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Perdoceo Education Corp.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 November 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 3 lowered, 2 narrowed, 10 new, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Third-quarter revenue and EPS rose: Revenue rose 1.9% to $215.9 million and operating income rose 8.1% to $55.1 million. Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.77, up 18.5% from $0.65. Source
  • Total enrollment rose to 47,260: Total student enrollments at September 30 rose 1.6% to 47,260. AIUS rose 7.5% to 10,830 and USAHS rose 3.2% to 4,560, while CTU fell 0.5% to 31,870. Source
  • CTU operating income fell on legal fees: CTU quarterly revenue rose 0.3% to $117.4 million, but operating income fell 6.1% to $44.9 million. The company attributes the increase in CTU legal fees to previously disclosed matters. Source
  • Operating cash flow rose to $79.7M: Operating cash flow was $79.7 million for the quarter, against $41.2 million, and $223.8 million year to date, against $185.1 million. Management cited working capital timing and operating income growth. Source
  • Agreement to buy South University: South University, a health sciences-focused institution, operates eleven campus locations across seven states and an online program. Its institutional accreditation runs through 2034. Source

“Third quarter operating performance was ahead of our expectations”

Todd Nelson, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Operating income SourceFull year 2026$221.0M - $224.0MLowered from $221.2M - $226.2M
Operating income SourceFourth quarter 2026$47.9M - $50.9MNew
Adjusted operating income SourceFourth quarter 2026$56.9M - $59.9MNew
Adjusted operating income SourceFull year 2026$260.0M - $263.0MNarrowed, low end up from $258.0M - $263.0M
Diluted EPS SourceFourth quarter 2026$0.63 - $0.67New
Diluted EPS SourceFull year 2026$2.93 - $2.97Narrowed, low end up from $2.91 - $2.97
Adjusted diluted EPS SourceFourth quarter 2026$0.68 - $0.72New
Adjusted diluted EPS SourceFull year 2026$3.15 - $3.19Raised from $3.10 - $3.16
Depreciation and amortization SourceFull year 2026$36.6MLowered from $36.8M
Legal fees related to M&A activity SourceFourth quarter 2026$0.5MNew
Legal fees related to M&A activity SourceFull year 2026$2.4MNew
Effective income tax rate SourceFourth quarter 2026approximately 25.5%New
Effective income tax rate SourceFull year 2026approximately 23.3%Lowered from approximately 23.5%
South University cash at closing SourceAt closing, expected as early as April 2027$130 million - $150 millionNew
South University deferred consideration SourcePaid in installments over 24 months after closing$18 millionNew
South University earn-out SourceFiscal years 2027, 2028 and 2029up to $56 millionNew
Quarterly dividend per share SourceQuarter paid December 11, 2026$0.17Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Full-year operating income range lowered at both ends, from $221.2M-$226.2M to $221.0M-$224.0M. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year adjusted operating income low end raised to $260.0M from $258.0M. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year diluted EPS low end raised to $2.93 from $2.91. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year adjusted diluted EPS range raised to $3.15-$3.19 from $3.10-$3.16. Source
  • New guidance: Fourth-quarter 2026 guidance provided for the first time; the prior release gave a third-quarter range only. Source
  • New: Definitive agreement to acquire South University, announced September 14, 2026; not in the prior release. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Third-quarter revenue and EPS rose: Revenue rose 1.9% to $215.9 million and operating income rose 8.1% to $55.1 million. Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.77, up 18.5% from $0.65. Source
  • Year-to-date EPS up 23.5%: Year-to-date diluted EPS was $2.31 versus $1.87, and adjusted diluted EPS was $2.48 versus $2.02. Year-to-date revenue rose 2.6% to $651.0 million and operating income rose 12.3% to $173.1 million. Source
  • Net income higher in both periods: Net income was $44.4 million for the quarter, against $39.9 million, and $146.3 million year to date, against $124.6 million. Source

Segments and enrollment

  • Total enrollment rose to 47,260: Total student enrollments at September 30 rose 1.6% to 47,260. AIUS rose 7.5% to 10,830 and USAHS rose 3.2% to 4,560, while CTU fell 0.5% to 31,870. Source
  • USAHS revenue grew about 10%: USAHS quarterly revenue rose 9.8% to $41.7 million, and operating income was $4.6 million against $66 thousand a year earlier. Year-to-date revenue rose 9.9%. Source
  • CTU operating income fell on legal fees: CTU quarterly revenue rose 0.3% to $117.4 million, but operating income fell 6.1% to $44.9 million. The company attributes the increase in CTU legal fees to previously disclosed matters. Source
  • AIUS operating income up 24.9%: AIUS quarterly revenue was $56.6 million, down 0.1%, while operating income rose 24.9% to $11.6 million. Year-to-date AIUS revenue fell 0.5%. Source

“Importantly, we remain committed to investing in student support and technology that we believe will further enhance both student experiences and academic outcomes.”

