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Educational Development Corp. (EDUC)
NASDAQ:EDUC
US Market

Educational Development (EDUC) AI Stock Analysis

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EDUC

Educational Development

(NASDAQ:EDUC)

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Neutral 58 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:58Neutral
Price Target:
$1.50
▲(4.17% Upside)
The score is held back primarily by weak operating performance (steep revenue/partner declines and underlying losses) despite meaningful balance-sheet improvement from debt elimination. Technicals are moderately supportive and valuation is very low, but both appear to reflect elevated business risk highlighted on the latest call.
Positive Factors
Balance Sheet Strength
The company materially reduced bank debt via an asset sale and now reports minimal leverage, removing covenant constraints and improving liquidity. This durable balance-sheet repair increases financial flexibility, lowers interest burden, and supports funding of product restocks and strategic initiatives over the next few quarters.
High Gross Margins
Sustained gross margins above 60% indicate structural product economics that can support profitability as scale returns. High product margins provide room to absorb marketing, distribution, or promotional spend while protecting unit economics, aiding recovery even if top-line growth is gradual.
New Product & Efficiency Initiatives
Introducing Gathered Goods and forming an AI task force represent structural changes: a higher-margin, scalable product channel plus automation to reduce SG&A. If execution holds, these initiatives can diversify revenue, improve margin mix, and reduce recurring costs over the medium term.
Negative Factors
Steep Revenue Decline
Multi-year and recent sharp revenue declines weaken scale economics and pressure fixed-cost coverage. Prolonged top-line contraction undermines reinvestment capacity, reduces bargaining leverage with partners, and makes achieving durable profitability dependent on sustained partner reactivation and successful new-title performance.
Collapse in Brand Partner Base
Losing more than half of active sellers is a structural distribution setback: even if remaining partners are more productive, a much smaller seller base limits market reach, slows organic customer acquisition, raises concentration risk, and makes revenue recovery contingent on difficult recruitment and retention efforts.
Underlying Operating Losses
Reported profitability is heavily aided by a one-time asset sale; core operations remain loss-making. Persistent underlying losses reduce internal funding for growth initiatives, increase dependence on external financing or asset monetization, and raise execution risk for strategic programs intended to restore durable growth.

Educational Development (EDUC) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Educational Development Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionEducational Development Corporation, a publishing company, operates as a trade co-publisher of educational children's books in the United States. It operates through two segments, Publishing and Usborne Books & More (UBAM). The company offers various books, including touchy-feely board books, activity books and flashcards, adventure and search books, art books, sticker books, and foreign language books, as well as internet-linked books comprising science and math titles, and chapter books and novels. Educational Development Corporation markets its products to retail accounts, which include book, school supply, toy and gift stores and museums, through commissioned sales representatives, trade and specialty wholesalers, and its internal tele-sales group; and through a network of independent sales consultants through internet sales, direct sales, home shows, and book fairs. Educational Development Corporation was incorporated in 1965 and is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
How the Company Makes MoneyEDUC generates revenue through multiple streams, primarily by selling educational products directly to schools, educators, and parents. The company offers a range of products, including printed books, digital learning platforms, and classroom supplies, which are sold through both online and physical retail channels. Additionally, EDUC monetizes its resources through subscription-based services that provide access to exclusive digital content and tools for educators. Partnerships with educational institutions and organizations help increase their market reach and drive sales, while promotional campaigns and seasonal discounts further boost revenue during peak buying periods. Overall, EDUC's diverse product offerings and strategic partnerships play a crucial role in its financial success.

