Laureate Education (NASDAQ:LAUR) Stock Breaks Below Two Hundred Day Moving Average - What's Next?

Key Points

• LAUR fell below its 200-day moving average of $35.60, trading as low as $33.15 and closing near $33.22, signaling increased technical pressure.
• Despite the selloff, third-quarter results exceeded expectations: revenue rose 21% to $485.1 million, adjusted EPS reached $0.52, and net income nearly tripled to $101.2 million. Enrollment also grew, with new enrollments up 9% and total enrollment up 6%.
• Management reaffirmed its 2026 revenue outlook of $1.92 billion–$1.93 billion and added $150 million to its buyback authorization, but the unchanged guidance and elevated prior valuation may have prompted profit-taking. Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target of $40.90.

Laureate Education (NASDAQ:LAUR - Get Free Report)'s stock price crossed below its 200-day moving average during trading on Friday. The stock has a 200-day moving average of $35.60 and traded as low as $33.15. Laureate Education shares last traded at $33.22, with a volume of 3,219,937 shares.

Trending Headlines about Laureate Education

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

• Positive Sentiment: Third-quarter revenue rose 21% year over year to $485.1 million, topping the $480.2 million consensus estimate. Adjusted EPS increased to $0.52 from $0.25 a year earlier and exceeded expectations of $0.48. Laureate Education Q3 earnings and revenues top estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Profitability improved substantially: net income reached $101.2 million versus $34.4 million in the prior-year quarter, operating income rose to $119.1 million, and adjusted EBITDA increased to $146.8 million from $94.8 million. New enrollments grew 9%, while total enrollment increased 6%. Laureate Education third-quarter financial results
• Positive Sentiment: Laureate added $150 million to its share-repurchase authorization, leaving approximately $225.2 million available for buybacks. Repurchases could support per-share earnings and signal management’s confidence in the company’s valuation. Laureate adds $150 million to buyback authorization
• Neutral Sentiment: Management reaffirmed its 2026 revenue outlook of $1.92 billion to $1.93 billion and its full-year earnings guidance rather than raising expectations. This suggests execution remains on track, but may provide limited fresh upside after the earnings beat. Laureate reaffirms fiscal 2026 outlook
• Negative Sentiment: The negative investor response likely reflects high expectations already embedded in LAUR’s valuation and the lack of an increased outlook. The stock had also been trading well above its 200-day moving average before the results, increasing the potential for profit-taking despite the strong quarter.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have recently weighed in on LAUR. JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded Laureate Education from an "overweight" rating to a "neutral" rating and set a $41.00 target price on the stock. in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. Barrington Research assumed coverage on Laureate Education in a research report on Thursday, July 23rd. They set an "outperform" rating and a $45.00 price target for the company. Weiss Ratings upgraded Laureate Education from a "buy (b+)" rating to a "buy (a)" rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 13th. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on Laureate Education from $34.50 to $36.50 and gave the company an "underweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, October 15th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have issued a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $40.90.

Laureate Education Stock Performance

The company has a market cap of $4.58 billion, a PE ratio of 12.17, a PEG ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 0.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.71 and a current ratio of 0.37. The firm's 50 day moving average is $37.58 and its 200-day moving average is $35.60.

Laureate Education (NASDAQ:LAUR - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 29th. The company reported $0.52 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.48 by $0.04. Laureate Education had a net margin of 20.28% and a return on equity of 26.41%. The company had revenue of $485.09 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $480.16 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.23 EPS. Laureate Education's quarterly revenue was up 21.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts anticipate that Laureate Education will post 2.12 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Laureate Education

In related news, Director Ian Snow sold 427,019 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, September 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $36.26, for a total value of $15,483,708.94. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 1,646,324 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $59,695,708.24. This trade represents a 20.60% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders sold a total of 521,229 shares of company stock valued at $19,103,350 over the last ninety days. 1.50% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Laureate Education

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of LAUR. Root Financial Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Laureate Education during the 3rd quarter worth about $35,000. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its position in Laureate Education by 33.4% in the third quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,123 shares of the company's stock valued at $43,000 after buying an additional 281 shares during the last quarter. Signaturefd LLC boosted its stake in Laureate Education by 116.2% during the third quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 1,213 shares of the company's stock worth $46,000 after buying an additional 652 shares during the period. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. boosted its stake in Laureate Education by 26.1% during the third quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. now owns 1,807 shares of the company's stock worth $69,000 after buying an additional 374 shares during the period. Finally, Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio acquired a new stake in shares of Laureate Education during the second quarter valued at about $110,000. 96.27% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Laureate Education

Laureate Education, Inc is a higher education company that operates a network of universities and other learning institutions. Its institutions provide undergraduate and graduate degree programs, professional education, and online and hybrid learning options across fields such as business, health sciences, engineering, technology, and the social sciences.

The company currently serves students primarily in Mexico and Peru. Its Mexican institutions include Universidad del Valle de México (UVM) and Universidad Tecnológica de México (UNITEC), while its Peruvian institutions include Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC) and Universidad Privada del Norte (UPN).

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