Todd Nelson, President and Chief Executive Officer

Costs and operating expenses

  • Educational services costs fell: Educational services and facilities expense was $48.0 million, or 22.2% of revenue, down from $49.1 million, or 23.2%, a year earlier. Source
  • G&A dollars rose, share of revenue eased: General and administrative expense rose to $103.4 million from $101.8 million, but fell slightly as a share of revenue to 47.9% from 48.0%. Source
  • Bad debt expense fell year to date: Bad debt expense was $15.4 million year to date, down from $20.9 million a year earlier, per the cash flow statement. Source
  • M&A legal fees added back: Legal fees related to M&A activity were $1.6 million in the quarter, against $12 thousand a year earlier, and are added back in adjusted operating income. Source

Margins and adjusted measures

  • Operating margin rose to 25.5%: Quarterly operating margin was 25.5%, against 24.1%, and year-to-date operating margin was 26.6%, against 24.3%. Source
  • Adjusted operating income up 8.4%: Adjusted operating income was $66.1 million, up 8.4%, and $203.1 million year to date, up 9.0%. Adjustments add back depreciation, amortization and M&A legal fees. Source
  • Adjusted EPS adds back intangible amortization: Adjusted EPS adds back amortization of acquired intangibles and M&A legal fees, net of tax at 25.0%. Quarterly amortization was $0.07 per share. Source

“Looking ahead, we are on track to complete our acquisition of South University as early as April 2027, and expect to continue generating long-term, sustainable and responsible growth.”

Todd Nelson, President and Chief Executive Officer

Demand and student support

  • Interest and retention assumed steady: Guidance assumes prospective student interest, retention and engagement trends remain consistent with management's recent experience. Source
  • AI search shift assumed offset: Guidance assumes any drop in inquiries from prospective students using AI in place of search engines will be offset by inquiry growth from other channels. The prior release assumed no material impact. Source
  • Student support and technology spending: Management said it remains committed to investing in student support and technology, which it believes will enhance student experiences and academic outcomes. Source

Cash flow and balance sheet

  • Operating cash flow rose to $79.7M: Operating cash flow was $79.7 million for the quarter, against $41.2 million, and $223.8 million year to date, against $185.1 million. Management cited working capital timing and operating income growth. Source
  • Cash and investments reached $776.9M: Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and short-term investments totaled $776.9 million at September 30, against $643.5 million at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Deferred revenue more than doubled: Deferred revenue was $81.4 million at September 30, against $37.8 million at December 31, 2025, within total current liabilities of $183.8 million. Source
  • Capital expenditures stayed modest: Capital expenditures were $2.2 million for the quarter, up 16.7%, and $5.4 million year to date, down 14.1%. Source

Capital returns and dividend

  • Quarterly dividend held at $0.17: The board declared a $0.17 quarterly dividend, unchanged from the prior quarter, payable December 11, 2026 to holders of record on November 27, 2026. Source
  • Buybacks of $19.9M in the quarter: The company repurchased 0.6 million shares for $19.9 million in the quarter, with $65.1 million remaining under its current program. Source
  • Dividends paid $30.3M year to date: Year-to-date cash dividends and dividend equivalents paid were $30.3 million, against $27.4 million a year earlier. Source

South University acquisition

  • Agreement to buy South University: South University, a health sciences-focused institution, operates eleven campus locations across seven states and an online program. Its institutional accreditation runs through 2034. Source
  • Closing cash adjusted to April 2027 balance sheet: Cash paid at closing will be adjusted for cash, working capital and certain debt-like items, based on South's balance sheet at the start of April 2027. Source
  • Funding from available cash balances: Management said the purchase price and any deferred and earn-out payments are expected to be funded fully from available cash balances. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 November 2026

  • South University closing targeted April 2027: Management expects to complete the acquisition as early as April 2027. Source
  • Acquisition expected accretive from 2027: Management expects the transaction to be immediately accretive to adjusted operating income beginning in 2027, with further growth in 2028. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Total student enrollments Source47,260 at September 30, 2026, up 1.6%
CTU enrollments Source31,870, down 0.5%
AIUS enrollments Source10,830, up 7.5%
USAHS enrollments Source4,560, up 3.2%

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: Guidance assumes no material impact from federal budget or legislative activity on the availability of current federal student aid levels. Source
  • Regulatory: Guidance assumes any effect on enrollments from elimination of the Grad PLUS loan program will not be material, as students are assumed to have private lending access. Source
  • Regulatory: Guidance assumes no significant operating impact from the FTC settlement or other legal or regulatory matters. Source
  • Financial: Guidance assumes legal fees on current litigation and the proposed acquisition remain generally in line with current expectations. Source
  • Regulatory: Guidance assumes no material disruption to federal student aid availability from agency restructuring, government shutdowns or staffing changes. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said third-quarter operating performance was ahead of its expectations. Source
  • On track: Management said it is on track to complete the South University acquisition. Source
  • Not stated: The prior release gave a third-quarter operating income range; reported third-quarter operating income was $55.1 million.
  • Not stated: Management expects dividends and share repurchases to be an integral and growing part of capital allocation. Source

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.