Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity
Item 5. Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Market Information
Our common stock is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol “LAUR.”
Holders of Record
There were 53 holders of record of our common stock as of January 31, 2026. The number of beneficial owners of our common stock is substantially greater than the number of record holders because substantially all of our common stock is held in “street name” by banks and brokers.
Dividend Policy
We currently do not anticipate paying any ordinary cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future; however, the Company may consider extraordinary dividend(s) as part of an overall strategy to return capital to shareholders. Notwithstanding any such actions, we expect to retain our future earnings, if any, for use in the operation of our business and to repurchase shares of our common stock. The terms of our Credit Agreement limit our ability to pay cash dividends in certain circumstances. Furthermore, if we are in default under our Credit Agreement, our ability to pay cash dividends will be limited in the absence of a waiver of that default or an amendment to such agreement. In addition, our ability to pay cash dividends on shares of our common stock may be limited by restrictions on our ability to obtain sufficient funds through dividends from our subsidiaries. For more information on our Credit Agreement, see “Item 7—Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and Note 8, Debt, in our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Form 10-K. Subject to the foregoing, the payment of cash dividends in the future, if any, will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors and will depend upon such factors as earnings levels, capital requirements, our overall financial condition and any other factors deemed relevant by our Board of Directors.
Stock Performance Graph
The following graph compares the cumulative total return of our common stock, an industry peer group index, and the Nasdaq Composite Index from December 31, 2020 through December 31, 2025. We believe that our industry peer group represents the majority of the market value of publicly traded companies whose primary business is post-secondary education. The returns set forth on the following graph are based on historical results and are not intended to suggest future performance. The performance graph assumes $100 investment on December 31, 2020 in either our common stock, the companies in our industry peer group, or the Nasdaq Composite Index. Data for the Nasdaq Composite Index and our peer group assume reinvestment of dividends.
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The peer group included in the performance graph above consists of Strategic Education, Inc. (STRA), Adtalem Global Education, Inc. (ATGE), Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (LOPE), Cogna Educação S.A. (COGN3), YDUQS Participacoes S.A. (YDUQ3) and Anima Holdings S.A. (ANIM3).
In connection with the adoption of a plan of partial liquidation providing for the distribution of the net proceeds from the sale of Walden e-Learning LLC, in October 2021, the Company paid a special cash distribution of $7.01 per share of the Company’s common stock. Also in connection with the distribution of the net proceeds from the sale of Walden e-Learning LLC, in December 2021, the Company paid a special cash distribution of $0.58 per share of the Company’s common stock to each holder of record on December 14, 2021, and in October 2022, the Company paid a special cash distribution of $0.83 per share of the Company’s common stock to each holder of record on September 28, 2022. Furthermore, in November 2022, the Company paid a special cash dividend of $0.68 per share of the Company’s common stock to each holder of record on November 4, 2022. In addition, in November 2023, the Company paid a special cash dividend of $0.70 per share of the Company’s common stock to each holder of record on November 15, 2023. Accordingly, the performance graph below adjusts for these distributions.
The information contained in the performance graphs shall not be deemed “soliciting material” or to be “filed” with the SEC, nor shall such information be deemed incorporated by reference into any future filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, except to the extent that we specifically incorporate it by reference into such filing.
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
None.
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Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
The following table provides a summary of the Company’s purchases of its common stock during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025:
Period Total number of shares purchased (in thousands) Average price paid per share Total number of shares purchased as part of publicly announced plans or programs (in thousands)
Approximate dollar value of shares yet to be purchased under the plans or programs (in thousands) (1)
10/1/25 - 10/31/25 — $ — — $ 177,391
11/1/25 - 11/30/25 2,655 $ 30.39 2,655 $ 96,711
12/1/25 - 12/31/25 2,029 $ 32.43 2,029 $ 30,905
Total 4,684 $ 31.27 4,684 $ 30,905
(1) On September 13, 2024, the Company announced that its Board of Directors had approved a stock repurchase program to acquire up to $100 million of the Company’s common stock. On October 30, 2025, the Company announced that its Board of Directors had approved a $150 million increase to the authorization for the Company’s stock repurchase program. As of December 31, 2025, the dollar value of shares yet to be repurchased under this stock repurchase program was $30.9 million. On February 19, 2026, the Company announced that its Board of Directors had approved an additional $150 million increase to the existing authorization for the Company’s stock repurchase program. After giving effect to this new authorization and taking into account the cumulative repurchases through December 31, 2025, the Company may repurchase up to $180.9 million of its common stock under its stock repurchase program, which has no fixed expiration date. The Company’s repurchases may be made from time to time on the open market at prevailing market prices, in privately negotiated transactions, in block trades and/or through other legally permissible means, depending on market conditions and in accordance with applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act. Repurchases may also be effected pursuant to a trading plan adopted in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 of the Exchange Act. The Company’s Board of Directors will review the share repurchase program periodically and may authorize adjustment of its terms and size or suspend or discontinue the program at any time.
Item 6. [Reserved]