Strategic Education (NASDAQ:STRA) Director Michael Thawley Purchases 665 Shares

Key Points

• Director Michael Thawley purchased 665 shares at an average price of $72.71 for $48,352.15, raising his stake to 12,154 shares (a 5.79% ownership increase).
• Strategic Education reported Q1 EPS of $1.42 and revenue of $305.93M, missing estimates (consensus $1.51 EPS and ~$329.8M revenue), a shortfall that pressured the stock amid above-average trading volume.
• The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.60 per share (annualized $2.40, ~3.3% yield) with an ex-dividend date of May 22 and payment on June 1, and consensus analyst coverage rates the stock as a "Moderate Buy" with an average target of $89.33.

Strategic Education Inc. (NASDAQ:STRA - Get Free Report) Director Michael Thawley bought 665 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Friday, April 24th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $72.71 per share, with a total value of $48,352.15. Following the purchase, the director owned 12,154 shares of the company's stock, valued at $883,717.34. This represents a 5.79% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link.

Strategic Education Trading Up 1.9%

Shares of STRA stock traded up $1.34 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $73.53. 522,220 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 270,047. The company has a market capitalization of $1.66 billion, a PE ratio of 12.99, a PEG ratio of 0.69 and a beta of 0.53. Strategic Education Inc. has a 12-month low of $69.70 and a 12-month high of $93.45. The business's 50 day simple moving average is $80.65 and its 200-day simple moving average is $80.57.

Strategic Education (NASDAQ:STRA - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 23rd. The health services provider reported $1.42 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.51 by ($0.09). Strategic Education had a net margin of 10.21% and a return on equity of 8.78%. The business had revenue of $305.93 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $329.81 million. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.30 EPS. Strategic Education's revenue for the quarter was up .8% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts anticipate that Strategic Education Inc. will post 6.97 EPS for the current year.

Strategic Education Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 22nd will be given a dividend of $0.60 per share. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.3%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 22nd. Strategic Education's dividend payout ratio is presently 44.28%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have recently commented on STRA. Zacks Research upgraded Strategic Education from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Truist Financial lowered Strategic Education from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $95.00 to $85.00 in a research report on Tuesday, March 24th. Wall Street Zen raised Strategic Education from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, April 18th. Barrington Research lowered their price objective on Strategic Education from $105.00 to $95.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Strategic Education in a research note on Tuesday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have given a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $89.33.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Strategic Education

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Blue Trust Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Strategic Education in the third quarter worth about $25,000. Allworth Financial LP increased its holdings in Strategic Education by 88.5% during the 3rd quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 294 shares of the health services provider's stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 138 shares during the period. Hantz Financial Services Inc. raised its position in Strategic Education by 154.2% during the 4th quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 333 shares of the health services provider's stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 202 shares during the last quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. lifted its holdings in Strategic Education by 85.2% in the 2nd quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 387 shares of the health services provider's stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 178 shares during the period. Finally, Sankala Group LLC purchased a new stake in Strategic Education in the 4th quarter worth approximately $37,000. 93.27% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Strategic Education

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

• Positive Sentiment: Company announced a quarterly dividend of $0.60 per share (annualized yield ~3.3%), which supports income-oriented investors and can provide downside support to the stock.
• Positive Sentiment: Management said Q1 may be the low point for 2026 and is targeting roughly 200 basis points of margin expansion by accelerating AI-driven productivity improvements — a clear strategic cost-efficiency lever that could boost future margins and earnings. Seeking Alpha Margin Expansion
• Positive Sentiment: Recent analyst/quant coverage frames STRA as an attractive value name (Zacks articles and a “Moderate Buy” broker consensus), highlighting low P/E and PEG metrics versus growth prospects — which can attract value-oriented buyers. Zacks: Should Value Investors Buy? Zacks: Strong Value Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Company reported Q1 results and issued a slide deck/press release summarizing performance (revenue modestly up YoY; detailed slides/transcript available for investors evaluating the quarter). BusinessWire Q1 Release
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call transcript and presentation were posted — useful for judging management tone, guidance detail, and execution against the AI productivity plan. Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Reported Q1 EPS of $1.42 missed consensus ($1.51) and revenue of $305.9M fell short of estimates (~$329.8M). The shortfall in topline and the EPS miss are primary near-term negative catalysts pressuring the stock. Zacks: Q1 Miss
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction: several outlets noted shares falling after the miss and the revenue shortfall, signaling investor concern about near-term growth and execution. Elevated trading volume versus average suggests stronger investor selling/positioning around the print. MSN: Shares Falling

Strategic Education Company Profile

Strategic Education, Inc is a publicly traded higher education services holding company headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. Through its primary operating subsidiaries, Strayer University and Capella University, the company delivers degree programs and professional development opportunities to working adults. Its offerings span undergraduate and graduate degrees, certificates, continuing education, and workforce training in fields such as business, technology, health services, education, and public administration.

Strayer University, with a network of physical campuses across the United States complemented by an online platform, provides associate’s through doctoral degrees designed to accommodate non-traditional students.

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