Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Acquires Shares of 139,164 Laureate Education $LAUR

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans bought a new stake in Laureate Education (NASDAQ:LAUR) during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund bought 139,164 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,389,000. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans owned 0.09% of Laureate Education at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in Laureate Education by 48.7% in the 1st quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 156,668 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,204,000 after acquiring an additional 51,337 shares during the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. boosted its position in Laureate Education by 3.0% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 98,173 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,008,000 after purchasing an additional 2,838 shares during the period. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC increased its stake in shares of Laureate Education by 7.4% in the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 407,255 shares of the company’s stock worth $8,328,000 after purchasing an additional 27,978 shares in the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC raised its position in shares of Laureate Education by 179.4% in the first quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 163,912 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,352,000 after purchasing an additional 105,247 shares during the period. Finally, Intech Investment Management LLC raised its position in shares of Laureate Education by 20.0% in the first quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 66,933 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,369,000 after purchasing an additional 11,170 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 96.27% of the company’s stock.

Laureate Education Trading Up 1.6%

Shares of LAUR opened at $35.01 on Friday. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $33.74 and its 200 day simple moving average is $30.25. The company has a market capitalization of $5.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.55 and a beta of 0.57. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.06, a current ratio of 0.81 and a quick ratio of 0.81. Laureate Education has a 1-year low of $17.91 and a 1-year high of $36.34.

Laureate Education announced that its board has authorized a share buyback plan on Thursday, October 30th that permits the company to buyback $150.00 million in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization permits the company to reacquire up to 3.5% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are typically a sign that the company’s leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts recently commented on LAUR shares. UBS Group raised their price objective on shares of Laureate Education from $36.00 to $39.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on Laureate Education from $26.00 to $32.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday, October 20th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Laureate Education in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. assumed coverage on Laureate Education in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $40.00 price objective on the stock. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $33.75.

Laureate Education Company Profile

Laureate Education, Inc (NASDAQ: LAUR) is a leading global network of higher education institutions dedicated to providing undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs to a diverse student body. The company designs and delivers academic offerings through a combination of campus-based and online platforms, focusing on fields such as business, health sciences, engineering, education and hospitality management. By aligning its curriculum with regional workforce needs, Laureate aims to equip students with practical skills and industry insights that support career advancement and lifelong learning.

Through its network, Laureate operates a broad portfolio of universities and colleges, including both longstanding campus institutions and digitally native programs.