2026-10-25
Strategic Education, clears the business-activity screen and the figures we can measure look clean, but one or more financial figures are still pending, so the verdict is not final yet.
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latest tape · as of 20:03 UTC
The Screen · Consumer Defensive · Education & Training Services
Strategic Education, Inc.
STRA · Nasdaq · USD · Market cap $1.7B · 3,683 employees
Strategic Education, Inc.
Not yet scored58.47 USD
Price as of 5 Nov 2026Daily close, not a live quote
Screened 2026-11-05 · the tape above runs as of 20:03 UTC · two dates, stated on purpose · verdict and workings shown in full · never trimmed
Key facts today
- Price58.47 USD at the 5 Nov 2026 close
- Our value readUndervalued vs our fair value, as of 5 Nov 2026
- Our regime readDistribution, as of 5 Nov 2026
- Ethical screenNot yet scored
- OptionsOpen interest leans to puts (put/call 1.88)
- Last reviewed5 Nov 2026 (1 days ago)
- Release timesRelease and earnings times on your chart: Event Guard Mentor
A summary of the dated readings below, not a live quote and not advice.
PRICE · ONE YEAR
Our fair-value range: $105.00 to $148.64, base estimate $105.00 (screen dated 2026-11-05).
- Trend Distribution
- Insiders no filings inside 60 days, left as found
- Positioning no disclosures inside 60 days, left as found
- Options put/call open interest 1.88, read 2026-11-05
- Ethical screen not yet scored
Price58.47 USD
Fair value105.00
Ethical score70.0/100
Value readUndervaluedas of 5 Nov 2026
Our investment reviews on this name
2026-11-04Read Distribution74.04-21.0% to today ✓Markdown gives way to Distribution
2026-11-01Read Markdown72.96-19.9% to today ✓Accumulation gives way to Markdown after a 9% slide in 3 weeks
2026-10-11Read Accumulation79.82-26.7% to today Markdown gives way to Accumulation
2026-10-02Read Markdown78.53-25.5% to today ✓Accumulation gives way to Markdown after an 8% slide in 3 weeks
Our analytic regime reads on this name, dated and marked against the screened price. Small sample per name, and separate from the daily-framework accuracy on the Track Record page.
The full research record, in depth, below
This name holds its distribution label.
Strategic Education, Inc. holds its Distribution at $58.47. Elevated stress, defensive posture warranted, held for 1 days.
| Phase | Distribution · caution |
| Quantitative state | Elevated stress, defensive posture warranted, held for 1 days |
| Price at the screen | $58.47 |
| Valuation | 12.14 trailing · 8.80 forward price to earnings |
| Values screen | Not scored · score 70.0 |
| Beta | 0.48 |
Five Screens, Shown in Full
This security has not been fully scored against the values screen yet.
| Test | Figure | Limit | What it means | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business activity | Permissible | Core business clean | Its core business isn't built on prohibited lines: no gambling, alcohol, tobacco, weapons, or interest-based lending. | Pass |
| Debt load | 5.35% | Below 33% | Interest-bearing debt is just 5.4% of its assets, well under the one-third ceiling: it does not run on borrowed money. | Pass |
| Interest-bearing cash | 0.36% | Below 33% | Cash held in interest-bearing accounts and securities is 0.4% of assets, under the one-third limit. | Pass |
| Receivables | 10.74% | Below 49% | Money owed to the company is 10.7% of assets, under the 49% limit. | Pass |
Five checks adapted from AAOIFI screening standards: business activity plus four balance-sheet ratios. All five must pass for ethical clearance. Every figure is arithmetic on public accounts, not judgement.
The Ethical ReadThe Read, in Plain English
Strategic Education, clears the business-activity screen and the figures we can measure look clean, but one or more financial figures are still pending, so the verdict is not final yet.
Read as at 2026-11-05. It updates when the underlying figures move, and past reads are kept below.
2026-09-24
Clears
Strategic Education, clears all five screens. Its business is in a permissible area, its interest-bearing debt is about 5%, inside the ~33% line, and almost none of its income is interest, so it passes.
