Latest Ratios: P/E Ratio 15.5x · EV/EBITDA 13.1x · ROE 6.7%. (1997–2026 historical series)
Price-based multiples — how expensive the stock is relative to earnings, sales, book value, and cash flow
| Metric | TTM | FY 2026 | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap | $858M | $981M | $477M | $1.1B | $1.5B | $1.3B | $1.2B | $1.0B | $1.2B | $1.6B | $1.5B |
| Enterprise Value | $1.1B | $1.2B | $728M | $1.1B | $1.4B | $1.1B | $1.1B | $635M | $868M | $1.2B | $1.1B |
| P/E Ratio → | 15.47 | 17.31 | — | 90.70 | 17.06 | 16.53 | — | — | 75.20 | — | 28.93 |
| P/S Ratio | 0.54 | 0.62 | 0.29 | 0.69 | 0.87 | 0.81 | 0.89 | 0.68 | 0.72 | 0.97 | 0.87 |
| P/B Ratio | 1.17 | 1.31 | 0.50 | 1.08 | 1.26 | 1.10 | 0.98 | 0.86 | 0.93 | 1.19 | 1.15 |
| P/FCF | 343.15 | 392.40 | 6.63 | 11.46 | 16.96 | 7.26 | 48.54 | — | 55.36 | 78.73 | 19.91 |
| P/OCF | 16.85 | 19.27 | 3.84 | 7.13 | 9.90 | 5.91 | 16.27 | 484.40 | 10.18 | 11.13 | 10.66 |
P/E links to full P/E history page with 30-year chart
Enterprise-value multiples — capital-structure-neutral measures of total business value
| Metric | TTM | FY 2026 | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EV / Revenue | — | 0.78 | 0.45 | 0.70 | 0.79 | 0.68 | 0.82 | 0.43 | 0.52 | 0.73 | 0.61 |
| EV / EBITDA | 13.08 | 14.53 | 6.79 | 12.15 | 7.92 | 6.86 | 25.39 | — | 10.30 | 11.93 | 8.33 |
| EV / EBIT | 42.55 | 47.26 | 43.06 | 61.40 | 11.89 | 12.06 | — | — | 30.78 | 2381.30 | 11.84 |
| EV / FCF | — | 493.44 | 10.11 | 11.55 | 15.57 | 6.07 | 45.01 | — | 40.56 | 59.53 | 14.12 |
Margins and return-on-capital ratios measuring operating efficiency
Full margin charts and quarterly trend are on the Earnings History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2026 | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 52.7% | 52.7% | 55.8% | 55.6% | 53.8% | 53.4% | 51.6% | 52.3% | 52.8% | 54.3% | 53.2% |
| Operating Margin | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.2% | 1.5% | 6.2% | 6.0% | -1.7% | -6.0% | 1.5% | 3.4% | 5.1% |
| Net Profit Margin | 3.6% | 3.6% | -0.1% | 0.8% | 5.1% | 4.9% | -0.8% | -2.9% | 0.9% | -0.3% | 3.0% |
| Metric | TTM | FY 2026 | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE | 6.7% | 6.7% | -0.2% | 1.1% | 7.2% | 6.7% | -0.9% | -3.6% | 1.2% | -0.4% | 4.1% |
| ROA | 4.4% | 4.4% | -0.1% | 0.7% | 4.4% | 4.1% | -0.5% | -2.2% | 0.8% | -0.3% | 3.0% |
| ROIC | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.3% | 1.8% | 7.8% | 7.0% | -1.8% | -7.6% | 2.0% | 4.6% | 7.7% |
| ROCE | 3.8% | 3.8% | 1.5% | 2.0% | 8.0% | 7.4% | -1.6% | -6.2% | 1.8% | 4.0% | 6.6% |
Solvency and debt-coverage ratios — lower is generally safer
| Metric | TTM | FY 2026 | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debt / Equity | 0.52 | 0.52 | 0.40 | 0.12 | 0.09 | 0.08 | 0.24 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Debt / EBITDA | 4.56 | 4.56 | 3.50 | 1.33 | 0.60 | 0.60 | 6.70 | — | 0.21 | 0.08 | 0.05 |
| Net Debt / Equity | — | 0.34 | 0.26 | 0.01 | -0.10 | -0.18 | -0.07 | -0.32 | -0.25 | -0.29 | -0.33 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 2.98 | 2.98 | 2.34 | 0.09 | -0.71 | -1.35 | -1.99 | — | -3.76 | -3.85 | -3.41 |
| Debt / FCF | — | 101.04 | 3.48 | 0.09 | -1.40 | -1.19 | -3.53 | — | -14.80 | -19.20 | -5.78 |
| Interest Coverage | 2.33 | 2.33 | 0.93 | 9.53 | 81.29 | 31.93 | -1.94 | -28.90 | 12.82 | 0.25 | 37.63 |
Short-term solvency ratios and asset-utilisation metrics
| Metric | TTM | FY 2026 | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio | 1.09 | 1.09 | 1.16 | 1.27 | 1.48 | 1.61 | 1.48 | 2.06 | 1.77 | 2.15 | 2.51 |
| Quick Ratio | 0.63 | 0.63 | 0.76 | 0.77 | 0.93 | 1.15 | 1.09 | 1.52 | 1.18 | 1.49 | 1.78 |
| Cash Ratio | 0.23 | 0.23 | 0.20 | 0.21 | 0.37 | 0.51 | 0.53 | 0.79 | 0.62 | 0.88 | 1.15 |
| Asset Turnover | — | 2.55 | 0.83 | 0.95 | 0.87 | 0.85 | 0.65 | 0.73 | 0.88 | 0.89 | 0.99 |
| Inventory Turnover | 2.82 | 2.82 | 2.87 | 2.67 | 2.35 | 2.72 | 2.33 | 2.62 | 2.41 | 2.52 | 2.88 |
| Days Sales Outstanding | — | 54.55 | 68.08 | 57.45 | 61.45 | 72.47 | 96.81 | 80.95 | 55.19 | 45.93 | 41.75 |
Earnings, FCF, buyback, and dividend yields — total returns to shareholders
Full dividend history and growth charts are on the Dividend History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2026 | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield | — | — | 4.7% | 2.2% | 1.7% | 1.5% | 1.8% | 2.0% | 1.8% | 1.3% | 1.4% |
| Payout Ratio | — | — | — | 204.1% | 29.7% | 25.6% | — | — | 135.3% | — | 39.8% |
| Metric | TTM | FY 2026 | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings Yield | 6.5% | 5.8% | — | 1.1% | 5.9% | 6.0% | — | — | 1.3% | — | 3.5% |
