Lincoln Educational Services Target of Unusually Large Options Trading (NASDAQ:LINC)

Key Points

• Put-option activity surged: Investors purchased 2,687 LINC put options, 435% above the typical volume of 502, amid a sharp one-day stock decline.
• Shares fell significantly: Lincoln Educational Services stock dropped $6.16 to $34.83, below its 50-day moving average of $47.00, while trading volume more than doubled its average.
• Analyst sentiment remains broadly positive: Four analysts rate LINC a Buy and two rate it Hold, producing a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $54.17, despite recent insider selling and one downgrade.

Lincoln Educational Services Corporation (NASDAQ:LINC - Get Free Report) was the recipient of unusually large options trading activity on Monday. Investors purchased 2,687 put options on the company. This is an increase of 435% compared to the typical volume of 502 put options.

Insider Activity

In related news, SVP Alexandra M. Luster sold 18,007 shares of Lincoln Educational Services stock in a transaction on Monday, June 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $44.64, for a total transaction of $803,832.48. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 82,356 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,676,371.84. The trade was a 17.94% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director James J. Burke, Jr. sold 15,807 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, May 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $48.36, for a total value of $764,426.52. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 44,198 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,137,415.28. The trade was a 26.34% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 95,070 shares of company stock valued at $4,617,457 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 12.80% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Lincoln Educational Services

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in LINC. Global Retirement Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Lincoln Educational Services in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. bought a new position in shares of Lincoln Educational Services during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $40,000. Royal Bank of Canada increased its position in shares of Lincoln Educational Services by 246.7% during the 4th quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 1,536 shares of the company's stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 1,093 shares during the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Lincoln Educational Services by 383.3% during the 1st quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,436 shares of the company's stock valued at $99,000 after buying an additional 1,932 shares during the period. Finally, Strs Ohio purchased a new stake in Lincoln Educational Services during the 1st quarter valued at $48,000. 72.23% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages recently issued reports on LINC. Weiss Ratings downgraded Lincoln Educational Services from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. Barrington Research increased their price objective on shares of Lincoln Educational Services from $45.00 to $56.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, May 12th. Rosenblatt Securities reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $60.00 target price on shares of Lincoln Educational Services in a report on Thursday, June 11th. Lake Street Capital restated a "buy" rating and set a $55.00 target price on shares of Lincoln Educational Services in a research report on Tuesday, May 12th. Finally, Northland Securities set a $60.00 price target on shares of Lincoln Educational Services in a report on Thursday, May 28th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Lincoln Educational Services has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $54.17.

Lincoln Educational Services Price Performance

Shares of LINC stock traded down $6.16 on Monday, reaching $34.83. The company's stock had a trading volume of 1,171,318 shares, compared to its average volume of 513,319. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is $47.00 and its 200-day simple moving average is $41.05. Lincoln Educational Services has a 1 year low of $17.29 and a 1 year high of $56.34. The company has a market capitalization of $1.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.49 and a beta of 0.83. The company has a current ratio of 0.83, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18.

Lincoln Educational Services (NASDAQ:LINC - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 10th. The company reported $0.06 EPS for the quarter. Lincoln Educational Services had a net margin of 4.11% and a return on equity of 15.25%. Lincoln Educational Services has set its FY 2026 guidance at 0.740-0.830 EPS. Analysts forecast that Lincoln Educational Services will post 0.78 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Lincoln Educational Services Company Profile

Lincoln Educational Services Corporation is a publicly traded provider of career-focused post-secondary vocational education in the United States. Operating under the Lincoln Tech and Lincoln Culinary Institute brands, the company delivers hands-on technical instruction across high-growth industries. Its mission centers on equipping students with practical skills and industry credentials designed to meet employer needs.

The company's program offerings span automotive technology, skilled trades, health sciences, information technology, culinary arts and public safety.

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