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Strategic Education, Inc. (STRA)

NEUTRAL
Consumer DefensiveEducation & Training ServicesUnited States

Fundamental

64

Price

$84.18

Market Cap

$1.90B

Part 1 · What the company is worth

Overview

Strategic Education, Inc. provides education services through campus-based and online post-secondary education, and programs to develop job-ready skills. The company operates through three segments: U.S. Higher Education, Australia/New Zealand, and Education Technology Services. It operates Strayer University that offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business, criminal justice, education, health services, information technology, and public administration at physical campuses located in the eastern United States, as well as through online; non-degree web and mobile application development courses through Hackbright Academy and Devmountain; and MBA online through its Jack Welch Management Institute. In addition, the company operates Capella University, an online accredited institution of higher education; Torrens University, which offers undergraduate, graduate, higher degree by research, and specialized degree courses in business, design and creative technology, health, hospitality, and education fields through online and on physical campuses located in Australia; Think Education, a vocational training organization and higher education provider; and Media Design School, which provides industry-endorsed courses in 3D animation and visual effects, game art and programming, graphic and motion design, digital media, artificial intelligence, and creative advertising. It offers Workforce Edge, an administration platform that enables employers to manage and streamline their education benefits programs; and Sophia Learning, which offers low-cost online general education-level courses. Strategic Education, Inc. was founded in 1892 and is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia.

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Direct competitors

Who this company fights with for the same customers

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No competitor list for this company yet.

Balance Sheet & Liquidity

Revenue

$1.29B

Trailing 12 months (through 6/30/2026)

Net Income

$135M

Trailing 12 months (through 6/30/2026)

Free Cash Flow

$154M

Total Equity

$1.65B

Total Liabilities

$392M

Current Ratio

1.10

Interest Coverage

-

Debt/EBITDA

0.48

Earnings Per Share

Revenue & Net Income

Free Cash Flow

Income Breakdown

Historical statement

Margins over time

Debt over time

How heavy the debt is

Growth grid

Growth — Revenue

Fair Value Estimation

General caseFairly Valued

Fair Value

$105.65

Current Price

$84.18

Margin of Safety

+20.3%

Fair Value Range

$68.67 - $142.63

Estimation Methods

Analyst price target:$98.33
Discounted cash flow (DCF):$183.16
Earnings multiple (P/E):$64.99
Graham growth formula:$123.87
Earnings power value (EPV):$81.88
Justified P/B:$75.08
Dividend discount (Gordon):$63.03
P/FFO, funds from operations:Not enough data to compute it
Mid-cycle earnings:$111.87
Revenue multiple:Not enough data to compute it
Analyst Consensus:Strong Buy (7B / 2H / 0S)
Last Earnings Surprise:-4.14%

Valuation Metrics

P/E Ratio

14.02

ROE

7.7%

P/B Ratio

1.14

P/FCF

11.07

Gross Margin

-

ROIC

7.9%

Profitability Radar

Value Creation (Economic Moat)

ROIC

7.9%

WACC

7.6%

ROIC − WACC

+0.3 pp

ROIC is roughly in line with the cost of capital — the company is barely covering its capital cost.

Fundamental Analysis Criteria

Passed (18)

  • ROIC 7.9%
  • P/FCF 11.07
  • P/B Ratio 1.14
  • Debt/Equity ratio
  • Operating Margin 14.0%
  • Positive Free Cash Flow
  • Current Ratio
  • Debt/EBITDA
  • Return on Tangible Assets
  • Price below Graham Number
  • ROE 8.2%
  • Analyst Consensus 78% Buy
  • Earnings Surprise avg 8.1%
  • PEG Ratio 1.81
  • Earnings Quality (OCF/NI) 1.61
  • Share Dilution -3.0%
  • Net Margin Trend 10.5% vs 9.3%
  • Piotroski F-Score 6/9

Failed (7)

  • EPS shows upward trend
  • EPS CAGR -0.28%
  • Price CAGR 0.34%
  • CapEx intensity
  • Low reliance on intangibles
  • DCF valuation (Overvalued)
  • Revenue Growth 5Y 4.3%

Unavailable (3)

  • Gross Margin NaN%
  • Dividend Payout NaN%
  • Interest Coverage

Piotroski F-Score

6/9

Mixed signals: some areas need attention

score
criteria

Earnings Quality

1.61

High quality: earnings backed by cash

Share Dilution

-3.0%

Buying back shares. Shareholder friendly

Governance

Executive Team

NameTitleAge
Mr. Karl McDonnellPresident, CEO & Director59
Mr. Daniel W. JacksonExecutive VP, CFO & Chief Administrative Officer50
Ms. Lizette Benedi Herraiz Esq.Senior VP, Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel & Secretary of the Board50
Ms. Christa E. HokensonSenior VP & Chief Human Resources Officer54
Mr. Tal DarmonSenior VP, Controller & Chief Accounting Officer50
Ms. Terese WilkeDirector of Investor Relations-
Dr. Sondra F. StallardPresident Emerita and Director of Accreditation & Regulatory Affairs - Strayer University75
Mr. Andrew E. WattPresident of U.S. Higher Education47
Mr. Joe SchaeferPresident of Education Technology Services-
Prof. Alwyn LouwVice-Chancellor of Torrens University Australia-

Audit Risk

8

Board Risk

4

Compensation Risk

5

Shareholder Rights Risk

4

Part 2 · The price and when to enter

This part won't tell you whether the company is worth owning: it helps you choose when to buy it, once the fundamentals have convinced you. Inside: technical analysis, potential, historical drawdowns, gamma exposure.

Latest News

Recent headlines for STRA, sourced from Markets Gazette.

  • 4/23/2026NEUTRAL
    Strategic Education Reports Q1 2026 Results: Full Earnings Call Transcript

    Strategic Education Inc. released its Q1 2026 earnings call transcript on April 23, 2026. The transcript provides a detailed account of the company's financial performance, strategic initiatives, and outlook for the upcoming quarters. Investors can review management's commentary on key business drivers, operational efficiencies, and market conditions. While the earnings call transcript itself is informational, it does not contain new quantitative results or forward-looking statements that would immediately impact the stock price. Further analysis of the transcript's content is required to ascertain specific financial takeaways.

  • 2/26/2026NEUTRAL
    Strategic Education (STRA) Earnings Transcript

    Strategic Education Inc. has announced the release of its earnings transcript, a routine event closely monitored by investors for insights into financial performance and future outlook. However, without the specific details contained within the transcript, the market remains in anticipation of concrete information. Analysts and traders will need to thoroughly review the data once it becomes available to assess the impact on revenues, profits, and guidance. Until then, the news of the publication alone offers no clear directional cues, maintaining a wait-and-see approach among investors.

via Markets Gazette