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Aspen Group Inc (ASPU)
OTHER OTC:ASPU
US Market

Aspen Group (ASPU) AI Stock Analysis

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ASPU

Aspen Group

(OTC:ASPU)

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Neutral 49 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:49Neutral
Price Target:
$0.13
▼(-37.00% Downside)
The score is primarily held back by weak financial performance—sharp revenue decline and continued net losses—despite improving free cash flow and manageable leverage. Technicals add further caution with the stock trading below key moving averages and muted momentum indicators. Valuation is somewhat supportive due to the very low P/E, but it is not enough to offset the operating and trend weaknesses.
Positive Factors
High gross margin
A 68% gross margin provides a durable buffer against marketing and student-acquisition costs for online programs. Such unit economics support reinvestment in curriculum, technology, and student services, allowing margin expansion as enrollment stabilizes over multiple quarters.
Improving free cash flow
Substantial FCF growth indicates improving cash generation capacity, giving management flexibility to fund program development, invest in student acquisition, or reduce leverage. Sustained FCF gains support multi-quarter operational resilience without constant external financing.
Manageable leverage and capitalization
Moderate debt-to-equity and an equity ratio near 48% signal reasonable capitalization and limited solvency risk. That balance sheet allows strategic investments or targeted M&A and reduces refinancing pressure across the next several quarters compared with highly levered peers.
Negative Factors
Steep revenue decline
A 53% TTM revenue drop reflects significant enrollment or demand erosion, undermining scale economics for online offerings. Prolonged revenue contraction compresses operating leverage, limits reinvestment capacity, and makes multi-quarter recovery more challenging without structural changes.
Negative net margin
A negative net margin indicates the company is not yet delivering bottom-line profitability despite strong gross margins. Persistent net losses erode retained capital, increase reliance on external funding, and constrain the firm's ability to sustainably scale programs over several quarters.
Poor operating cash conversion
An OCF-to-net-income ratio of 0.06 shows earnings convert poorly into cash, suggesting working-capital or non-cash accounting drivers. Weak cash conversion undermines the company’s ability to fund operations organically and may force recurring financing over the medium term.

Aspen Group (ASPU) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Aspen Group Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionAspen Group, Inc. (ASPU) is an education-focused company that operates primarily in the online higher education sector. It provides a range of degree programs and educational services through its subsidiaries, which include Aspen University and the United States University. Aspen Group aims to deliver affordable, accredited education with a focus on serving adult learners and working professionals seeking to advance their careers through flexible online learning options.
How the Company Makes MoneyAspen Group generates revenue primarily through tuition and fees from its online degree programs. The company has a diverse range of offerings, including undergraduate and graduate programs in fields such as business, nursing, and education. Key revenue streams include enrollment fees, course materials, and other educational services. Additionally, Aspen Group may benefit from partnerships with employers or organizations that seek to provide educational opportunities to their employees. Marketing efforts targeting adult learners and partnerships with educational institutions also contribute to its revenue growth. The company's ability to maintain enrollment levels and expand its program offerings plays a crucial role in its financial success.

Aspen Group Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Jan 18, 2024
(Q2-2024)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Mar 17, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The earnings call reflects a positive sentiment with significant financial improvements, enrollment growth, and improved NCLEX pass rates despite revenue challenges and legal settlement costs.
Q2-2024 Updates
Positive Updates
Reduced Net Loss
Net loss narrowed by 30% year-over-year, demonstrating financial discipline and effective cost management.
Positive EBITDA
Achieved fourth consecutive quarter of positive EBITDA, with a cumulative positive EBITDA of approximately $2.7 million over the past four quarters.
Cash Generation and Liquidity
Generated over $400,000 of cash from operations and projected unrestricted cash balance exceeding $2 million by the end of January 2024.
Enrollment Growth
Enrollments increased by 5% year-over-year and 34% sequentially, reflecting strong demand for postgraduate nursing degrees.
Improved NCLEX Pass Rates
NCLEX first-time pass rate in Arizona increased to 89%, with similar success in Texas and Tennessee.
Cost Control Measures
Year-over-year G&A expense down 23% due to cost control efforts and restructuring in previous fiscal quarters.
Negative Updates
Revenue Decrease
Total revenue decreased by 19% year-over-year, mainly due to the teach-out of the pre-licensure program and lower marketing spend.
Legal Settlement Costs
Final settlement of $550,000 approved for class action complaint in Arizona, with $50,000 paid by Aspen University.
Heightened Cash Management Status
Aspen University remains on Heightened Cash Management 2 status, impacting the timing of federal financial aid reimbursements.
Company Guidance
During the Aspen Group's second quarter fiscal year 2024 earnings call, executives provided detailed guidance on the company's financial and operational performance. The company reported a notable 30% year-over-year reduction in net loss and achieved positive EBITDA for the fourth consecutive quarter. Enrollments rose by 34% sequentially, driven by strong demand in the healthcare sector, particularly for postgraduate nursing degrees. Despite a 19% decrease in total revenue to $13.8 million, attributed largely to the teach-out of the pre-licensure program, gross margin improved to 63%, up from 60% the previous year. The quarter saw a decrease in G&A expenses by 23% and a marked reduction in marketing spend, contributing to a positive cash flow from operations of $409,000. The company anticipates an unrestricted cash balance exceeding $2 million by the end of January 2024, bolstered by a significant financial aid payment of approximately $3.9 million. Additionally, Aspen University reported an 89% first-time NCLEX pass rate in Arizona, reflecting improved academic performance. However, the company withheld specific guidance for future quarters.

