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Robert Meese Sells 1,354 Shares of Duolingo (NASDAQ:DUOL) Stock

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Key Points

  • Insider sale: Robert Meese sold 1,354 Duolingo shares for approximately $174,842 to cover tax withholding on vested equity awards. He continues to own 169,391 shares.
  • Quarterly performance: Duolingo exceeded earnings and revenue expectations, reporting $0.66 in EPS and $298.45 million in revenue, up 18.3% year over year.
  • Analyst outlook remains mixed: Citigroup and UBS upgraded or maintained bullish views, but the overall consensus rating is “Hold” with a $130.50 price target, reflecting concerns about slowing growth, costs and valuation.
  • MarketBeat previews the top five stocks to own by September 1st.

Duolingo, Inc. (NASDAQ:DUOL - Get Free Report) insider Robert Meese sold 1,354 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $129.13, for a total value of $174,842.02. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 169,391 shares in the company, valued at $21,873,459.83. The trade was a 0.79% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards.

Duolingo Stock Performance

DUOL traded up $6.39 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $146.03. The company's stock had a trading volume of 2,261,304 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,013,961. The company's 50-day moving average is $129.06 and its 200-day moving average is $114.21. Duolingo, Inc. has a 52 week low of $87.89 and a 52 week high of $355.00. The firm has a market cap of $6.83 billion, a PE ratio of 17.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.07 and a beta of 0.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.06, a quick ratio of 2.72 and a current ratio of 2.72.

Duolingo (NASDAQ:DUOL - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 5th. The company reported $0.66 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.60 by $0.06. Duolingo had a net margin of 35.88% and a return on equity of 12.10%. The firm had revenue of $298.45 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $295.58 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.91 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 18.3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts forecast that Duolingo, Inc. will post 2.67 EPS for the current year.

Duolingo News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Duolingo this week:

  • Positive Sentiment: D.A. Davidson’s upgrade and higher price target provided the main catalyst, implying further upside from recent trading levels. The analyst sees improving execution and strategic developments supporting Duolingo’s next phase of growth. Duolingo Nears a Turning Point and It's Why This Analyst Upgraded the Stock to Buy
  • Positive Sentiment: Recent momentum is supported by strong user growth, continued product improvements, healthy cash flow and declining artificial-intelligence costs. Duolingo’s shares had already gained 22.1% over three months, indicating that investors are rewarding progress in operating efficiency and engagement. Duolingo Stock Jumps 22.1% in Three Months
  • Neutral Sentiment: Market coverage is focused on whether Duolingo can sustain its rally after the analyst upgrade. The company’s strong balance sheet and user expansion support the long-term case, but investors are increasingly focused on evidence that growth can reaccelerate. Can Duolingo Keep Its Momentum Going?
  • Negative Sentiment: Risks include slower bookings and user-growth trends, rising costs and a premium valuation. These factors raise the execution bar and could limit additional gains if monetization or growth fails to meet elevated expectations. Should You Buy Duolingo as Growth Slows and Valuation Stays High?

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Duolingo

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in DUOL. Bank of America Corp DE raised its stake in Duolingo by 511.2% in the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 1,332,301 shares of the company's stock valued at $131,325,000 after purchasing an additional 1,114,315 shares in the last quarter. State of Michigan Retirement System lifted its position in Duolingo by 112.9% during the first quarter. State of Michigan Retirement System now owns 1,193,307 shares of the company's stock worth $117,624,000 after purchasing an additional 632,807 shares during the period. FIL Ltd grew its stake in Duolingo by 1,715,575.9% during the fourth quarter. FIL Ltd now owns 497,546 shares of the company's stock worth $87,319,000 after buying an additional 497,517 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new position in Duolingo in the 4th quarter valued at about $86,159,000. Finally, Amundi increased its holdings in Duolingo by 1,351.7% in the 1st quarter. Amundi now owns 449,068 shares of the company's stock valued at $44,265,000 after buying an additional 418,134 shares during the period. 91.59% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Citigroup raised shares of Duolingo from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday. Truist Financial upped their target price on Duolingo from $100.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research report on Thursday, August 6th. Craig Hallum lowered Duolingo to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday. UBS Group lifted their price target on Duolingo from $125.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, August 6th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Duolingo from $94.00 to $125.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Friday, July 17th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have given a Buy rating, sixteen have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $130.50.

View Our Latest Research Report on DUOL

About Duolingo

(Get Free Report)

Duolingo, Inc NASDAQ: DUOL is a technology-driven education company that operates a widely used language-learning platform. Founded in 2011 by Luis von Ahn and Severin Hacker, Duolingo offers a freemium service featuring bite-sized lessons, gamified exercises and adaptive learning algorithms. The company's core product is its mobile and web application, which supports instruction in more than 40 languages, ranging from widely spoken tongues such as English and Spanish to lesser-taught options including Irish and Swahili.

In addition to its flagship language courses, Duolingo has expanded its product suite to include the Duolingo English Test, an on-demand, computer-based English proficiency exam designed for academic and professional admissions.

Further Reading

Insider Buying and Selling by Quarter for Duolingo (NASDAQ:DUOL)

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

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