| FCF Yield | 0.3% | 0.3% | 15.1% | 8.7% | 5.9% | 13.8% | 2.1% | — | 1.8% | 1.3% | 5.0% |
| Buyback Yield | 0.0% | 0.0% | 14.7% | 14.3% | 9.0% | 2.5% | 0.0% | 3.5% | 0.7% | 1.7% | 0.5% |
| Total Shareholder Yield | 0.0% | 0.0% | 19.4% | 16.6% | 10.7% | 4.0% | 1.8% | 5.5% | 2.5% | 3.1% | 1.8% |
| Shares Outstanding | — | $24M | $28M | $30M | $35M | $36M | $34M | $35M | $36M | $35M | $35M |
Includes 30+ ratios · 30 years · Updated daily
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Quick answers to the most common questions about buying SCHL stock.
Scholastic Corporation's current P/E ratio is 15.5x. The historical average is 27.2x. This places it at the 9th percentile of its historical range.
Scholastic Corporation's current EV/EBITDA is 13.1x. This enterprise value multiple compares the company's total value (equity + debt - cash) to its EBITDA. The historical average is 9.1x.
Scholastic Corporation's return on equity (ROE) is 6.7%. The historical average is 5.8%.
Based on historical data, Scholastic Corporation is trading at a P/E of 15.5x. This is at the 9th percentile of its historical P/E range. Compare with industry peers and growth rates for a complete picture.
Scholastic Corporation has 52.7% gross margin and 1.6% operating margin.
Scholastic Corporation's Debt/EBITDA ratio is 4.6x, indicating high leverage. A ratio above 4x may signal elevated financial risk.
Key Metrics
Top Statement Risk
Structural margin compression from high fixed costs
Metrics are mathematically derived from official filings.
Gross Margin Strength Drowned by Overhead
Scholastic's robust gross margin, reported at 57.3% in 2026Q4, is consistently consumed by an SG&A expense ratio exceeding 45% of revenue, resulting in a structurally thin operating margin of just 1.1% for that quarter, which highlights a fundamental cost structure challenge.
The company's core markup on content is strong, suggesting effective pricing power in its captive school market. However, the cost of maintaining its proprietary distribution network and corporate structure appears to be a permanent drag, leaving minimal margin for error. Any increase in input costs or operational inefficiency, such as those implied by the recent -2.7% YoY revenue decline, immediately threatens this fragile profitability.
Compounding Returns Elusive Amid Volatility
Scholastic's Return on Invested Capital has failed to establish a positive trend over the last ten quarters, swinging from a peak of 5.6% in 2026Q2 to a trough of -6.8% in 2027Q1, indicating the business struggles to generate consistent returns on its capital base.
The extreme volatility in ROIC, which aligns with the company's severe seasonality, masks a deeper issue: the inability to generate returns significantly above the cost of capital during even its best quarters. The recent turn to negative territory, coinciding with revenue headwinds, suggests the capital base—now inflated with goodwill from acquisitions—may not be efficiently deployed in the core distribution business.
Leverage Rising From a Historically Low Base
The debt-to-equity ratio has increased from 0.12 in 2024Q4 to 0.75 in 2027Q1, representing a significant shift in capital structure as total debt rose to over $490 million, though interest coverage remains positive at 140x in 2026Q4 when profitable.
This escalation in leverage, while still conservative relative to peers like Warner Bros. Discovery (D/E 0.88), marks a departure from the company's historically fortress-like balance sheet. The increase appears funded by debt rather than retained earnings, which is concerning given the current operating losses. Investors should monitor whether this is a strategic pivot for investment or a sign of operational cash flow pressure.
The P/E Trap in a Capital-Intensive Publisher
The trailing P/E ratio of 13.82 is likely misleading for Scholastic, as it frames a capital-intensive logistics business as a steady earner, while the P/FCF ratio of 306.65 reveals the extreme capital requirements and volatile cash generation inherent to its school fair model.
Analysts using a standard P/E multiple may overlook that Scholastic's 'earnings' are highly seasonal, capital-intensive, and vulnerable to non-cyclical funding shifts like the ESSER sunset. The forward P/E of 18.07 implies a recovery that is not yet evident in the operational trends. A more appropriate lens might be EV/EBITDA, which at 12.01 better accounts for the firm's operational leverage and the recently expanded debt load.