Core Insights - Nerdy reported fourth-quarter 2025 results that met three key goals: returning to growth, accelerating the shift to an AI-native platform, and achieving positive non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA [2][3] Financial Performance - Revenue for the quarter was $49.1 million, representing a 2% year-over-year increase and exceeding the company's guidance of $45 million to $47 million [3] - This quarter marked the first instance since Q1 2024 where both consumer and institutional segments experienced growth simultaneously [3] - Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA was positive at $1.3 million, surpassing the guidance range of a $2 million loss to breakeven, and improved by $6.8 million from Q4 2024 [3] Strategic Initiatives - The company rebuilt its platform using an AI-native code base, aiming to combine live tutoring with AI tools to enhance educational outcomes while maintaining the importance of human instruction [4] - The U.S. academic tutoring market is valued at approximately $20 billion annually, with Nerdy currently serving fewer than 40,000 active members [4] Product Development - New product features introduced include hyper-personalized lesson plans, real-time tools for tutors, and outcomes-oriented summaries, which received over 95% positive feedback from parents [5] - In Q4, Nerdy completed the rollout of new learner and expert experiences, with 85% of surveyed customers rating the new platform as "better or the same," leading to an 82% customer satisfaction score [6]

Core Insights - Adtalem Global Education reported quarterly earnings of $2.43 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.19 per share, and showing an increase from $1.81 per share a year ago, resulting in an earnings surprise of +11.21% [1] - The company achieved revenues of $503.39 million for the quarter ended December 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.17% and up from $447.73 million year-over-year [2] - Adtalem's stock has increased approximately 11.4% since the beginning of the year, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 1.9% [3] Earnings Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $2.09 on revenues of $488.26 million, while for the current fiscal year, the estimate is $7.85 on revenues of $1.92 billion [7] - The estimate revisions trend for Adtalem was mixed prior to the earnings release, resulting in a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) for the stock, indicating expected performance in line with the market [6] Industry Context - The Schools industry, to which Adtalem belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 34% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting potential challenges ahead [8] - Another company in the same industry, Nerdy Inc., is expected to report a quarterly loss of $0.06 per share, reflecting a year-over-year change of +33.3%, with revenues projected at $45.71 million, down 4.8% from the previous year [9]

Core Viewpoint - Internet stocks are facing challenges entering 2026, having underperformed the broader market in 2025 due to operational missteps, increased competition from generative AI, and inconsistent margins, necessitating companies to demonstrate real AI-driven growth and profitability [1][2]. Market Performance - Internet stocks lagged behind both the S&P 500 and the Russell 2000 in 2025, attributed to operational missteps and competitive threats from generative AI [2]. - Consumer sentiment remains approximately 28% lower year over year, influenced by recent government shutdowns and tariff actions, despite a 5% month-over-month improvement in early December [3][2]. 2026 Outlook - A stable consumer environment alone will not sustain valuations in 2026; companies must show stronger execution and tangible progress in AI monetization and profitability [4]. - In the education sector, deeper integration with AI platforms is expected to diversify traffic sources, alongside scaling AI-enhanced learning products [5]. AI Adoption and Impact - AI-driven traffic is becoming significant, accounting for about 1% of Etsy's total traffic, with industry-wide AI referrals increasing by approximately 1,200% year over year in October [6]. - AI-driven traffic has a conversion rate that is about 16% better than non-AI traffic [6]. Company-Specific Insights - For Duolingo, investor sentiment is negative, but early 2026 bookings and adjusted EBITDA guidance could indicate potential upside; the company needs to achieve over 20% bookings growth and stabilize daily active users [7]. - Etsy shows mixed sentiment, but sustained gross merchandise sales growth could mitigate margin pressures from investments in Depop, supporting stronger share performance in 2026 [8]. - Coursera has been upgraded to Overweight, with expectations that consensus estimates underestimate improving execution across product, go-to-market, and profitability [8]. - The pending merger with Udemy is anticipated to create a more competitive AI-skills platform and accelerate AI product development [9]. Ratings Summary - Duolingo and Coursera are rated Overweight, while Etsy and Udemy are rated Neutral; Nerdy Inc. and Chegg, Inc. are rated Underweight [9].

