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Laureate Education, Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 19 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 5 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Fourth-quarter revenue rose 28% reported: Reported revenue was $541.4 million, up $118.0 million. Organic constant currency growth was 16%, with about $25 million from academic calendar timing. Source
  • Currency effects drove full-year net income decline: Full-year net income was $283.8 million against $296.4 million. Foreign currency exchange loss was $34.6 million, against a $50.7 million gain in 2024. Source
  • Peru revenue growth ran ahead of Mexico: Peru revenue rose 35% reported and 22% organic constant currency in the quarter. Mexico rose 22% reported and 12% organic constant currency. Source
  • New enrollments grew faster than total: Full-year new enrollment growth was above total enrollment growth, both measured against 2024. Source
  • Fourth-quarter Adjusted EBITDA reached $204.3 million: Adjusted EBITDA was $204.3 million against $141.1 million. Calendar timing added about $21 million to the quarter. Source
  • Net cash of $17.6 million at year-end: Cash of $146.7 million against gross debt of $129.1 million left net cash of $17.6 million at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Repurchases funded from free cash flow and cash: Management said repurchases will be financed with free cash flow, excess cash and liquidity on hand, including the revolver. Source

“Our robust balance sheet and significant free cash flow generation enabled us to continue investing in our long-term growth strategy”

Eilif Serck-Hanssen, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Total enrollments Sourcefull-year 2026516,000 to 521,000 studentsNew
Revenues Sourcefull-year 2026$1,890 million to $1,905 millionNew
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefull-year 2026$583 million to $593 millionNew
Adjusted EPS Sourcefull-year 2026$1.95 - $2.03 per shareNew
Diluted weighted average shares Sourcefull-year 2026approximately 144 millionNew
Share repurchase authorization Sourceprogram with no fixed expiration$400 million total; about $181 million availableRaised from $250 million

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Full-year 2026 guidance given for enrollments, revenues, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EPS. Source
  • New: From Q4 2025, interest on certain legacy tax liabilities is excluded from Adjusted net income and treated as a discrete tax item. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Fourth-quarter revenue rose 28% reported: Reported revenue was $541.4 million, up $118.0 million. Organic constant currency growth was 16%, with about $25 million from academic calendar timing. Source
  • Fourth-quarter net income reached $171.5 million: Net income was $171.5 million against $93.6 million, with a $56.9 million discrete tax benefit from release of a legacy tax liability. Source
  • Full-year revenue rose 9%: Full-year revenue was $1,701.9 million, up $135.3 million. Organic constant currency growth was 8%. Source
  • Currency effects drove full-year net income decline: Full-year net income was $283.8 million against $296.4 million. Foreign currency exchange loss was $34.6 million, against a $50.7 million gain in 2024. Source

Segments and regions

  • Peru revenue growth ran ahead of Mexico: Peru revenue rose 35% reported and 22% organic constant currency in the quarter. Mexico rose 22% reported and 12% organic constant currency. Source
  • Mexico Adjusted EBITDA rose 19%: Mexico Adjusted EBITDA was $93.3 million against $78.4 million, up 19% reported and 10% organic constant currency. Source
  • Peru Adjusted EBITDA rose 65%: Peru Adjusted EBITDA was $122.1 million against $74.0 million, up 65% reported and 49% organic constant currency. Source
  • Full-year Mexico and Peru revenue split: Full-year Mexico revenue was $877.4 million, up 4% reported and 9% organic constant currency. Peru revenue was $824.4 million, up 14% reported and 7% organic. Source

“remain focused on executing our growth agenda while continuing to return excess capital to shareholders.”

