Earnings Preview: Apollo Group - Analyst Blog
June 28 2011 - 8:15AM
Zacks
Apollo Group Inc.
(APOL), one of the world's largest private education providers, is
scheduled to report its third-quarter financial results after the
close of market on June 30, 2011. The current Zacks Consensus
Estimate for the quarter is earnings of $1.34 a share. For the
quarter under review, revenue is $1,202.0 million, according to the
Zacks Consensus Estimate.
Second-Quarter 2011,
Summary
Apollo Group's posted earnings of
83 cents per share for the second-quarter of fiscal 2011 declined
1.2% from the prior-period earnings. However, quarterly earnings
surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 69 cents a share.
Apollo delivered total revenue of
$1,048.6 million during the quarter, down 2.0% from the year-ago
quarter attributable to lower enrollments partially offset by
selective tuition price increases and better student retention
rates. University of Phoenix Degreed Enrolment dropped 11.6% to
405,300 primarily due to a fall of 44.9% in New Degreed Enrollment.
Additionally, BPP Holdings recorded a $6.4 million drop in net
revenue attributable to lower student enrolment coupled with a
negative impact of foreign exchange rate. BPP Holdings, a U.K.
based provider of education and training to legal and finance
professionals, was acquired by Apollo Global in July 2009. Total
revenue also surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1,027
million.
Management
Guidance
The company expects net revenue in
the range of $4.65–$4.75 billion in fiscal 2011 and operating
income in a $1.15–$1.20 billion band. For fiscal 2012, net revenue
is expected to be in the range of $4 billion to $4.25 billion and
operating income to come in between $675 million and $800
million.
Third-Quarter 2011 Zacks
Consensus
The analyst covered by Zacks
expects Apollo to post earnings of $1.34 a share for the third
quarter of fiscal 2011 faring worse than earnings of $1.74
delivered in the prior-year quarter. The current Zacks Consensus
Estimate ranges between earnings of $1.18 and $1.42 a share. The
current Zacks Consensus Estimate has improved by a penny over the
last 30 days.
With respect to earnings surprises,
Apollo has topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate over the last four
quarters in the range of 1.55% to 20.74%. The average remained at
13.71%. This suggests that Apollo has beaten the Zacks Consensus
Estimate by an average of 13.71% in the trailing four quarters.
Our View
Post-secondary enrollments are
expected to grow due to population growth, a shift in the U.S.
economy from manufacturing to service and increasing wage gap
between people with post-secondary degree and those with only a
high school diploma. Enrollments in online programs are increasing
more rapidly than campus-based programs, as students look to
balance school with work and personal obligations. With 102
campuses and 154 learning centers in the U.S., Apollo is well
positioned to continue to grow both its online and campus
operations.
Moreover, Apollo Group is the
industry leader in the U.S. private education services sector. The
company has a strong experience of more than 35 years in the
education industry and possesses one of the most powerful brands,
University of Phoenix, in the sector. This provides a
hard-to-replicate competitive advantage to the company and bolsters
its leading position in the market.
However, Apollo Group derives a
significant portion of its revenues from federal student financial
aid programs, referred to as Title IV programs, which requires
accreditation from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S.
Department of Education. Apollo Group's growth potential will be
adversely affected if it fails to consistently meet the stringent
criteria used by the authorities and consequently lose
accreditation.
Besides, Apollo Group faces intense
competition from other companies offering post-secondary education,
such as DeVry Inc. (DV), Strayer Education
Inc. (STRA), and ITT Educational Services
Inc. (ESI). In addition, the company also competes with
community colleges and traditional universities. Consequently, this
may dent the company's future operating performance.
Currently, Apollo maintains a Zacks
#4 Rank, which translates into a short-term 'Sell' rating.
Moreover, our long-term recommendation on the stock is
'Neutral'.
APOLLO GROUP (APOL): Free Stock Analysis Report
DEVRY INC (DV): Free Stock Analysis Report
ITT EDUCATIONAL (ESI): Free Stock Analysis Report
STRAYER EDUC (STRA): Free Stock Analysis Report
Zacks Investment Research
Apollo Education Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:APOL)
Historical Stock Chart
From May 2024 to Jun 2024
Apollo Education Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:APOL)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jun 2023 to Jun 2024