Laureate Education Leads Year-to-Date Performance in Educational Services Stocks

Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst

Source: SeekingAlpha

Updated: Dec 19 2025

0mins

LAUR+2.51%

XLY+0.04%

Should l Buy LAUR?

Source: SeekingAlpha

Consumer Discretionary Sector Performance: The S&P 500 consumer discretionary sector has underperformed the broader market in 2025, with a year-to-date gain of +7.2%, making it the eighth best performing sector among 11 major sectors.
Top Educational Services Stocks: Laureate Education leads the educational services stocks with a remarkable YTD performance of +83.00%, followed by Graham Holdings and TAL Education, while Duolingo has the lowest performance at -43.59%.
Quant Ratings Overview: The top educational stocks have varying quant ratings, with Laureate Education rated as a "Buy" at 3.89, while Duolingo is rated as a "Hold" at 2.95, indicating a mix of investment potential across the sector.
Consumer Discretionary ETFs: Several consumer discretionary ETFs, including XLY, VCR, and FXD, are highlighted, suggesting a range of investment options within the sector for potential growth and risk management.

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Analyst Views on LAUR

Wall Street analysts forecast LAUR stock price to rise

4 Analyst Rating

3 Buy

1 Hold

0 Sell

Strong Buy

Current: 33.920

Low

32.00

Averages

36.50

High

40.00

Current: 33.920

Low

32.00

Averages

36.50

High

40.00

UBS

Buy

maintain

$36 -> $39

2026-01-08

Reason

UBS

Price Target

$36 -> $39

AI Analysis

2026-01-08

maintain

Buy

Reason

UBS raised the firm's price target on Laureate Education to $39 from $36 and keeps a Buy rating on the shares.

JPMorgan

Marcelo Santos

initiated

$40

2025-12-10

Reason

JPMorgan

Marcelo Santos

Price Target

$40

2025-12-10

initiated

Reason

JPMorgan analyst Marcelo Santos initiated coverage of Laureate Education with an Overweight rating and $40 price target. The firm says the company offers "consistent" high-single-digit growth, driven by increasing market penetration. Laureate has "strong" margins and "robust" free cash flow generation, supported by its good market structure, the analyst tells investors in a research note. JPMorgan adds that the company has greater visibility compared to its Brazilian peers due to limited government intervention and the absence of major structural changes.

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About LAUR

Laureate Education, Inc. operates a portfolio of degree-granting higher education institutions (Laureate International Universities network) in Mexico and Peru. The Laureate International Universities network offers a range of undergraduate and graduate degrees through campus-based, online and hybrid programs. The Company offers its educational services through two reportable segments: Mexico and Peru. It owns Universidad del Valle de Mexico (UVM) and Universidad Tecnologica de Mexico (UNITEC) in Mexico. It also owns the Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC), Universidad Privada del Norte (UPN) and CIBERTEC institution in Peru. Its institutions in Mexico and Peru offer traditional higher education students a private education alternative, with multiple brands and price points in each market and program. The Company offers various programs, including medicine and health sciences, engineering and information technology, and business and management.

About the author

Emily J. Thompson

Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.

First Sabrepoint Capital Reduces Stake in Laureate Education

1 day agoFool

Stake Reduction Details: First Sabrepoint Capital sold 300,000 shares of Laureate Education in Q4 2025 for an estimated $9.26 million, indicating a potential shift in confidence towards the company.
Asset Management Shift: Following the sale, Laureate Education now represents 6.4% of First Sabrepoint's assets under management, reflecting a decrease in its relative importance within the investment portfolio.
Company Performance Metrics: Laureate Education's stock price surged 70.8% over the past year, with a 9% revenue growth to $400.2 million in Q3, highlighting steady demand in its core markets.
Future Outlook: Despite the reduction, Laureate maintains strong cash flow and a flexible balance sheet, with future growth hinging on enrollment increases and market stability, suggesting that management's cautious trimming could be a prudent investment strategy.

First Sabrepoint Capital Reduces Stake in Laureate Education

1 day agoNASDAQ.COM

Stake Reduction: First Sabrepoint Capital Management sold 300,000 shares of Laureate Education in Q4 2025 for an estimated $9.26 million, reflecting the company's strategic response to market fluctuations.
Position Value Decline: The quarter-end position value for Laureate Education stood at $16.84 million, down $8.40 million from the previous period, indicating the dual impact of trading activity and share price movements.
Asset Allocation Adjustment: Laureate Education now accounts for 6.5% of the fund's AUM, and while the stake was reduced, it remains a significant holding, suggesting a rebalancing strategy rather than a complete divestment.
Future Outlook: Despite the reduction, Laureate Education achieved a 9% revenue growth in Q3 2023, with full-year revenue guidance reaching up to $1.686 billion, highlighting sustained demand and growth potential in the Latin American markets.