Eilif Serck-Hanssen, President and Chief Executive Officer

Enrollment and demand

  • New enrollments grew faster than total: Full-year new enrollment growth was above total enrollment growth, both measured against 2024. Source
  • Peru enrollment growth exceeded Mexico: Peru's new and total enrollment growth was higher than Mexico's for the full year, per the release's segment figures. Source
  • Mexico enrollment growth was smaller: Mexico grew more slowly than Peru on both new and total enrollments across 2025. Source

Costs, margins and tax

  • Full-year operating income rose: Full-year operating income was $431.1 million against $374.0 million. The company credited revenue growth and cost controls. Source
  • Fourth-quarter Adjusted EBITDA reached $204.3 million: Adjusted EBITDA was $204.3 million against $141.1 million. Calendar timing added about $21 million to the quarter. Source
  • Full-year Adjusted EBITDA rose 15%: Full-year Adjusted EBITDA was $518.9 million, up 15% reported and 13% organic constant currency, from $450.1 million. Source
  • Income tax expense fell in Q4: Income tax expense was $11.0 million for the fourth quarter against $46.5 million. Full-year tax expense was $117.3 million against $119.0 million. Source
  • Legacy tax interest excluded from Adjusted net income: From Q4 2025, legacy tax interest is excluded from Adjusted net income: $0.6 million in Q4 and $6.1 million for 2025. The 2024 discrete tax items were revised by $8.5 million. Source

“I am profoundly grateful to each member of the Laureate community for their dedication, compassion, and steadfast commitment to our students’ success in 2025.”

Eilif Serck-Hanssen, President and Chief Executive Officer

Balance sheet and cash

  • Net cash of $17.6 million at year-end: Cash of $146.7 million against gross debt of $129.1 million left net cash of $17.6 million at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Operating cash flow rose to $366.2 million: Operating cash flow was $366.2 million against $232.7 million. Purchases of property and equipment were $103.0 million. Source
  • Cash balance rose over 2025: Cash and cash equivalents rose from $91.4 million to $146.7 million over the year. Source

Capital returns and buybacks

  • Repurchases funded from free cash flow and cash: Management said repurchases will be financed with free cash flow, excess cash and liquidity on hand, including the revolver. Source
  • About $217 million repurchased in 2025: Repurchases totaled about $217 million during 2025 under the existing programs. Year-end shares outstanding were 142.9 million. Source
  • About $31 million left before increase: Before the new increase, about $31 million remained under the program at December 31, 2025. Source

Guidance for 2026

  • Adjusted measures not reconciled to GAAP: The company gave no GAAP reconciliation for 2026 Adjusted EBITDA or Adjusted EPS, citing insufficient data to estimate the adjustments. Source
  • Growth ranges differ on currency basis: Revenue growth for 2026 is higher as reported than on an organic constant currency basis, per the ranges given. Source
  • Diluted share count assumed for EPS: The Adjusted EPS range assumes about 144 million diluted weighted average shares. Source

Strategy and people

  • Two new campuses opened in 2025: Management cites the opening of two new campuses and further digital and AI innovation as part of its growth strategy. Source
  • Growth agenda and capital returns continue: Management said it remains focused on executing its growth agenda while continuing to return excess capital to shareholders. Source
  • Faculty and staff exceed 30,000: Management cites more than 30,000 faculty and staff advancing its mission in Mexico and Peru. Source

Coming up, as management said on 19 February 2026

  • Buybacks continue over time: Repurchases may be made from time to time on the open market, in privately negotiated transactions, or in block trades, depending on market conditions. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
New enrollments, Laureate, full-year 2025 Source272,200, up 8%
Total enrollments, Laureate, at 12/31/2025 Source497,700, up 5%
New enrollments, Peru Source104,100, up 13%
Total enrollments, Peru Source228,300, up 7%
New enrollments, Mexico Source168,100, up 5%
Total enrollments, Mexico Source269,400, up 4%

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Q3 release expected calendar timing impacts to be offset in Q4. Q4 release reports about $25 million favorable revenue timing and $21 million favorable Adjusted EBITDA timing.
  • Not stated: Q3 release cited this commitment. Q4 release states more than $200 million was returned to shareholders in 2025 through share repurchases.

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.