Educational Development Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Any
Any
Net Revenue By Segment
Net Revenue By Segment
Breaks down total revenue by business segment, indicating which parts of the company are driving sales and where there might be potential for growth or need for strategic shifts.
Chart InsightsEducational Development's Paperpie segment is experiencing a prolonged revenue decline, exacerbated by a sharp drop in active brand partners. Despite efforts to cut costs and improve cash flow, the company faces significant challenges, including a bank loan default. The Publishing segment also struggles, with stagnant growth amid a tough sales environment. Management is optimistic about future growth through strategic initiatives and a planned real estate sale, but immediate financial pressures and declining revenues highlight the need for urgent strategic shifts to stabilize and grow the business.
Data provided by:The Fly

Educational Development Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Jan 08, 2026
(Q3-2026)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:May 27, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Negative
The call presented a mix of one-time financial positives and concerning underlying operating trends. A material one-time gain from the Hilti Complex sale materially improved reported earnings, eliminated bank debt, and provided annual cash-flow relief. Management launched strategic initiatives (Gathered Goods, restocks/new titles, AI task force) and highlighted improved productivity among remaining sellers and leader stability. However, core operating metrics are weak: revenue declined ~32-37% year-over-year, active brand partner counts fell over 50%, and excluding the one-time gain the company is operating at a loss. Cash on hand is modest and a new banking relationship is not yet finalized. Overall, while there are credible plans and catalysts for recovery, the severity of the top-line and partner-count declines and ongoing operational losses outweigh the positives.
Q3-2026 Updates
Positive Updates
Building Sale and One-Time Gain
Completed sale of Hilti Complex producing a $12.2M gain; allowed payoff of line of credit and term loans and resulted in $0 owed to bank at quarter-end.
Improved Reported Earnings and EPS (One-Time Impact)
Reported Q3 net earnings of $7.8M and EPS of $0.91 vs. prior-year Q3 loss of $0.8M and EPS -$0.10; year-to-date net earnings $5.4M and EPS $0.63 vs. prior-year loss of $3.9M and EPS -$0.47 (results materially aided by building sale).
Debt Elimination and Annual Cash Flow Benefit
Paid off bank debt following building sale; management expects approximately $1.0M per year positive impact to cash flows from having no bank debt restrictions.
Inventory Reduction Generated Cash
Inventory decreased from $44.7M to $39.1M, generating $5.6M of cash flow used to pay vendors, reduce bank debt, and fund operations.
New Fundraising Program Launched (Gathered Goods)
Launched Gathered Goods — in-house custom fundraising products with stronger margins and an embedded online/digital fundraising capability designed for scalability and broader reach.
Sales Force Quality and Leader Stability
Although total brand partner counts fell, remaining active brand partners are more productive; leader levels declined at a much lower rate and continue to drive recruitment and stability.
Operational Initiatives and Tech Focus
Placed Phase 1 reorders and new-title purchases to restock bestsellers and new releases (arrival late spring/early summer); formed an AI task force to automate rote tasks and explore transformational uses.
Usborne Relationship and Inventory Insurance
Approximately 50% of inventory is Usborne-related; relationship remains stable and Usborne is reportedly eager for the company to resume ordering. Inventory is insured at replacement cost and the company reports a historical track record of low write-downs.
Successful Seasonal Promotion
Book Friday (Black Friday) promotion drove strong engagement across customers and brand partners, reinforcing catalog visibility and holiday season volume generation.
Negative Updates
Significant Revenue Declines
Q3 net revenues fell to $7.0M from $11.1M year-over-year, a decline of approximately 37%. Year-to-date net revenues declined to $18.7M from $27.6M, a decline of approximately 32%.
Dramatic Drop in Brand Partner Counts
Average active brand partners declined sharply to 5,100 in Q3 from 12,400 a year earlier (approximately -59%); year-to-date average active brand partners were 6,200 vs. 13,300 prior year (approximately -53%).
Underlying Operating Losses Excluding One-Time Gain
Excluding the $12.2M building sale gain, the company would have reported a Q3 loss before income taxes of $1.6M and a year-to-date loss before income taxes of $4.8M, indicating ongoing operational losses.
Low Cash Balance
Quarter-end cash balance was $3.4M, which may be constrained relative to ongoing operational needs despite inventory value and recent debt payoff.
Heavy Inventory Relative to Sales and Market Cap Concerns
Inventory remains large at $39.1M versus reduced sales; investors expressed concern about the realizable value of inventory if sell-through remains weak despite company stating historical low write-downs.
Reliance on Promotions and Timing of New Product Arrivals
Company continues to rely on discount-driven promotions (Book Friday) for visibility and volume; new titles meant to re-energize sales are not expected to arrive until late spring/early summer, delaying potential benefits.
Uncertainty on New Banking Relationship
Management is still negotiating a new credit relationship; no new credit line is yet in place, leaving some short-term financing uncertainty even with $0 owed to bank currently.
Material Top-Line Contraction Risks
Large declines in revenues and active sellers pose execution risk to the growth plan — recovery depends on reactivation/recruitment of brand partners and successful execution of new initiatives.
Company Guidance
Management's guidance focused on returning to growth in fiscal 2027 now that the Hilti Complex sale removed bank restrictions—management expects about $1.0M in annual cash-flow benefit from paying off bank debt, is pursuing a new banking relationship/credit line in the next few months, and has placed Phase 1 reorders/new-title purchases (arriving late spring/early summer) while launching Gathered Goods to improve margins and scale fundraising; an AI task force is also being used to automate rote tasks and reduce costs. For context and targets, Q3 net revenues were $7.0M (vs. $11.1M prior year) with average active brand partners of 5,100 (vs. 12,400), YTD net revenues $18.7M (vs. $27.6M) with average partners 6,200 (vs. 13,300); Q3 earnings before income taxes were $10.6M (including a $12.2M building gain; ex‑gain loss before taxes would be $1.6M) and YTD EBIT was $7.4M (ex‑gain loss before taxes loss $4.8M), Q3 net earnings $7.8M and EPS $0.91, YTD net earnings $5.4M and EPS $0.63. Liquidity/inventory actions include reducing inventory from $44.7M to $39.1M (generating $5.6M cash), ending the quarter with $3.4M cash, $0.8M receivables, $2.0M accounts payable, $0 owed to the bank, and roughly 50% of inventory tied to Usborne; management will prioritize increasing brand partner counts, Gen Z marketing tweaks, and will provide an update in May.