Earlier reads, kept as written. The ethical profile is tracked over time, not overwritten.
What the Numbers Say It Is WorthThe Fair Value Range
Our analysis reads Undervalued vs our fair value, as of 5 Nov 2026: it trades at roughly a 29% discount to our $105.00 fair value, 4.90% revenue growth.
How a fair value is estimated: discounted cash flow (DCF).
Fair value range in USD, drawn from the 2026-11-05 screen. The gold marker is the market price at the same screen. A 44.3% discount to the base estimate.
Third-party analyst targets. The average target sits +62% from the screen price.
Reading the gap · Both our model and the analysts see meaningful upside from here.
Price History & ProjectionsWhere our models see it going: fair-value estimate $105.00, with a range of $105.00 to $148.64, dated to the 2026-11-05 screen.
Fair value and rating are our own model estimates; the Street's range reflects third-party analyst estimates. Analysis, not advice.
The Business, in Plain WordsEducation firm looks cheap but growth has stalled
Picture a university campus where enrolment barely moves year to year while costs keep climbing. Strategic Education runs post-secondary courses across the US, Australia and New Zealand plus online skills programmes, yet revenue is expanding only 1 percent and return on equity sits at 8 percent. At 9.5 times forward earnings the shares sit well below our fair value of 95 dollars, but the opportunity rating stays at none because the business simply is not compounding.
The low multiple reflects that reality rather than a bargain. Profit margins of 10 percent are steady and the ethical screen clears, yet single-digit growth and an unknown moat leave little room for meaningful upside from here. Analyst targets cluster around 91 dollars, which still implies limited excitement once the numbers are stress-tested against flat demand for traditional degrees.
Risk centres on further enrolment weakness if employers shift toward shorter credentials and on currency moves in the Australia and New Zealand segment. Unknown competitive defences add another layer of uncertainty in a market already facing regulatory and demographic pressure. Analysis, not advice.
| Forward P/E | 8.8xpriced for continued growth |
| Trailing P/E | 12.1xreasonably valued |
| EPS, trailing | 6.12 |
| EPS, forward | 8.45 |
| Revenue growth | +4.9%slow but positive growth |
| Profit margin | 10.5%thin but positive margins |
| Return on equity | 8.2%a modest return on shareholder capital |
| FCF yield | 9.38% |
| Dividend yield | 310.00% |
| Debt to equity | 0.07minimal debt: a conservative balance sheet |
| Current ratio | 1.10adequate liquidity, worth monitoring |
| Beta | 0.48barely tracks the market's swings |
| Short interest, float | 0.11% |
| 52-week range | 69.70 - 89.73 |
| Market cap | $1.7B |
| Employees | 3,683 |
Another profit measure, before interest, tax and non-cash costs: EBITDA.
The risks · The things to watch: it's a small-cap, so the share price can swing harder than the market.
Plain-English interpretation of our own screen data. Analysis, not advice.
Where & How to TradeSTRA trades on Nasdaq. As a listed security it is accessible through almost any international broker offering its home market. New to this, or investing from abroad? Our guide to accessing global markets covers brokers, currencies and the practical steps.
