Perdoceo Education (NASDAQ:PRDO) Sees Strong Trading Volume – Here’s Why

Shares of Perdoceo Education Corporation (NASDAQ:PRDO) saw an uptick in trading volume on Friday . 492,764 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 7% from the previous session’s volume of 532,460 shares.The stock last traded at $34.05 and had previously closed at $34.44.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

PRDO has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Zacks Research raised shares of Perdoceo Education from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Perdoceo Education in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Finally, Barrington Research restated an “outperform” rating and set a $42.00 target price on shares of Perdoceo Education in a research note on Monday, January 5th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and two have issued a Buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $42.00.

Perdoceo Education Price Performance

The firm has a market capitalization of $2.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.34, a P/E/G ratio of 0.76 and a beta of 0.89. The company’s 50 day moving average is $32.64 and its 200 day moving average is $32.37. The company has a quick ratio of 5.03, a current ratio of 5.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04.

Perdoceo Education (NASDAQ:PRDO) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The company reported $0.59 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.54 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $211.64 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $209.95 million. Perdoceo Education had a net margin of 18.90% and a return on equity of 17.59%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 20.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.50 earnings per share. Perdoceo Education has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.830-0.850 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 2.970-3.120 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Perdoceo Education Corporation will post 2.41 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Perdoceo Education Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 13th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 2nd were issued a $0.15 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 2nd. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.7%. Perdoceo Education’s payout ratio is currently 24.90%.

Insider Activity

In related news, CEO Todd S. Nelson sold 11,346 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $35.00, for a total value of $397,110.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 432,368 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $15,132,880. The trade was a 2.56% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, SVP David C. Czeszewski sold 36,225 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $32.81, for a total transaction of $1,188,542.25. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 68,875 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,259,788.75. This represents a 34.47% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last three months, insiders sold 120,842 shares of company stock worth $4,147,199. 2.11% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Perdoceo Education

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of PRDO. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC bought a new stake in shares of Perdoceo Education during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Salomon & Ludwin LLC raised its position in Perdoceo Education by 72.6% during the fourth quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 811 shares of the company’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 341 shares in the last quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp raised its position in Perdoceo Education by 108.2% during the fourth quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 970 shares of the company’s stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 504 shares in the last quarter. First Horizon Corp bought a new stake in Perdoceo Education during the third quarter worth $29,000. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. lifted its stake in Perdoceo Education by 81.5% during the third quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 833 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 374 shares during the last quarter. 93.46% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Perdoceo Education Company Profile

Perdoceo Education Corporation (NASDAQ: PRDO) is a for-profit postsecondary education provider offering certificate, associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. The company operates primarily through two brand platforms—Colorado Technical University and American InterContinental University—delivering career-focused education both on campus and online. These programs span fields such as business, information technology, healthcare and criminal justice, targeting working adults seeking to advance or pivot their careers.

With headquarters in Schaumburg, Illinois, Perdoceo serves students across the United States and internationally through its online offerings.