Strategic Education

STRA · NASDAQ

$80.80−$0.40 (−0.49%)TodayMarket closed · Oct 20, 7:30 PM ET

Prev close $81.20

STRA analyst rating

BuyConsensus of 3 analysts over the last 12 months. 67% rate it a buy.

Strong buy0
Buy2
Hold1
Underperform0
Sell0

12-month price target · 5 analysts

Average $100.30 (+24.1% upside)

Low: $90.90
Now: $80.80
High: $110.25

Upgrades and downgrades

The latest rating actions, newest first

STRA analyst upgrades, downgrades and rating actions
Firm	Date	Action	Rating	Price target	Hit rate
BMO Capital	Oct 5, 2026	Maintains	Outperform	$100.00 → $95.00	60%
Truist Securities	Jul 30, 2026	Maintains	Hold	$80.00 → $90.00	63%
BMO Capital	Jul 6, 2026	Maintains	Outperform	$86.00 → $91.00	60%
BMO Capital	Apr 27, 2026	Maintains	Outperform	$95.00 → $86.00	60%
Truist Securities	Apr 27, 2026	Maintains	Hold	$85.00 → $80.00	63%
Barrington Research	Apr 23, 2026	Maintains	Outperform	$105.00 → $95.00	63%
Truist Securities	Mar 24, 2026	Downgrade	Buy → Hold	$95.00 → $85.00	63%
Barrington Research	Jan 26, 2026	Maintains	Outperform	$105.00	63%
Barrington Research	Dec 18, 2025	Maintains	Outperform	$105.00	63%
Barrington Research	Nov 7, 2025	Maintains	Outperform	$105.00	63%

The case for and against

Updated Oct 14, 2026

Bull case

Strategic Education is attractive because its diversified mix is increasingly supported by fast-growing Education Technology Services, where revenue rose 21% to $41.5 million and adjusted operating income jumped 42.2% to $19.7 million with a 47.4% margin, helping offset softer U.S. Higher Education results. The balance sheet is strong, with $162.6 million of cash and marketable securities, no debt outstanding under the $250 million revolver, and free cash flow up 34.8% to $77.3 million in the first quarter. Share repurchases of $40.0 million in the first quarter and 1,708,368 shares in 2025, combined with management’s confidence in 200 bps of margin expansion through better expense control, support a favorable fundamental outlook.

Bear case

Strategic Education is facing a negative outlook because its first quarter results broadly missed expectations even as total enrollment of 106,735 was better than modeled, underscoring weak monetization and margin pressure in the core business. U.S. Higher Education revenue fell 3.8% to $212.6 million and adjusted operating income dropped 14.9% to $25.5 million, while unaffiliated enrollment declined for a sixth consecutive quarter, signaling that growth is increasingly dependent on narrower employer and healthcare channels. The outlook is further weakened by ANZ’s fragile recovery, as constant-currency revenue fell 4.0% and record February 2026 Australian visa refusals of 32.5% raise the risk that immigration policy will continue to constrain international student demand at Torrens University.

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