Leader Education Limited (1449) AI Stock Analysis

• Market Cap: HK$176.67M
• Dividend Yield: N/A
• Average Volume (3M): 1.42M
• Price to Earnings (P/E): 10.5
• Beta (1Y): 0.37
• Revenue Growth: 8.89%
• EPS Growth: -65.76%
• Country: HK
• Employees: 688
• Sector: Consumer Cyclical
• Sector Strength: 66
• Industry: Education & Training Services
• EPS (TTM): 0.04
• Shares Outstanding: 666,667,000
• 10 Day Avg. Volume: 1,619,700
• 30 Day Avg. Volume: 1,424,433
• PEG Ratio: -0.14
• Price to Book (P/B): 0.16
• Price to Sales (P/S): 0.00
• P/FCF Ratio: 7.04
• Enterprise Value/Market Cap: N/A
• Enterprise Value/Revenue: N/A
• Enterprise Value/Gross Profit: N/A
• Enterprise Value/Ebitda: N/A
• 1Y Price Target: HK$0.50
• Price Target Upside: 78.57% Upside
• Rating Consensus: Hold
• Number of Analyst Covering: 0

• Rating: 71 Outperform
• Price Target: HK$0.50 ▲(78.57%Upside)

Leader Education Limited's strong financial performance, particularly in revenue growth and operational efficiency, is the primary driver of its stock score. The positive technical indicators support a favorable short-term outlook. However, high leverage and negative free cash flow present risks that need careful management. The valuation is fair, but the lack of a dividend yield may deter some investors.

Leader Education Limited Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company Description

Leader Education Limited, an investment holding company, offers private higher education services in the People's Republic of China. The company operates Heilongjiang College in Harbin City, Heilongjiang province that primarily offers undergraduate programs in the areas of engineering and business management. It also provides education and management consultancy, and technical and artificial intelligence services. The company was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Harbin, China.

How the Company Makes Money

Leader Education Limited generates revenue through tuition fees charged for its educational services. The company operates several schools that cater to different educational levels, and these institutions collect fees from students enrolled in their programs. Additionally, Leader Education may offer supplementary educational services such as after-school programs, summer camps, and other extracurricular activities, which can also contribute to its earnings. The company's revenue model relies heavily on maintaining and expanding its student base while ensuring the quality of education provided to attract new enrollments. Significant partnerships with educational content providers or technology platforms, if any, could also enhance its service offerings and potentially attract more students, further boosting revenue.

Leader Education Limited Financial Statement Overview

Summary

Leader Education Limited shows strong revenue growth and operational efficiency with a healthy EBITDA margin of 44.27%. However, profitability metrics like Net Profit Margin and EBIT Margin are concerning, and the company faces challenges with negative free cash flow and high leverage.

Income Statement

Leader Education Limited shows a consistent growth trajectory in revenue with a Revenue Growth Rate of 17.09% in the recent year. Gross Profit Margin is strong at 36.81%, although profitability metrics like Net Profit Margin at 6.18% and EBIT Margin are concerning due to EBIT being zero in the latest period. Despite these concerns, EBITDA Margin remains healthy at 44.27%, indicating underlying operational strength.

Balance Sheet

The company maintains a solid equity base with an Equity Ratio of 36.48%, ensuring financial stability. However, the Debt-to-Equity Ratio is relatively high at 1.31, suggesting leverage risk. Return on Equity has declined to 2.15% due to lower net income, indicating reduced efficiency in generating returns on shareholders' equity.

Cash Flow

Free Cash Flow has seen significant decline, turning negative recently, which is a potential red flag. The Operating Cash Flow to Net Income Ratio is strong at 9.10, indicating robust cash generation relative to net income. However, the Free Cash Flow to Net Income Ratio is negative, reflecting increased capital expenditures.

Breakdown	Sep 2024	Sep 2023	Sep 2022	Sep 2021	Sep 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue	322.90M	275.76M	238.26M	196.14M	156.10M
Gross Profit	118.87M	105.36M	101.10M	98.96M	85.04M
EBITDA	143.00M	109.70M	104.26M	102.92M	74.01M
Net Income	19.96M	57.60M	56.02M	38.65M	42.36M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets	2.54B	2.20B	2.07B	2.00B	1.87B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments	345.44M	277.98M	253.09M	303.93M	337.55M
Total Debt	1.22B	926.84M	855.57M	877.54M	820.82M
Total Liabilities	1.62B	1.29B	1.15B	1.15B	1.07B
Stockholders Equity	927.91M	908.93M	912.75M	848.68M	800.57M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow	-136.23M	83.93M	22.81M	-30.57M	-125.55M
Operating Cash Flow	181.56M	218.94M	132.27M	172.38M	31.85M
Investing Cash Flow	-317.79M	-138.38M	-108.94M	-202.96M	-158.64M
Financing Cash Flow	211.21M	-65.55M	-82.65M	850.00K	325.76M

Leader Education Limited Technical Analysis

• Technical Analysis Sentiment: Neutral
• Last Price: 0.28
• 50DMA: Positive
• 100DMA: Positive
• 200DMA: Negative
• MACD: Negative
• RSI: Neutral
• STOCH: Neutral

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For HK:1449, the sentiment is Neutral. The current price of 0.28 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 0.26, above the 50-day MA of 0.25, and above the 200-day MA of 0.26, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of <0.01 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 50.26 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 59.35 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Neutral sentiment for HK:1449.

