Education & Training Services
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Side-by-side financial analysisStock Comparison
LGCY vs LAUR
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Education & Training Services
LGCY vs LAUR — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Education & Training Services | Education & Training Services |
| Market Cap | $139M | $5.25B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $78M | $1.74B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $8M | $280M |
| Gross Margin | 46.7% | 26.9% |
| Operating Margin | 14.4% | 24.0% |
| Forward P/E | 16.4x | 17.1x |
| Total Debt | $18M | $847M |
| Cash & Equiv. | $20M | $147M |
LGCY vs LAUR — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | Sep 24 | Jun 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legacy Education In… (LGCY) | 100 | 239.3 | +139.3% |
| Laureate Education,… (LAUR) | 100 | 221.3 | +121.3% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: LGCY vs LAUR
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
LGCY is the clearest fit if your priority is income & stability and growth exposure.
- Dividend streak 0 yrs, beta 1.44
- Rev growth 39.5%, EPS growth 34.1%, 3Y rev CAGR 27.9%
- Lower volatility, beta 1.44, Low D/E 43.1%, current ratio 2.69x
LAUR carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for long-term compounding and defensive.
- 251.4% 10Y total return vs LGCY's 173.9%
- Beta 0.53, yield 0.0%, current ratio 0.60x
- 16.1% margin vs LGCY's 10.9%
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 39.5% revenue growth vs LAUR's 8.6% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (16.4x vs 17.1x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 16.1% margin vs LGCY's 10.9% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.53 vs LGCY's 1.44 | |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither stock pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | +66.7% vs LGCY's +22.5% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 12.9% ROA vs LGCY's 11.7%, ROIC 20.3% vs 27.1% |
LGCY vs LAUR — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
LGCY vs LAUR — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
LAUR leads this category, winning 3 of 4 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
LAUR is the larger business by revenue, generating $1.7B annually — 22.3x LGCY's $78M. LAUR is the more profitable business, keeping 16.1% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to LGCY's 10.9%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $78M | $1.7B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $12M | $535M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $8M | $280M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $5M | $264M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +46.7% | +26.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +14.4% | +24.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +10.9% | +16.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +6.1% | +15.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +15.4% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | -15.4% |
Valuation Metrics
LGCY leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 18.7x trailing earnings, LGCY trades at a 4% valuation discount to LAUR's 19.4x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, LAUR's 11.0x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than LGCY's 13.1x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $139M | $5.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $137M | $5.9B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 18.66x | 19.45x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 16.35x | 17.12x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 13.10x | 10.98x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.17x | 3.08x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 3.40x | 4.60x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 20.12x | 19.94x |
Profitability & Efficiency
LGCY leads this category, winning 5 of 8 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
LAUR delivers a 25.4% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $25 in annual profit, vs $19 for LGCY. LGCY carries lower financial leverage with a 0.43x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to LAUR's 0.71x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +18.8% | +25.4% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +11.7% | +12.9% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +27.1% | +20.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +24.9% | +26.7% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.43x | 0.71x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$3M | $701M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $20M | $147M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $18M | $847M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 136.29x | 34.91x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
LAUR leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in LAUR five years ago would be worth $30,175 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $27,388 for LGCY. Over the past 12 months, LAUR leads with a +66.7% total return vs LGCY's +22.5%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors LAUR at 45.9% vs LGCY's 39.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +6.4% | +10.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +22.5% | +66.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +173.9% | +210.6% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +173.9% | +201.8% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +173.9% | +251.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +39.9% | +45.9% |
Risk & Volatility
LAUR leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
LAUR is the less volatile stock with a 0.53 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than LGCY's 1.44 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. LAUR currently trades 96.0% from its 52-week high vs LGCY's 74.9% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.44x | 0.53x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $14.70 | $38.28 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $7.94 | $21.53 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +74.9% | +96.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 44.0 | 76.8 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 58K | 1.2M |
Analyst Outlook
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates LGCY as "Buy" and LAUR as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 31.7% upside for LGCY (target: $15) vs 6.1% for LAUR (target: $39).
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $14.50 | $39.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 3 | 11 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.0% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $0.00 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +4.1% |
LAUR leads in 3 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Total Returns). LGCY leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency).
LGCY vs LAUR: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is LGCY or LAUR a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Legacy Education Inc.
(LGCY) is the stronger pick with 39. 5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 8. 6% for Laureate Education, Inc. (LAUR). Legacy Education Inc. (LGCY) offers the better valuation at 18. 7x trailing P/E (16. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Legacy Education Inc. (LGCY) a "Buy" — based on 3 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 — LGCY or LAUR?
On trailing P/E, Legacy Education Inc.
(LGCY) is the cheapest at 18. 7x versus Laureate Education, Inc. at 19. 4x. On forward P/E, Legacy Education Inc. is actually cheaper at 16. 4x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — LGCY or LAUR?
Over the past 5 years, Laureate Education, Inc.
(LAUR) delivered a total return of +201. 8%, compared to +173. 9% for Legacy Education Inc. (LGCY). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: LAUR returned +251. 4% versus LGCY's +173. 9%. 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 — LGCY or LAUR?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Laureate Education, Inc.
(LAUR) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 53β versus Legacy Education Inc. 's 1. 44β — meaning LGCY is approximately 173% more volatile than LAUR relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Legacy Education Inc. (LGCY) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 43% versus 71% for Laureate Education, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — LGCY or LAUR?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Legacy Education Inc.
(LGCY) is pulling ahead at 39. 5% versus 8. 6% for Laureate Education, Inc. (LAUR). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Legacy Education Inc. grew EPS 34. 1% year-over-year, compared to -1. 6% for Laureate Education, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, LGCY leads at 27. 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 — LGCY or LAUR?
Laureate Education, Inc.
(LAUR) is the more profitable company, earning 16. 5% net margin versus 11. 7% for Legacy Education Inc. — meaning it keeps 16. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: LAUR leads at 25. 3% versus 15. 6% for LGCY. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — LGCY leads at 45. 9%, 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 LGCY or LAUR more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Legacy Education Inc.
(LGCY) trades at 16. 4x forward P/E versus 17. 1x for Laureate Education, Inc. — 0. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for LGCY: 31. 7% to $14. 50.
08Which pays a better dividend — LGCY or LAUR?
None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.
All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.
09Is LGCY or LAUR better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Laureate Education, Inc.
(LAUR) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 53), +251. 4% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (LAUR: +251. 4%, LGCY: +173. 9%), 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 LGCY and LAUR?
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: LGCY is a small-cap high-growth stock; LAUR is a small-cap quality compounder stock. 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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