Core Insights - The U.S. education market is transitioning from traditional methods to digital and career-focused programs, driven by student demand and government initiatives [2][11] - The Zacks Schools industry shows resilience, with median share prices above the S&P 500 composite, indicating promising mid to long-term prospects despite current stock performance [3] - Five education stocks are identified with expected earnings growth of over 10% year-over-year by 2026, including Chegg, Adtalem Global Education, Grand Canyon Education, Nerdy, and Legacy Education [4] Market Trends - The shift towards hybrid and AI-based learning models is gaining traction, with education companies adapting to meet the demand for flexible learning formats [5][8] - Companies like Chegg and Nerdy are benefiting from the rise of online and hybrid learning, leveraging AI-enhanced tools and subscription-based digital offerings [6][8] - The focus on career-oriented programs is increasing, particularly in high-demand fields like healthcare, aligning with workforce needs and supporting enrollment growth [9][10] Government Support - Federal and state initiatives are promoting EdTech adoption and workforce development, enhancing the prospects for education companies [11] - New interagency agreements aim to streamline program delivery and reduce administrative burdens, while a national policy established in April 2025 focuses on advancing AI education [11][12] Stock Performance - Chegg (CHGG) has a Zacks Rank of 1, with a projected earnings growth of 228.6% for 2026 despite a year-to-date drop of 42.9% [16] - Adtalem (ATGE) holds a Zacks Rank of 2, with a fiscal 2026 EPS estimate of $7.85 and expected growth of 17.7% [17] - Grand Canyon Education (LOPE) has a Zacks Rank of 2, with a projected earnings growth of 11.2% for 2026 [18] - Nerdy (NRDY) carries a Zacks Rank of 2, with an expected growth of 35.9% for 2026 despite a year-to-date decline of 16.7% [19] - Legacy Education (LGCY) also holds a Zacks Rank of 2, with a projected earnings growth of 11.9% for 2026 and a year-to-date gain of 23.8% [20]

Core Insights - The Zacks Schools industry is experiencing a recovery driven by increased demand for applied and career-oriented education, particularly in healthcare, skilled trades, cybersecurity, and IT [1][5] - Technology is becoming a significant competitive advantage, with institutions investing in adaptive learning systems and online platforms to enhance student engagement and operational efficiency [2][8] - The industry is consolidating, with larger providers acquiring smaller institutions to expand offerings and improve operational leverage [6] Industry Overview - The Zacks Schools industry includes for-profit education companies offering various programs in finance, healthcare, technology, and skilled trades, focusing on career-oriented education [4] - The sector is addressing the shortage of healthcare professionals through intensive training models linked to industry needs [1][5] Trends Influencing Growth - There is a rising demand for workforce-oriented programs, particularly among adult learners and career switchers, as the labor market increasingly values job-ready skills [5] - Government initiatives supporting vocational education and non-degree pathways are contributing to the growth outlook [3][5] Financial Performance and Valuation - The Zacks Schools industry has a Zacks Industry Rank of 65, placing it in the top 27% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating positive near-term prospects [11][12] - The industry's forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio is currently at 12.58X, significantly lower than the S&P 500's 23.57X, suggesting potential undervaluation [18] Key Companies and Their Prospects - **McGraw Hill**: Experiencing growth from digital and subscription models, with a projected fiscal 2026 earnings of $1.63 per share on $2.05 billion in revenues, reflecting a 300% surprise in the last quarter [21][24] - **Grand Canyon Education**: Focused on scalable online expansion and healthcare programs, with expected earnings growth of 12.9% and 11.2% for 2025 and 2026, respectively [27][28] - **Perdoceo Education**: Benefiting from rising student interest and expanding program offerings, with expected earnings growth of 11.4% and 9% for 2025 and 2026 [31][32] - **Adtalem**: Gaining from enrollment momentum and strategic partnerships, with projected earnings growth of 17.7% and 13.7% for fiscal 2026 and 2027 [35][37] - **Nerdy**: Enhancing its platform with AI integration, with improvements in earnings estimates for 2025 and 2026, indicating a potential investment opportunity [39][40]

Core Viewpoint - Nerdy, Inc. is considered one of the best EdTech stocks to buy currently, despite a cautious outlook from analysts following its Q3 results [1][2]. Financial Performance - For Q3, Nerdy reported revenue of approximately $37 million, which is roughly flat year-over-year [2]. - The adjusted EBITDA loss improved to $10.2 million, better than the guidance of a loss between $11 million and $13 million, indicating effective cost management [2]. - The company narrowed both GAAP and non-GAAP net losses compared to the previous year, reflecting tighter cost control as it approaches Q4 [2]. Analyst Ratings - Cantor Fitzgerald's Yi Fu Lee maintained a Neutral stance on Nerdy but lowered the price target to $1.00 from $1.50, following a previous adjustment from $1.75 to $1.50 in August [1][3].

