John Wiley Sons Cl A (WLY) AI Stock Analysis

• Market Cap: $2.04B
• Dividend Yield: 3.54%
• Average Volume (3M): 392.03K
• Price to Earnings (P/E): 22.4
• Beta (1Y): 0.53
• Revenue Growth: -8.50%
• EPS Growth: N/A
• Country: US
• Employees: 6,400
• Sector: Communication Services
• Sector Strength: 96
• Industry: Publishing
• EPS (TTM): 0.49
• Shares Outstanding: 44,559,334
• 10 Day Avg. Volume: 369,808
• 30 Day Avg. Volume: 392,030
• PEG Ratio: N/A
• Price to Book (P/B): N/A
• Price to Sales (P/S): N/A
• P/FCF Ratio: N/A
• Enterprise Value/Market Cap: 1.43
• Enterprise Value/Revenue: 1.75
• Enterprise Value/Gross Profit: 2.46
• Enterprise Value/Ebitda: 8.69
• 1Y Price Target: $43.00
• Price Target Upside: 7.90% Upside
• Rating Consensus: Hold
• Number of Analyst Covering: 1

• Rating: 64 Neutral
• Price Target: $43.00 ▲(7.90% Upside)

The overall stock score is primarily influenced by the company's strong financial performance in terms of profitability and cash flow, despite challenges with revenue decline and leverage. Technical analysis indicates a neutral market position, while valuation metrics suggest fair pricing. Earnings call insights and recent corporate events highlight strategic growth in AI and shareholder returns, contributing positively to the score.

John Wiley Sons Cl A Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company Description

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. operates as a research and education company worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Research Publishing & Platforms, Academic & Professional Learning, and Education Services. The Research Publishing & Platforms segment offers scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly journals, as well as related content and services to learned societies, individual researchers, other professionals, and academic, corporate, and government libraries. This segment also publishes physical sciences and engineering, health sciences, social sciences, and humanities and life sciences journals; and provides a publishing software and service for scholarly and professional societies, and publishers to deliver, host, enhance, market, and manage their content on the web through the Literatum platform. It sells and distributes its products through various channels, including research libraries and library consortia, and independent subscription agents, as well as directly to professional society members, bookstores, online booksellers, and other customers. The Academic & Professional Learning segment provides education publishing and professional learning products and services, including scientific, professional, and education print and digital books, digital courseware, and test preparation services to libraries, corporations, students, professionals, and researchers, as well as learning, development, and assessment services for businesses and professionals. This segment distributes its products through chain and online booksellers, libraries, colleges and universities, corporations, direct to consumer, websites, distributor networks, and other online applications. The Education Services segment provides online program management services for higher education institutions and talent development services including placement and training for professionals and businesses. The company was founded in 1807 and is headquartered in Hoboken, New Jersey.

How the Company Makes Money

Wiley generates revenue through multiple streams, including the sale of academic and professional books, subscriptions to its journals, and licensing of its educational content. A significant portion of its earnings comes from its Digital Learning segment, which offers online courses, certification programs, and other educational services. Additionally, Wiley collaborates with universities, professional associations, and corporations to develop tailored learning solutions, which further enhances its revenue. The company's strategic partnerships and investment in digital transformation have allowed it to expand its reach and adapt to the evolving educational landscape, contributing to its overall financial performance.

John Wiley Sons Cl A Financial Statement Overview

Summary

John Wiley Sons Cl A exhibits a mixed financial performance. Improvements in profitability and operational efficiency are noted, with better EBIT and EBITDA margins. However, declining revenue and significant leverage remain concerns. Strong cash flow generation provides room for strategic investments and debt management.

Income Statement

The income statement reveals a mixed performance for John Wiley Sons Cl A. The gross profit margin remains robust at approximately 71.2% in 2025, reflecting strong cost management. However, the net profit margin has improved to 5% from a negative margin in 2024, indicating a recovery in profitability. Revenue has declined over the years, but recent improvements in EBIT and EBITDA margins suggest operational efficiencies. The revenue growth rate has been negative, indicating a need for growth strategies.

Balance Sheet

The balance sheet shows a moderately leveraged position with a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.2 in 2025, which is stable compared to previous years. The equity ratio stands at 27.9%, indicating a moderate reliance on equity financing. Return on equity (ROE) has improved to 11.2% from negative in previous years, showing enhanced profitability. However, the company still has a significant debt burden, which could pose risks if not managed carefully.

Cash Flow

The cash flow statement highlights strong operational cash flow with a favorable operating cash flow to net income ratio of approximately 2.4 in 2025, showing efficient cash generation. Free cash flow has grown significantly by 33.3% from 2024 to 2025, indicating improved cash management. The free cash flow to net income ratio is 1.7, reflecting healthy cash flow relative to earnings, which could support future growth initiatives and debt reduction.

