Perdoceo Education (NASDAQ:PRDO) Issues Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.03 EPS

Perdoceo Education (NASDAQ:PRDO) announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday. The company reported $0.77 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.03, FiscalAI reports. The firm had revenue of $215.86 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $211.07 million. Perdoceo Education had a net margin of 20.62% and a return on equity of 18.93%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.60 earnings per share.

Here are the key takeaways from Perdoceo Education’s conference call:

• Third-quarter net income rose to $44.4 million, or $0.70 per diluted share, while revenue increased 1.9% to $215.9 million. Adjusted operating income grew 8.4%, and year-to-date EPS was up 23.5%.
• Enrollment trends were favorable overall: total enrollment rose 1.6%, led by 7.5% growth at AIU System and 3.2% at St. Augustine, where revenue increased 9.8%. St. Augustine’s adjusted operating income also improved, supported by growth and operating efficiencies.
• Management raised its 2026 adjusted operating income outlook to $260 million–$263 million and expects fourth-quarter adjusted operating income of $56.9 million–$59.9 million. It expects full-year revenue growth and says St. Augustine and AIU System should contribute to operating income growth.
• The company ended the quarter with about $777 million in cash, restricted cash, and short-term investments, and continued returning capital through dividends and share repurchases. The proposed South University acquisition is expected to be funded with cash and contribute to adjusted operating income beginning in 2027, subject to closing conditions.
• CTU enrollment was relatively flat, and management expects it to remain so through year-end as record graduations and tough comparisons weigh on reported growth; it expects growth to resume in 2027. AIU System is also expected to report lower enrollment in the fourth quarter due to academic-calendar timing, while the outlook depends on assumptions about student demand, regulation, and legal costs.

Perdoceo Education Trading Up 2.1%

Shares of Perdoceo Education stock opened at $27.44 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.20, a P/E/G ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 0.76. Perdoceo Education has a 1-year low of $26.24 and a 1-year high of $38.50. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $32.03 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $33.24.

Perdoceo Education Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 11th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 27th will be given a $0.17 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, November 27th. This represents a $0.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.5%. Perdoceo Education’s payout ratio is 23.94%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Perdoceo Education

In other news, CEO Todd Nelson sold 46,199 shares of Perdoceo Education stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $32.89, for a total value of $1,519,485.11. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 301,782 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,925,609.98. The trade was a 13.28% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 1.46% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

PRDO has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Wall Street Zen raised Perdoceo Education from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Perdoceo Education in a research note on Thursday, October 15th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Perdoceo Education currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $44.00.

Perdoceo Education Company Profile

Perdoceo Education Corporation provides postsecondary education through Colorado Technical University (CTU) and American InterContinental University (AIU). The institutions offer undergraduate and graduate degree programs, as well as certificates, in fields including business, technology, healthcare, and criminal justice.

Both universities deliver much of their instruction online and also maintain campus locations. Their programs are designed to serve working adults and other students seeking flexible study options, primarily in the United States.

The company was formerly known as Career Education Corporation and adopted the Perdoceo Education name in 2019.