Educational Development Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Financials are mixed: the balance sheet is materially stronger after major debt reduction (low leverage), but operating fundamentals remain weak with multi-year revenue contraction, recent negative operating profit, and volatile cash flow (TTM positive but sharply lower YoY).
Income Statement
38
Negative
Results show a sharp downcycle: revenue has fallen materially from FY2021 to FY2025 and is down again in TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) (about -14.9%). Profitability is mixed—gross margin remains solid (~60%+), but operating performance is weak with negative EBIT/EBITDA in the most recent periods. While TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) net income is positive, the prior annual period posted a sizable loss, highlighting earnings volatility and lower quality of profits.
Balance Sheet
72
Positive
The balance sheet has improved meaningfully, driven by substantial debt reduction: total debt declined from roughly $45.5M (FY2023) to ~$6.9M in TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months), taking leverage down to a low level (debt-to-equity ~0.15). Equity remains sizable relative to assets, which supports financial flexibility. The key weakness is inconsistent returns for shareholders (negative ROE in FY2023/FY2025 annual), reflecting that the stronger balance sheet has not consistently translated into stable profitability.
Cash Flow
54
Neutral
Cash generation has been inconsistent across the cycle. TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) operating cash flow and free cash flow are positive, but free cash flow is down sharply year-over-year (about -50.9%), indicating weakening cash conversion recently. Several periods show a disconnect between earnings and cash results (including very weak cash flow in FY2023 and negative operating/free cash flow in FY2022), which raises some reliability concerns despite the current positive run-rate.
BreakdownDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue34.19M51.03M87.83M142.23M204.64M
Gross Profit21.03M32.98M56.07M97.93M144.60M
EBITDA-2.94M5.98M1.22M14.28M19.43M
Net Income-5.26M546.40K-2.50M8.31M12.62M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets78.31M90.11M99.94M109.93M88.85M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments428.40K844.50K689.10K361.20K1.81M
Total Debt32.40M35.55M46.35M43.17M16.23M
Total Liabilities37.75M44.65M54.70M63.17M48.59M
Stockholders Equity40.57M45.45M45.23M46.77M40.26M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow2.77M7.93M-1.52M-24.86M3.67M
Operating Cash Flow3.21M8.75M58.50K-21.14M7.82M
Investing Cash Flow-429.60K4.04M-1.76M-3.94M-4.15M
Financing Cash Flow-3.08M-12.20M2.03M23.63M-4.86M

