over year from the prior-year quarter’s figure.
 
Mattel delivered a soft performance in the quarter, likely impacted by global trade dynamics, shifting retailer ordering patterns across the industry, and ongoing uncertainty surrounding tariff conditions. Key segments such as Barbie and Fisher-Price continued to face headwinds, resulting in lower gross billings. Despite these challenges, point-of-sale momentum remains positive both in the U.S. and international markets. Mattel has reiterated its full-year guidance for 2025.

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