Aspen Group Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Aspen Group's financial performance shows challenges in revenue growth and profitability, with a negative net profit margin and declining revenue. However, there are positive signs in cash flow improvements and a manageable debt level.
Income Statement
Aspen Group's income statement shows a mixed performance. The TTM data indicates a gross profit margin of 68.22%, which is strong, but the net profit margin is negative at -2.22%, reflecting ongoing profitability challenges. Revenue has been declining, with a significant drop of 53% in the TTM period, indicating potential issues in maintaining sales momentum. The EBIT and EBITDA margins are positive but low, suggesting limited operational efficiency improvements.
Balance Sheet
The balance sheet reveals a moderate debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68, indicating a manageable level of leverage. However, the return on equity is negative at -3.43%, highlighting challenges in generating returns for shareholders. The equity ratio stands at 48.39%, suggesting a reasonable level of equity financing relative to total assets.
Cash Flow
Cash flow analysis shows improvement, with a significant free cash flow growth of 174.81% in the TTM period. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is low at 0.06, indicating limited cash generation from operations relative to net income. The free cash flow to net income ratio is 0.39, reflecting some ability to convert earnings into cash.
BreakdownDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue45.30M51.40M66.32M76.69M67.81M
Gross Profit30.06M31.44M35.53M41.44M38.36M
EBITDA2.94M-4.80M-1.85M-5.07M-5.94M
Net Income-1.54M-13.58M-8.35M-9.59M-10.45M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets66.77M75.95M80.87M91.07M80.81M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments1.07M2.62M5.72M6.48M13.67M
Total Debt22.43M26.67M35.00M33.72M18.33M
Total Liabilities35.80M43.67M45.32M48.52M31.72M
Stockholders Equity30.97M32.28M35.55M42.55M49.09M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow233.72K-4.81M-7.00M-15.61M-7.99M
Operating Cash Flow1.19M-3.66M-4.40M-11.28M985.58K
Investing Cash Flow-1.02M-1.33M-2.60M-4.33M-8.98M
Financing Cash Flow-1.72M1.89M-190.47K14.86M3.75M

Aspen Group Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price0.20
Price Trends
50DMA
0.14
Negative
100DMA
0.11
Positive
200DMA
0.11
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
<0.01
Positive
RSI
44.38
Neutral
STOCH
33.90
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For ASPU, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 0.2 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 0.16, above the 50-day MA of 0.14, and above the 200-day MA of 0.11, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of <0.01 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 44.38 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 33.90 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for ASPU.

Aspen Group Risk Analysis

Aspen Group disclosed 64 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Aspen Group reported the most risks in the "Legal & Regulatory" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Aspen Group Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (62)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
79
Outperform
$4.11B16.9817.38%12.24%52.97%
77
Outperform
$1.96B17.336.76%2.99%3.74%-8.40%
70
Outperform
$3.04B10.6823.04%17.25%30.15%
68
Neutral
$725.21M30.6111.20%6.75%141.11%
62
Neutral
$20.33B14.63-3.31%3.23%1.93%-12.26%
60
Neutral
$781.11M54.537.94%16.90%41.11%
49
Neutral
$3.24M1.14-3.17%-1.19%
* Consumer Defensive Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
ASPU
Aspen Group
0.13
<0.01
5.83%
APEI
American Public Education
40.10
20.32
102.73%
ATGE
Adtalem Global Education
113.12
18.82
19.96%
LRN
Stride
69.23
-40.27
-36.78%
LINC
Lincoln Edu
24.70
9.82
65.99%
STRA
Strategic Education
83.39
-7.69
-8.44%
Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Jan 09, 2026