New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. (EDU) AI Stock Analysis
EDU AI stock analysis summary
AI ResearchNew Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. (EDU) provides private educational services, test preparation, and digital learning solutions in China. The company increased its FY2026 revenue by 15.9% to $5.68B with net income of $476.9M, continuing its recovery from earlier fiscal losses. EDU maintains a conservative balance sheet with $4.44B in net cash and generated $1.03B in free cash flow during FY2026.
- Market cap
- $9.44B
- Revenue (TTM)
- $5.66B
- P/E
- 20.3x fwd 12.3x
- 1Y return
- 12.4% S&P 500 16.8%
- Avg. target
- $73.62 20.9% vs last close
Bull case
- EDU holds $4.44B in net cash and generated $1.03B in free cash flow in FY2026, providing robust liquidity for operations and capital returns.
- FY2026 revenue increased 15.9% to $5.68B while operating margin expanded to 11.4%, highlighting continued progress since the FY2022 operating loss.
- Analysts project FY2027 EPS growth of 21.6% to $4.34, supporting a mean price target of $73.62 that stands 20.9% above the last closing price.
Bear case
- Trailing twelve-month operating margin of 5.6% remains below the US-listed Consumer Defensive peer median of 9.8%.
- EDU's 1-year price return of 12.4% lagged the broader S&P 500 return of 16.8%.
- The company met or exceeded EPS estimates in only 2 of the last 4 quarters, indicating inconsistent earnings execution.
What New Oriental Education & Technology does
New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. provides private educational services across China. Its operations encompass Educational Services and Test Preparation Courses, Online Education, Overseas Study Consulting Services, and Others. The company offers test preparation courses for language and entrance examinations required by institutions in the United States, Commonwealth countries, and China. In addition, New Oriental provides non-academic tutoring courses using intelligent learning systems. Its Koolearn.com platform delivers online learning courses tailored for college students and working professionals. The organization maintains a national footprint encompassing 107 schools, 637 learning centers, and nine bookstores across China.
Growth and profitability
New Oriental recovered from FY2022 revenue of $3.11B and a net loss of -$1.19B to deliver $5.68B in revenue and $476.9M in net income for FY2026. Revenue grew 43.9% in FY2024, 13.6% in FY2025, and 15.9% in FY2026, achieving a 5-year revenue CAGR of 5.8%. Operating margin improved from -31.6% in FY2022 to 11.4% in FY2026, while gross margin reached 54.6%. For the trailing twelve months ended May 31, 2026, revenue totaled $5.66B with an operating margin of 5.6% and EPS of $3.00. In the latest quarter, quarterly revenue rose 23.0% year-over-year, while quarterly earnings grew 720.6%.
Balance sheet and cash flow
As of May 31, 2026, New Oriental held $5.29B in cash and short-term investments and $848.8M in total debt, resulting in net cash of $4.44B. Shareholders' equity was $3.99B, supporting a current ratio of 1.50 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21. Operating cash flow reached $1.03B in FY2026, matching free cash flow of $1.03B. Cash deployment in FY2026 included $246.9M in capital expenditures, $230.9M in share buybacks, and $96.4M in dividends paid, alongside a 5-year share count change of -7.1%.
Valuation and performance
EDU trades at a trailing P/E of 20.3x and a forward P/E of 12.3x, compared to medians of 18.6x and 14.3x for its US-listed Consumer Defensive peers. Its enterprise value to EBITDA ratio is 4.7x, below the peer group median of 11.7x, while its price-to-sales of 1.7x sits above the peer median of 0.7x. The company's enterprise value is $4.30B compared to a market capitalization of $9.44B. Over the past year, EDU returned 12.4%, trailing the S&P 500 (SPY) return of 16.8%, while its 5-year return of 164.3% surpassed SPY's 83.0%.
EDU dividend
New Oriental has an annual forward dividend of $1.20, representing a dividend yield of 1.97% and a payout ratio of 65.9%. The company has paid dividends for 3 consecutive years, with distributions classified under an Other frequency. Its most recent ex-dividend date occurred on May 15, 2026, following total dividend distributions of $96.4M in FY2026.
What analysts expect
Analyst coverage consists of 13 Strong Buy, 3 Buy, and 4 Hold ratings, with no Sell or Strong Sell recommendations. The mean price target is $73.62, representing a 20.9% premium over the last close of $60.88. For the fiscal year ending May 31, 2027, consensus estimates project revenue of $6.60B and EPS of $4.34, reflecting 21.6% EPS growth. New Oriental beat EPS expectations in 2 of the trailing 4 quarters, and its next earnings date is October 28, 2026.
Key risks and what to watch
- The company's dividend payout ratio is elevated at 65.9%, which could limit future dividend growth if earnings encounter volatility.
- EDU's shares trade at $60.88, which is 12.8% above its 200-day moving average and near its 52-week high of $64.97.
- Ongoing cash outlays remain substantial, including $246.9M in capital expenditures and $230.9M in share repurchases during FY2026.
AI-generated research summary. Written with AI from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 and checked so every figure matches that data. For information only, not investment advice. Disclaimer
About this EDU AI stock analysis
This page is an AI-written research summary of New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. (EDU). The text was generated on October 30, 2026 from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 (company profile, annual results, latest balance sheet, valuation, price performance and analyst estimates). An automatic check rejects any draft that contains a figure not found in that data. It is not investment advice; verify figures on the linked tabs before making decisions.
Related: EDU income statement, EDU balance sheet, EDU key metrics, EDU analyst forecast, EDU chart. See the EDU stock overview for the latest quote and news.
EDU AI stock analysis FAQ
What services does New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. provide?
The company provides private educational services in China, including foreign and domestic test preparation, non-academic tutoring, overseas study consulting, and online learning via Koolearn.com. It operates across 107 schools, 637 learning centers, and nine bookstores.
Does EDU pay a dividend?
Yes, EDU provides a forward annual dividend of $1.20 per share, yielding 1.97% with a payout ratio of 65.9%. The company has distributed dividends for 3 consecutive years.
What is New Oriental's balance sheet position?
As of May 31, 2026, New Oriental held $5.29B in cash and short-term investments against $848.8M of debt, giving it a net cash balance of $4.44B and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21.
What are Wall Street analysts forecasting for EDU's FY2027 results?
Analysts project revenue to reach $6.60B and EPS to reach $4.34 for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2027, which represents estimated EPS growth of 21.6%.