Educational Development Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price1.44
Price Trends
50DMA
1.33
Positive
100DMA
1.34
Positive
200DMA
1.31
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
0.03
Negative
RSI
67.76
Neutral
STOCH
67.02
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For EDUC, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 1.44 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 1.36, above the 50-day MA of 1.33, and above the 200-day MA of 1.31, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 0.03 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 67.76 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 67.02 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for EDUC.

Educational Development Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (60)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
65
Neutral
$862.47M-175.80-0.35%2.78%2.53%-23.86%
60
Neutral
$48.67B4.58-11.27%4.14%2.83%-41.78%
58
Neutral
$12.26M3.04-11.27%-30.65%-62.03%
52
Neutral
$30.91M-0.81-8.02%-44.34%
* Communication Services Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
EDUC
Educational Development
1.45
-0.20
-12.12%
LEE
Lee Enterprises
5.02
-7.14
-58.72%
SCHL
Scholastic
34.58
15.28
79.17%

Educational Development Corporate Events

Business Operations and StrategyFinancial Disclosures
Educational Development Posts Q3 Results Amid Strategic Asset Sale
Negative
Jan 8, 2026

On January 8, 2026, Educational Development Corporation reported fiscal 2026 third-quarter results for the period ended November 30, 2025, highlighting a sharp revenue decline alongside an accounting boost from asset sales. Net revenues fell to $7.0 million from $11.1 million in the quarter, and to $18.7 million from $27.6 million year-to-date, with average active PaperPie brand partners dropping to 5,100 from 12,400 in the quarter and to 6,200 from 13,300 year-to-date, underscoring continued sales and field-force pressure. Despite this, the company swung to reported pre-tax earnings of $10.6 million for the quarter and $7.4 million year-to-date, versus losses a year earlier, driven by a $32.2 million strategic sale-and-leaseback of its headquarters and distribution complex, which generated a $12.2 million gain; excluding this, it still posted pre-tax losses of $1.6 million for the quarter and $4.8 million year-to-date. Management emphasized that using the sale proceeds to fully repay term and revolving bank debt, reducing inventory by $1.5 million, and ending bank operating restrictions has improved annual cash flow by an estimated $1.0 million, lifted cash on the balance sheet to $3.4 million, and provided liquidity expected to support operations into fiscal 2027 while allowing renewed investment in new titles and efforts to reignite growth in the PaperPie division.

The most recent analyst rating on (EDUC) stock is a Hold with a $1.50 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Educational Development stock, see the EDUC Stock Forecast page.

Financial Disclosures
Educational Development Schedules Q3 Earnings Call
Neutral
Dec 11, 2025

On December 11, 2025, Educational Development Corporation announced that its fiscal year 2026 third quarter earnings call will take place on January 8, 2026. The event will feature presentations by key executives and a live Q&A session, providing insights into the company’s quarterly performance and future outlook.

The most recent analyst rating on (EDUC) stock is a Hold with a $1.50 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Educational Development stock, see the EDUC Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and StrategyPrivate Placements and Financing
Educational Development Repays Debt, Ends Credit Agreement
Positive
Oct 28, 2025

On October 27, 2025, Educational Development Corporation fully repaid its outstanding debt and terminated its Credit Agreement with BOKF, NA, using proceeds from the sale of its headquarters and distribution warehouse for $32.2 million. This strategic move eliminated the company’s bank borrowings, improved its cash flow by approximately $1 million annually, and strengthened its financial position, benefiting shareholders and enhancing its balance sheet.

The most recent analyst rating on (EDUC) stock is a Hold with a $1.50 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Educational Development stock, see the EDUC Stock Forecast page.

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 14, 2026