Leader Education Limited Peers Comparison

Name	Overall Rating	Market Cap	P/E Ratio	ROE	Dividend Yield	Revenue Growth	EPS Growth
1449	71 Outperform	HK$176.67M	10.47	1.65%	―	8.89%	-65.76%
1752	69 Neutral	HK$117.31M	10.38	5.04%	5.45%	3.75%	8.16%
Sector *	62 Neutral	$16.51B	10.46	-8.28%	3.32%	1.44%	-22.58%
1775	45 Neutral	HK$87.31M	―	-47.25%	―	20.36%	-38.36%
1758	43 Neutral	HK$113.80M	―	-23.91%	―	52.66%	-172.14%

Leader Education Limited Corporate Events

Leader Education Limited Updates Nomination Committee

Leader Education Limited has announced a change in the composition of its Nomination Committee, appointing Ms. Dong Ling and Mr. Chan Ngai Fan as new members effective from July 1, 2025. This strategic move is expected to enhance the governance structure of the company, potentially impacting its operations and stakeholder relations positively.

Leader Education Limited Announces Board Restructuring

Leader Education Limited, a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands, has announced changes to its board of directors, effective from July 1, 2025. The restructuring includes the appointment of Mr. Liu Laixiang as Chairman and the designation of roles across various committees, which may impact the company’s governance and strategic direction.

Leader Education Limited Forms Nomination Committee to Strengthen Board Governance

Leader Education Limited has established a Nomination Committee to enhance its board governance structure. The committee will consist of at least three members, with a majority being independent non-executive directors by July 2025, including at least one member of a different gender. This move is aimed at ensuring diversity and a balanced composition of skills and experience on the board, aligning with the company’s corporate strategy and compliance with Hong Kong’s listing rules.

Leader Education Limited Engages in New Finance Lease Arrangement

Leader Education Limited, through its subsidiary Heilongjiang College of Business and Technology, has entered into a finance lease arrangement with Jiangsu Jinzu for a transfer price of RMB30,000,000 and total lease payments of RMB33,487,328. This transaction, classified as a discloseable transaction under Hong Kong’s Listing Rules, reflects the company’s ongoing strategic financial activities and compliance with regulatory requirements. The arrangement, when aggregated with previous similar transactions, does not require reclassification, ensuring streamlined reporting and adherence to shareholder approval protocols.

Leader Education Delays Finance Lease Circular Dispatch

Leader Education Limited has announced a delay in the dispatch of a circular related to major finance lease arrangements with Licheng and Jiangsu JZ. The company has received a waiver from the Stock Exchange to extend the dispatch deadline to June 25, 2025, which allows them to consolidate the information into one circular for shareholders.

Leader Education’s Controlling Shareholders Pledge Shares for Loan Facility

Leader Education Limited announced that its controlling shareholders, Junhua Education Limited and Shuren Education Limited, have pledged a significant portion of their shares as collateral for a loan facility amounting to RMB350,000,000. This move is intended to support Heilongjiang College of Business and Technology, a consolidated affiliated entity of the company. The pledged shares represent approximately 74.50% of the company’s issued share capital, and the arrangement is expected to be concluded upon full repayment of the loan. The company will continue to disclose relevant information in its interim and annual reports as required by the listing rules.

Leader Education Secures Major Finance Lease Arrangement with Jiangsu Jinzu

Leader Education Limited, through its subsidiary Heilongjiang College of Business and Technology, has entered into a major finance lease arrangement with Jiangsu Jinzu. The transaction involves a transfer price of RMB30,000,000 and total lease payments of RMB33,487,328. This arrangement, when combined with a previous transaction with the same party, constitutes a major transaction under the Hong Kong Stock Exchange’s Listing Rules, requiring shareholder approval. However, the company has already secured written approval from its major shareholders, negating the need for a general meeting.

Leader Education Limited Reports Interim Financial Results with Mixed Performance

Leader Education Limited announced its unaudited interim consolidated financial results for the six months ending February 28, 2025. The company reported a slight increase in revenue by 0.8% compared to the previous period, reaching RMB 172,191,000. However, the gross profit and profit for the period saw declines of 11.7% and 15.2%, respectively, indicating increased costs and financial pressures. This financial performance may impact the company’s operational strategies and market positioning moving forward.