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Strategic Education, Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 29 July 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue growth accelerated year-over-year: Revenue increased 4.9% to $337.3 million from $321.5 million in Q2 2025, driven by Education Technology Services strength, higher per-student revenue in U.S. Higher Education, and favorable foreign currency impacts. Source
  • Operating income margin expanded substantially: Operating income reached $50.5 million or 15.0% of revenue, compared to $45.8 million or 14.2% in Q2 2025. Adjusted operating margin on constant currency basis improved to 16.0% from 15.1%, reflecting operating leverage. Source
  • ETS revenue growth and margin expansion: Education Technology Services revenue increased 15.4% to $42.4 million from $36.7 million, driven by Sophia subscription growth, employer-affiliated enrollment, and Workforce Edge partnerships. Operating income grew to $19.6 million (46.2% margin) from $15.0 million (41.0% margin). Source
  • Healthcare portfolio now majority of USHE: USHE healthcare programs grew 11% year-over-year and now represent 52% of total enrollment, up from 47% in Q2 2025. Approximately 38% of healthcare enrollment comes from employer partners, supporting the employer-focused growth strategy. Source
  • USHE operating margin nearly doubled: USHE revenue increased 2.3% to $220.5 million from higher revenue per student. Operating income jumped to $32.4 million (14.7% margin) from $20.8 million (9.6% margin) in Q2 2025, reflecting significant operating leverage. Source
  • ANZ enrollment declined from regulatory changes: Australia/New Zealand enrollment decreased 5.2% to 17,555 students from 18,524 in Q2 2025, driven by regulatory changes affecting international enrollment, though partially offset by growing domestic enrollment. Source
  • Operating cash flow increased substantially: Net cash from operations was $116.6 million for the first six months of 2026 compared to $98.9 million in H1 2025, representing 17.8% growth and reflecting strong operating performance and working capital management. Source
  • Free cash flow reached $92.4 million: Free cash flow for H1 2026 was $92.4 million compared to $77.7 million in H1 2025, an 18.9% increase. Capital expenditures were $24.2 million, maintaining disciplined investment while generating strong cash returns. Source

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Capella University introduced a new Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Prelicensure) program for enrollment starting July 2026, expanding its healthcare offerings in line with strategic focus on healthcare portfolio growth. Source

Consolidated Revenue and Profitability Growth

  • Revenue growth accelerated year-over-year: Revenue increased 4.9% to $337.3 million from $321.5 million in Q2 2025, driven by Education Technology Services strength, higher per-student revenue in U.S. Higher Education, and favorable foreign currency impacts. Source
  • Operating income margin expanded substantially: Operating income reached $50.5 million or 15.0% of revenue, compared to $45.8 million or 14.2% in Q2 2025. Adjusted operating margin on constant currency basis improved to 16.0% from 15.1%, reflecting operating leverage. Source
  • Diluted earnings per share increased significantly: Diluted EPS rose to $1.71 from $1.37 in Q2 2025. Adjusted diluted EPS on constant currency basis increased to $1.76 from $1.52, reflecting margin expansion and the benefit of share buybacks reducing share count. Source

Education Technology Services Momentum

  • ETS revenue growth and margin expansion: Education Technology Services revenue increased 15.4% to $42.4 million from $36.7 million, driven by Sophia subscription growth, employer-affiliated enrollment, and Workforce Edge partnerships. Operating income grew to $19.6 million (46.2% margin) from $15.0 million (41.0% margin). Source
  • Workforce Edge employer agreements expanded: Workforce Edge, the education benefits administration platform, had 81 corporate agreements as of June 30, 2026, covering approximately 4.02 million employees, reflecting continued growth in employer partnerships. Source

U.S. Higher Education Progress

  • Healthcare portfolio now majority of USHE: USHE healthcare programs grew 11% year-over-year and now represent 52% of total enrollment, up from 47% in Q2 2025. Approximately 38% of healthcare enrollment comes from employer partners, supporting the employer-focused growth strategy. Source
  • USHE operating margin nearly doubled: USHE revenue increased 2.3% to $220.5 million from higher revenue per student. Operating income jumped to $32.4 million (14.7% margin) from $20.8 million (9.6% margin) in Q2 2025, reflecting significant operating leverage. Source
  • FlexPath enrollment increased with healthcare focus: FlexPath enrollment, the direct assessment platform, increased to 25% of USHE enrollment from 23% in Q2 2025. Healthcare programs comprise 73% of FlexPath enrollment, aligning with overall portfolio composition. Source

Australia/New Zealand Regulatory Challenges

  • ANZ enrollment declined from regulatory changes: Australia/New Zealand enrollment decreased 5.2% to 17,555 students from 18,524 in Q2 2025, driven by regulatory changes affecting international enrollment, though partially offset by growing domestic enrollment. Source
  • ANZ revenue growth driven by currency: ANZ revenue increased 7.6% to $74.4 million on a reported basis, but decreased 2.6% to $67.4 million on constant currency, showing that reported growth was primarily driven by favorable foreign exchange rather than operational performance. Source

Operating Cash Flow and Returns

  • Operating cash flow increased substantially: Net cash from operations was $116.6 million for the first six months of 2026 compared to $98.9 million in H1 2025, representing 17.8% growth and reflecting strong operating performance and working capital management. Source
  • Free cash flow reached $92.4 million: Free cash flow for H1 2026 was $92.4 million compared to $77.7 million in H1 2025, an 18.9% increase. Capital expenditures were $24.2 million, maintaining disciplined investment while generating strong cash returns. Source
  • Share repurchases and dividends continued: During H1 2026, the company repurchased 913,729 shares for $72.7 million. A regular quarterly dividend of $0.60 per share was declared, payable September 14, 2026, reflecting confidence in the business. Source

Collections and Credit Management

  • Bad debt expense improved year-over-year: Consolidated bad debt expense decreased to 3.3% of revenue in Q2 2026 from 4.0% in Q2 2025, indicating improved collection performance and student financing reliability across all segments. Source

Coming up, as management said on 29 July 2026

  • Dividend payment scheduled for September: The quarterly cash dividend of $0.60 per share will be paid September 14, 2026 to shareholders of record as of September 4, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Sophia Learning subscribers Sourceup 32 percent year-over-year
Workforce Edge corporate agreements Source81 agreements covering 4.02 million employees
USHE total enrollment Source85,894 students
USHE employer-affiliated enrollment percentage Source34.7 percent of total
USHE healthcare portfolio percentage Source52 percent of total enrollment
ANZ student enrollment Source17,555 students

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.