Coursera (NYSE:COUR) Announces Earnings Results, Meets Estimates

Coursera (NYSE:COUR) issued its earnings results on Thursday. The company reported $0.06 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.06, FiscalAI reports. Coursera had a negative net margin of 6.19% and a negative return on equity of 4.75%. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.08 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 9.9% compared to the same quarter last year.

Here are the key takeaways from Coursera’s conference call:

• Coursera reported full-year revenue of $757 million (+9% YoY), record free cash flow of $78 million (+32% YoY), and expanded adjusted EBITDA margin to 8.4% (+240 bps), indicating stronger profitability and cash generation.
• Management introduced a 15% Platform Fee on eligible new sales effective Jan 1, 2026 to fund AI-native platform investments and expects the fee to gradually lift gross margins starting in H2 2026 and more materially into 2027.
• Coursera announced an agreement to combine with Udemy to create a larger skilling platform and is targeting $115 million of annual run-rate cost synergies within 24 months, though the transaction remains subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals with timing uncertain.
• Consumer momentum strengthened—Coursera added over 29 million registered learners in 2025 (including a record 6.8 million in Q4), grew its catalog to >13,500 courses (+45% YoY), and saw consumer revenue rise to $132 million (+12% YoY) driven by subscriptions, geo-pricing, and localization.
• Enterprise growth was softer with Q4 enterprise revenue of $65.4 million (+5% YoY) and net retention at 93%, and management expects only low-single-digit enterprise growth in 2026 with retention and expansion improvements likely to be gradual.

Coursera Price Performance

Shares of Coursera stock traded down $0.11 on Thursday, hitting $5.97. The company had a trading volume of 10,246,742 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,443,187. Coursera has a 52 week low of $5.72 and a 52 week high of $13.56. The company has a market cap of $992.58 million, a PE ratio of -20.57 and a beta of 1.37. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $7.25 and a 200-day simple moving average of $9.33.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have issued reports on COUR shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Coursera from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and set a $12.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of Coursera in a research note on Wednesday, November 26th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Coursera in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Needham & Company LLC restated a “buy” rating and set a $14.00 price objective on shares of Coursera in a research note on Wednesday, November 26th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada cut their price target on Coursera from $13.00 to $11.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, January 5th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $12.27.

Key Headlines Impacting Coursera

Here are the key news stories impacting Coursera this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Management raised/issued revenue guidance that exceeds consensus for both Q1 2026 ($193M–$197M vs. $190.7M consensus) and FY2026 ($805M–$815M vs. $797.8M consensus), giving investors a revenue beat/raise narrative to offset near-term profit concerns. BusinessWire: Coursera Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Financial Results
• Neutral Sentiment: Q4 EPS of $0.06 matched the Zacks/consensus estimate but declined from $0.08 a year ago — meeting expectations but illustrating slower profitability momentum. Zacks: Coursera Meets Q4 Earnings Estimates
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts and outlets are parsing key metrics vs. estimates (users, revenue mix, margin trends) to judge sustainability of growth and the impact of strategic moves; detailed metric comparisons may influence near-term sentiment. Zacks: Taking a Look at Key Metrics Versus Estimates
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage is focused on whether a potential deal/partnership with Udemy or other strategic actions can offset ongoing margin pressure — a possible upside catalyst but not guaranteed. Investing.com: Can Udemy Deal Offset Margin Pressure?
• Negative Sentiment: Profitability remains a concern: Coursera reported a negative net margin (~‑6.19%) and negative return on equity (~‑4.75%), which supports investor caution despite revenue guidance. Press Release / Financials PDF

Insider Activity

In related news, SVP Alan B. Cardenas sold 8,078 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $8.17, for a total transaction of $65,997.26. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 237,828 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,943,054.76. This trade represents a 3.28% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 16.80% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Coursera

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. CIBC Bancorp USA Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Coursera during the 3rd quarter worth $173,000. Oberweis Asset Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Coursera in the 3rd quarter valued at $6,569,000. PharVision Advisers LLC acquired a new position in shares of Coursera in the 3rd quarter valued at $272,000. XTX Topco Ltd increased its stake in Coursera by 59.3% in the 3rd quarter. XTX Topco Ltd now owns 82,497 shares of the company’s stock worth $966,000 after purchasing an additional 30,702 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Voleon Capital Management LP acquired a new stake in Coursera during the 3rd quarter worth about $190,000. 89.55% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Coursera

Coursera, Inc (NYSE:COUR) operates a leading online learning platform that delivers courses, specializations, professional certificates and fully accredited degree programs in collaboration with top universities and industry partners. Founded in 2012 by Stanford University professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller, Coursera’s mission is to provide universal access to world-class education and bridge skill gaps in a rapidly evolving job market.

The platform features more than 6,000 offerings created by over 275 academic institutions and corporate entities, spanning fields such as data science, business, technology, health care and the arts.