Education & Training Services
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UDMY vs STRA
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Education & Training Services
UDMY vs STRA — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Education & Training Services | Education & Training Services |
| Market Cap | $700M | $1.79B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $790M | $1.27B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $4M | $130M |
| Gross Margin | 65.6% | 37.4% |
| Operating Margin | -0.5% | 14.0% |
| Forward P/E | 9.6x | 10.9x |
| Total Debt | $10M | $109M |
| Cash & Equiv. | $231M | $141M |
UDMY vs STRA — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | Oct 21 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Udemy, Inc. (UDMY) | 100 | 17.5 | -82.5% |
| Strategic Education… (STRA) | 100 | 115.2 | +15.2% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: UDMY vs STRA
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
UDMY is the clearest fit if your priority is growth exposure and sleep-well-at-night.
- Rev growth 0.4%, EPS growth 104.6%, 3Y rev CAGR 7.9%
- Lower volatility, beta 1.21, Low D/E 4.9%, current ratio 1.31x
- Lower P/E (9.6x vs 10.9x)
STRA carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and long-term compounding.
- Dividend streak 1 yrs, beta 0.48, yield 3.2%
- 114.7% 10Y total return vs UDMY's -82.5%
- Beta 0.48, yield 3.2%, current ratio 1.27x
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 4.0% revenue growth vs UDMY's 0.4% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (9.6x vs 10.9x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 10.2% margin vs UDMY's 0.5% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.48 vs UDMY's 1.21 | |
| Dividends | 3.2% yield; 1-year raise streak; the other pay no meaningful dividend | |
| Momentum (1Y) | -7.8% vs UDMY's -25.9% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 6.2% ROA vs UDMY's 0.6%, ROIC 9.0% vs -56.7% |
UDMY vs STRA — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
UDMY vs STRA — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
STRA leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
STRA is the larger business by revenue, generating $1.3B annually — 1.6x UDMY's $790M. STRA is the more profitable business, keeping 10.2% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to UDMY's 0.5%. On growth, STRA holds the edge at +0.8% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $790M | $1.3B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $21M | $216M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $4M | $130M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $73M | $174M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +65.6% | +37.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -0.5% | +14.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +0.5% | +10.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +9.3% | +13.7% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -3.0% | +0.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +76.2% | +19.4% |
Valuation Metrics
Evenly matched — UDMY and STRA each lead in 3 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 14.5x trailing earnings, STRA trades at a 92% valuation discount to UDMY's 186.8x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, STRA's 7.2x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than UDMY's 21.0x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $700M | $1.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $479M | $1.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 186.77x | 14.50x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 9.61x | 10.93x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.93x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 21.04x | 7.17x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.89x | 1.41x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 3.42x | 1.09x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 8.71x | 11.60x |
Profitability & Efficiency
STRA leads this category, winning 4 of 7 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
STRA delivers a 7.9% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $8 in annual profit, vs $2 for UDMY. UDMY carries lower financial leverage with a 0.05x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to STRA's 0.07x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +1.7% | +7.9% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +0.6% | +6.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -56.7% | +9.0% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -1.2% | +10.7% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 8 | 8 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.05x | 0.07x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$221M | -$32M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $231M | $141M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $10M | $109M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 18.19x | — |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
STRA leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in STRA five years ago would be worth $11,955 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $1,745 for UDMY. Over the past 12 months, STRA leads with a -7.8% total return vs UDMY's -25.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors STRA at 1.1% vs UDMY's -18.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -13.8% | +0.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -25.9% | -7.8% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -46.4% | +3.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -82.5% | +19.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -82.5% | +114.7% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -18.8% | +1.1% |
Risk & Volatility
STRA leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
STRA is the less volatile stock with a 0.48 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than UDMY's 1.21 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. STRA currently trades 84.1% from its 52-week high vs UDMY's 59.3% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.21x | 0.48x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $8.09 | $93.45 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $4.01 | $69.70 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +59.3% | +84.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 49.2 | 48.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.4M | 317K |
Analyst Outlook
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates UDMY as "Hold" and STRA as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 10.7% upside for STRA (target: $87) vs 4.2% for UDMY (target: $5). STRA is the only dividend payer here at 3.21% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $5.00 | $87.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 12 | 18 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +3.2% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $2.52 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +7.3% | +7.8% |
STRA leads in 4 of 6 categories — strongest in Income & Cash Flow and Profitability & Efficiency. 1 category is tied.
UDMY vs STRA: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is UDMY or STRA a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Strategic Education, Inc.
(STRA) is the stronger pick with 4. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 0. 4% for Udemy, Inc. (UDMY). Strategic Education, Inc. (STRA) offers the better valuation at 14. 5x trailing P/E (10. 9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Strategic Education, Inc. (STRA) a "Buy" — based on 18 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — UDMY or STRA?
On trailing P/E, Strategic Education, Inc.
(STRA) is the cheapest at 14. 5x versus Udemy, Inc. at 186. 8x. On forward P/E, Udemy, Inc. is actually cheaper at 9. 6x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — UDMY or STRA?
Over the past 5 years, Strategic Education, Inc.
(STRA) delivered a total return of +19. 5%, compared to -82. 5% for Udemy, Inc. (UDMY). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: STRA returned +114. 7% versus UDMY's -82. 5%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — UDMY or STRA?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Strategic Education, Inc.
(STRA) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 48β versus Udemy, Inc. 's 1. 21β — meaning UDMY is approximately 150% more volatile than STRA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Udemy, Inc. (UDMY) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 5% versus 7% for Strategic Education, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — UDMY or STRA?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Strategic Education, Inc.
(STRA) is pulling ahead at 4. 0% versus 0. 4% for Udemy, Inc. (UDMY). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Udemy, Inc. grew EPS 104. 6% year-over-year, compared to 16. 1% for Strategic Education, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, UDMY leads at 7. 9% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.
06Which has better profit margins — UDMY or STRA?
Strategic Education, Inc.
(STRA) is the more profitable company, earning 10. 0% net margin versus 0. 5% for Udemy, Inc. — meaning it keeps 10. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: STRA leads at 15. 5% versus -0. 3% for UDMY. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — UDMY leads at 65. 6%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
07Is UDMY or STRA more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Udemy, Inc.
(UDMY) trades at 9. 6x forward P/E versus 10. 9x for Strategic Education, Inc. — 1. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for STRA: 10. 7% to $87. 00.
08Which pays a better dividend — UDMY or STRA?
In this comparison, STRA (3.
2% yield) pays a dividend. UDMY does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
09Is UDMY or STRA better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Strategic Education, Inc.
(STRA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 48), 3. 2% yield, +114. 7% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (STRA: +114. 7%, UDMY: -82. 5%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
10What are the main differences between UDMY and STRA?
Both stocks operate in the Consumer Defensive sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.
In terms of investment character: UDMY is a small-cap quality compounder stock; STRA is a small-cap deep-value stock. STRA pays a dividend while UDMY does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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