Breakdown	TTM	Dec 2025	Dec 2024	Dec 2023	Dec 2022	Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue	1.67B	1.68B	1.87B	2.02B	2.08B	1.94B
Gross Profit	1.19B	1.19B	1.29B	1.33B	1.38B	1.32B
EBITDA	336.77M	343.63M	53.28M	293.60M	445.63M	395.88M
Net Income	97.30M	84.16M	-200.32M	17.23M	148.31M	148.26M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets	2.52B	2.69B	2.73B	3.11B	3.36B	3.45B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments	81.85M	85.88M	83.40M	106.71M	100.40M	93.80M
Total Debt	923.98M	899.20M	887.28M	883.50M	940.14M	989.86M
Total Liabilities	1.79B	1.94B	1.99B	2.06B	2.22B	2.36B
Stockholders Equity	733.06M	752.21M	739.72M	1.05B	1.14B	1.09B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow	129.37M	141.12M	105.88M	170.38M	217.40M	226.71M
Operating Cash Flow	206.30M	202.59M	207.64M	277.07M	339.10M	359.92M
Investing Cash Flow	28.64M	-94.02M	-106.64M	-98.40M	-194.02M	-433.15M
Financing Cash Flow	-243.84M	-125.33M	-107.22M	-168.57M	-131.64M	-47.09M

John Wiley Sons Cl A Technical Analysis

• Technical Analysis Sentiment: Neutral
• Last Price: 39.85
• 50DMA: Negative
• 100DMA: Negative
• 200DMA: Negative
• MACD: Positive
• RSI: Neutral
• STOCH: Neutral

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For WLY, the sentiment is Neutral. The current price of 39.85 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 39.82, below the 50-day MA of 40.42, and below the 200-day MA of 42.06, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -0.06 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 50.07 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 44.51 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Neutral sentiment for WLY.

John Wiley Sons Cl A Peers Comparison

Name	Overall Rating	Market Cap	P/E Ratio	ROE	Dividend Yield	Revenue Growth	EPS Growth
NYT	77 Outperform	$9.64B	30.47	17.13%	1.05%	7.82%	19.39%
ZD	74 Outperform	$1.53B	26.22	3.56%	―	5.94%	-8.89%
PSO	72 Outperform	$9.14B	16.59	11.74%	2.10%	1.93%	34.40%
RELX	70 Outperform	$86.24B	34.80	70.68%	1.75%	5.32%	6.06%
SCHL	66 Neutral	$621.99M	37.85	-0.19%	3.07%	2.25%	-103.50%
WLY	64 Neutral	$2.04B	22.35	13.45%	3.54%	-8.50%	―
Sector *	60 Neutral	$46.29B	4.07	-13.11%	4.12%	1.85%	-42.71%

John Wiley Sons Cl A Corporate Events

Wiley Reports Q1 2026 Results with AI Revenue Growth

On September 4, 2025, Wiley reported its first quarter fiscal year 2026 results, highlighting a revenue of $397 million, a slight decrease from the previous year due to divested businesses. The company saw a 7% increase in operating income and a significant improvement in diluted earnings per share. A key highlight was the growth in research revenue driven by AI licensing projects and open access growth. Wiley executed a landmark AI licensing project with a large tech company and announced a strategic partnership with Anthropic to boost AI integration in scholarly research. The company also increased its dividend for the 32nd consecutive year and expanded its share repurchase authorization. Wiley remains confident in its fiscal 2026 outlook, driven by strong demand trends in research and AI, and anticipates cost savings and growth in recurring revenue models.

John Wiley & Sons Elects New Board Member

On June 30, 2025, John Wiley & Sons announced the election of Katya D. Andresen to its Board of Directors, effective June 27, 2025, increasing the Board size from nine to ten members. Ms. Andresen is recognized as an independent director under NYSE rules and is expected to join the Executive Compensation and Development Committee. Additionally, Wiley declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.355 per share, marking its 32nd consecutive annual increase, and announced a $250 million share repurchase authorization, up from $200 million in 2020. The company reported strong fiscal 2025 earnings, with significant growth in revenue and adjusted EBITDA margin, and provided a positive growth outlook for fiscal 2026.

Wiley Appoints Craig Albright as New CFO

On June 23, 2025, Wiley announced the appointment of Craig Albright as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective June 26, 2025. Albright, with over 30 years of global leadership experience, previously held significant roles at Xerox, where he drove growth and improved operational efficiency. His appointment aligns with Wiley’s strategic objectives to capitalize on emerging market opportunities, including AI licensing and data analytics, while continuing to expand margins and cash flow.

Wiley Reports Strong Fiscal 2025 Results and AI Growth

On June 17, 2025, Wiley reported its fiscal 2025 results, highlighting significant achievements such as exceeding adjusted EPS guidance, expanding profit margins, and reaffirming fiscal 2026 growth targets. The company realized $40 million in AI licensing revenue, compared to $23 million in the previous year, and increased share repurchases by 34%, raising dividends for the 31st consecutive year. Wiley’s fiscal year saw a 3% increase in adjusted revenue, a 29% rise in adjusted operating income, and a 10% growth in free cash flow, driven by strong performance in its Research and Learning segments. The company also completed divestitures, receiving $120 million in cash proceeds, and continued its focus on AI licensing and partnerships, science analytics, and knowledge services.