Core Viewpoint - Nerdy Inc. reported a quarterly loss of $0.1 per share, which was better than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $0.16, indicating a positive earnings surprise of +37.50% [1] - The company’s revenues for the quarter were $37.02 million, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.58% and down from $37.53 million a year ago [2] Financial Performance - Over the last four quarters, Nerdy has surpassed consensus EPS estimates four times and topped revenue estimates twice [2] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is -$0.03 on revenues of $59.31 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is -$0.34 on revenues of $191.39 million [7] Stock Performance - Nerdy shares have declined approximately 40.1% since the beginning of the year, contrasting with the S&P 500's gain of 15.6% [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), indicating it is expected to perform in line with the market in the near future [6] Industry Outlook - The Schools industry, to which Nerdy belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 31% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting potential challenges ahead [8] - The performance of Nerdy may also be influenced by the upcoming earnings report of KinderCare Learning Companies, Inc., another player in the same industry [9]

Core Insights - The article highlights ten lesser-known companies that leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to address specific industry challenges, providing investment opportunities without the high valuations seen in major players like Nvidia and Microsoft [1][2][3] Company Summaries - **Freshworks**: A SaaS platform offering customer support and CRM solutions, with over 68,000 global customers. Its Freddy AI features enable automation for small and midsize businesses, showing mid-teens revenue growth and improving margins [5]. - **Oscar Health**: A tech-enabled health insurer aiming to simplify interactions in the healthcare sector. Its Superagent AI assistant is designed to reduce service costs and improve efficiency, potentially capturing significant market share [6]. - **Nerdy**: Operates Varsity Tutors and an AI-powered platform for education services, tapping into the $100 billion tutoring market. The company combines human expertise with AI to offer personalized learning experiences [8]. - **Lemonade**: A digital insurance company utilizing AI bots for underwriting and claims processing. Its automation could enhance margins if loss ratios stabilize, although it faces challenges in proving AI's effectiveness in underwriting [9]. - **Recursion Pharmaceuticals**: A biotech firm using AI and large datasets for drug discovery. Its partnership with Nvidia positions it as a potential leader in AI-driven therapeutics, with a market cap around $2 billion [10]. - **BigBear.ai**: Provides decision intelligence platforms for the U.S. Department of Defense. Its AI-based systems are well-suited for the growing demand in defense digitization, though it faces revenue volatility [11]. - **Amplitude**: Offers product analytics software that enhances user engagement through AI-generated insights. Despite competition, its focus on product optimization helps maintain differentiation [12]. - **PagerDuty**: A platform for IT incident management that uses AI to improve response times, delivering measurable ROI for enterprises. Its shift towards AI-driven operations aligns with the demand for faster issue resolution [13]. - **Sprinklr**: Operates a customer experience management platform with AI tools for engagement and insights, serving major brands like McDonald's and Nike, positioning it well for AI adoption in marketing [14]. - **Innodata**: Provides data engineering and AI training datasets, benefiting from the increasing demand for high-quality training data as AI adoption grows [15]. Investment Perspective - These ten companies apply AI to solve specific business problems, creating defensible niches in large markets. While they do not compete directly with Nvidia, they represent practical applications of AI across various industries [16].

Group 1 - Nerdy Inc. has shown a year-to-date performance of approximately 1.2%, outperforming the average return of -1.5% for the Consumer Discretionary sector [4] - The company currently holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating a positive outlook based on earnings estimates and revisions [3] - Over the past 90 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Nerdy Inc.'s full-year earnings has increased by 12%, reflecting stronger analyst sentiment [3] Group 2 - Nerdy Inc. is part of the Schools industry, which consists of 18 companies and is currently ranked 28 in the Zacks Industry Rank [5] - The average return for the Schools industry so far this year is 2.7%, suggesting that Nerdy Inc. is slightly underperforming its industry [5] - In comparison, Ralph Lauren, another Consumer Discretionary stock, has a year-to-date return of 2.2% and also holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [4][6]