Laureate Education $LAUR Stock Position Raised by Empowered Funds LLC

Key Points

• Empowered Funds increased its Laureate Education stake by 39.5% in the first quarter to 126,549 shares valued at approximately $4.4 million. Institutional investors collectively own 96.27% of LAUR’s outstanding stock.
• Laureate exceeded second-quarter expectations with $1.00 in EPS on $615.9 million in revenue, up 17% year over year. The company raised its 2026 outlook to adjusted EPS of $2.04–$2.10 and authorized an additional $150 million for share repurchases.
• Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target of $40.50, although some firms have issued more cautious views. The updated EPS and third-quarter revenue guidance remain below consensus estimates, creating a potential near-term headwind for the stock.

Empowered Funds LLC increased its position in Laureate Education (NASDAQ:LAUR - Free Report) by 39.5% in the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 126,549 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 35,865 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC owned about 0.09% of Laureate Education worth $4,409,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in LAUR. Quarry LP purchased a new stake in shares of Laureate Education in the fourth quarter valued at $29,000. Allworth Financial LP lifted its stake in Laureate Education by 109.0% in the 4th quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 1,097 shares of the company's stock worth $37,000 after acquiring an additional 572 shares in the last quarter. Summit Securities Group LLC acquired a new stake in Laureate Education during the 4th quarter worth about $43,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its position in Laureate Education by 328.6% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,650 shares of the company's stock worth $39,000 after acquiring an additional 1,265 shares during the period. Finally, Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in Laureate Education during the 4th quarter worth about $100,000. 96.27% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Laureate Education Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ LAUR opened at $38.31 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14, a current ratio of 0.71 and a quick ratio of 0.71. Laureate Education has a one year low of $21.53 and a one year high of $40.92. The business's 50-day moving average price is $36.50 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $34.67. The company has a market capitalization of $5.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.23 and a beta of 0.40.

Laureate Education (NASDAQ:LAUR - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $1.00 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.96 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $615.90 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $607.56 million. Laureate Education had a return on equity of 23.54% and a net margin of 17.57%.The business's quarterly revenue was up 17.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.79 EPS. Laureate Education has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.040-2.100 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Laureate Education will post 2.08 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have weighed in on LAUR shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on Laureate Education from $41.50 to $41.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, June 4th. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of Laureate Education from $37.50 to $39.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Laureate Education from a "buy (b)" rating to a "buy (b+)" rating in a report on Friday. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Laureate Education from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 29th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered shares of Laureate Education from an "equal weight" rating to an "underweight" rating and set a $34.50 price objective on the stock. in a research note on Monday, July 27th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $40.50.

Key Stories Impacting Laureate Education

Here are the key news stories impacting Laureate Education this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Laureate reported second-quarter adjusted earnings of $1.00 per share, exceeding the $0.96 consensus estimate, while revenue of $615.9 million surpassed expectations of $607.6 million. Revenue increased 17% year over year, and net income rose 41% to $137.1 million. Laureate Education Q2 Earnings and Revenues Surpass Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Operating momentum remained strong: second-quarter adjusted EBITDA increased 17% to $250.6 million, new enrollments grew 10%, and total enrollment increased 6% during the first half. Management also cited continued campus expansion and digital investment. Laureate Education Reports Financial Results
• Positive Sentiment: The board authorized an additional $150 million for share repurchases after the company bought back approximately $76 million of stock in the first six months, supporting per-share value and signaling confidence in cash generation. Laureate Forecasts Revenue and Expands Buyback
• Neutral Sentiment: Laureate raised its 2026 outlook to revenue of $1.920 billion-$1.930 billion, adjusted EBITDA of $593 million-$599 million, and adjusted EPS of $2.04-$2.10. The company expects unfavorable academic-calendar timing to reduce first-half revenue and EBITDA by about $9 million, with the impact offset in the second half.
• Negative Sentiment: The updated full-year adjusted EPS outlook is below the roughly $2.13 analyst consensus, while third-quarter revenue guidance of $471 million-$476 million also trails the $481 million consensus. These figures likely explain the muted investor reaction despite the quarterly beat. Laureate Education Q2 Outlook

Laureate Education Company Profile

Laureate Education, Inc NASDAQ: LAUR is a leading global network of higher education institutions dedicated to providing undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs to a diverse student body. The company designs and delivers academic offerings through a combination of campus-based and online platforms, focusing on fields such as business, health sciences, engineering, education and hospitality management. By aligning its curriculum with regional workforce needs, Laureate aims to equip students with practical skills and industry insights that support career advancement and lifelong learning.

Through its network, Laureate operates a broad portfolio of universities and colleges, including both longstanding campus institutions and digitally native programs.

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