Every Entry, As Written
2026-11-05
Distribution $74.32
+0.4% Entry 17
The analysis reads distribution. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved up 0.4% since our last review. Ethical screening: not fully scored yet. The risk-adjusted return profile shows negative risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it D, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 2% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading bullish. Over the past year the shares are up 1%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 16%. The street (3 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $87. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-11-04
Distribution · changed $74.04
+1.5% Entry 16
The framework has shifted from markdown to distribution since the last review. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved up 1.5% since our last review. Ethical screening: not fully scored yet. The risk-adjusted return profile shows negative risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it D, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 2% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading bullish. Over the past year the shares are up 1%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 16%. The street (3 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $87. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-11-03
Markdown $72.96
+0.0% Entry 15
The analysis reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: not fully scored yet. The risk-adjusted return profile shows negative risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it D, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 2% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading bullish. Over the past year the shares are up 1%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 16%. The street (3 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $87. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-11-02
Markdown $72.96
+0.0% Entry 14
The analysis reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: not fully scored yet. The risk-adjusted return profile shows negative risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it D, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 2% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading bullish. Over the past year the shares are up 1%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 16%. The street (3 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $87. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-11-01
Markdown · changed $72.96
-10.7% Entry 13
The framework has shifted from accumulation to markdown since the last review. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 10.7% since our last review. Ethical screening: not fully scored yet. The risk-adjusted return profile shows negative risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 2% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading bullish. Over the past year the shares are up 1%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 16%. The street (3 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $87. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-31
Accumulation $81.74
+0.0% Entry 12
The analysis reads accumulation. Smart money appears to be quietly building positions. This typically precedes a markup phase. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: not fully scored yet. The risk-adjusted return profile shows negative risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 2% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading bullish. Over the past year the shares are up 1%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 16%. The street (3 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $87. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-30
Accumulation $81.74
+0.0% Entry 11
The analysis reads accumulation. Smart money appears to be quietly building positions. This typically precedes a markup phase. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: not fully scored yet. The risk-adjusted return profile shows negative risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 2% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading bullish. Over the past year the shares are up 1%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 16%. The street (3 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $87. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-29
Accumulation $81.74
+2.8% Entry 10
The analysis reads accumulation. Smart money appears to be quietly building positions. This typically precedes a markup phase. Price has moved up 2.8% since our last review. Ethical screening: not fully scored yet. The risk-adjusted return profile shows negative risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 2% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading bullish. Over the past year the shares are up 1%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 16%. The street (3 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $87. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-25
Accumulation $79.55
-3.4% Entry 9
The analysis reads accumulation. Smart money appears to be quietly building positions. This typically precedes a markup phase. Price has moved down 3.4% since our last review. Ethical screening: not fully scored yet. The risk-adjusted return profile shows negative risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 1% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading overbought. Over the past year the shares are up 1%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 16%. The street (3 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $87.
2026-10-18
Accumulation $82.39
+3.2% Entry 8
The analysis reads accumulation. Smart money appears to be quietly building positions. This typically precedes a markup phase. Price has moved up 3.2% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows negative risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it D, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 3% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 1%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 16%. The street (3 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $87.
Each entry above was written on its date, before the outcome. A journal you can prune is not a journal.
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Headlines from third-party outlets, linked for reference: not our reporting, not advice.
PRDOPerdoceo Education Corporation
COURCoursera, Inc.
UTIUniversal Technical Institute, Inc.
MHMcGraw Hill, Inc.
LRNStride, Inc.
APEIAmerican Public Education, Inc.
Screened names in the same industry · explore each on its own page.
| Date | Politician | Party | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-30 | Sheri Biggs | Republican | buy | 1K–15K |
| 2026-09-25 | Ro Khanna | Democrat | buy | 1K–15K |
| 2026-09-25 | Ro Khanna | Democrat | buy | 1K–15K |
| 2026-09-25 | Ro Khanna | Democrat | buy | 1K–15K |
| 2026-08-24 | Ro Khanna | Democrat | sell | 1K–15K |
| Period | Price then | Price return | Divs per share | $1,000 became | Total return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | $77.02 | +5.8% | $0.60 | $1,066 | +6.6% |
| 2 months | $80.57 | +1.2% | $0.60 | $1,019 | +1.9% |
| 3 months | $78.58 | +3.8% | $0.60 | $1,045 | +4.5% |
| 6 months | $79.76 | +2.2% | $1.20 | $1,037 | +3.7% |
| 1 year | $80.52 | +1.2% | $2.40 | $1,042 | +4.2% |
| 2 years | $104.42 | -21.9% | $4.80 | $827 | -17.3% |
| 3 years | $70.14 | +16.2% | $7.20 | $1,265 | +26.5% |
| 5 years | $68.34 | +19.3% | $12.00 | $1,369 | +36.9% |
Historical returns from market close data. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
This entry now belongs to the ledger. Whatever STRA does next, these words stay.
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