John Wiley Sons Cl A (WLY) AI Stock Analysis

• Market Cap: $1.93B
• Dividend Yield: 3.84%
• Average Volume (3M): 420.08K
• Price to Earnings (P/E): 20.4
• Beta (1Y): 0.66
• Revenue Growth: -8.50%
• EPS Growth: N/A
• Country: US
• Employees: 6,400
• Sector: Communication Services
• Sector Strength: 97
• Industry: Publishing
• EPS (TTM): 0.49
• Shares Outstanding: 44,434,727
• 10 Day Avg. Volume: 509,776
• 30 Day Avg. Volume: 420,082
• PEG Ratio: -0.20
• Price to Book (P/B): 3.14
• Price to Sales (P/S): 1.41
• P/FCF Ratio: 16.72
• Enterprise Value/Market Cap: 1.52
• Enterprise Value/Revenue: 1.75
• Enterprise Value/Gross Profit: 2.46
• Enterprise Value/Ebitda: 8.69
• 1Y Price Target: N/A
• Price Target Upside: N/A
• Rating Consensus: N/A
• Number of Analyst Covering: 0
• EPS Forecast (FY): N/A
• Revenue Forecast (FY): N/A

• Rating: 62 Neutral
• Price Target: $38.00 ▲(5.53% Upside)

The overall stock score of 62 reflects a mix of strengths and challenges. Strong financial performance in terms of gross profitability and cash flow generation is offset by declining revenue and high leverage. Technical indicators suggest bearish momentum, while valuation metrics indicate fair pricing with an attractive dividend yield. The earnings call provided a neutral sentiment, balancing growth in AI licensing with challenges in the professional publishing market.

Positive Factors

AI Licensing Revenue Growth

The significant increase in AI licensing revenue indicates a successful expansion into high-growth areas, which can drive long-term revenue and market positioning.

Strategic Partnerships

Partnerships like the one with Anthropic enhance product offerings and market reach, strengthening Wiley's competitive position in the digital learning space.

Dividend and Share Repurchase Program

Consistent dividend increases and share repurchases reflect strong cash flow management and a commitment to returning value to shareholders, enhancing investor confidence.

Negative Factors

Declining Revenue

A significant decline in revenue indicates potential issues in market demand or competitive positioning, which could affect long-term growth prospects.

High Leverage

High leverage can limit financial flexibility and increase risk, especially in economic downturns, impacting the company's ability to invest in growth opportunities.

Professional Publishing Market Softness

Softness in the professional publishing market could lead to sustained revenue challenges, affecting Wiley's core business and necessitating strategic adjustments.

John Wiley Sons Cl A Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company Description

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (Cl A) is a global leader in research and education, operating primarily in the publishing and digital learning sectors. The company specializes in producing academic books, scientific journals, and educational resources across various disciplines, including science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and the humanities. Wiley also provides online learning solutions and professional development resources, catering to both individual learners and institutions.

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 strong gross profitability and cash flow generation, but faces challenges with declining revenue and high leverage. While operational efficiency is stable, the company must address its revenue trajectory and manage its debt levels to ensure long-term financial health.

Income Statement

The company shows a strong gross profit margin of 71.06% TTM, indicating efficient production and sales processes. However, the net profit margin is relatively low at 5.82% TTM, and there is a concerning revenue decline of 41.8% TTM, which suggests challenges in maintaining sales growth. EBIT and EBITDA margins are moderate, reflecting stable operational efficiency but with room for improvement.

Balance Sheet

The debt-to-equity ratio of 1.26 TTM indicates a high level of leverage, which could pose financial risks if not managed carefully. Return on equity is decent at 13.30% TTM, showing effective use of equity to generate profits. However, the equity ratio is not provided, limiting a full assessment of asset financing.

Cash Flow

The company demonstrates a positive free cash flow growth rate of 6.77% TTM, indicating improved cash generation capabilities. The operating cash flow to net income ratio of 0.32 TTM suggests that cash flow generation is relatively aligned with reported earnings, though there is potential for better alignment. The free cash flow to net income ratio of 0.63 TTM is healthy, showing good cash conversion.

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: Negative
• Last Price: 36.01
• 50DMA: Negative
• 100DMA: Negative
• 200DMA: Negative
• MACD: Negative
• RSI: Neutral
• STOCH: Negative

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For WLY, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 36.01 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 35.98, below the 50-day MA of 37.13, and below the 200-day MA of 39.92, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -0.33 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 54.23 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 92.10 is Negative, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative 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	79 Outperform	$10.52B	31.56	17.63%	1.05%	8.43%	21.38%
PSO	74 Outperform	$8.33B	15.22	11.74%	2.28%	1.93%	34.40%
YELP	70 Outperform	$1.82B	13.07	20.37%	―	5.35%	33.74%
WLY	62 Neutral	$1.93B	20.36	13.45%	3.84%	-8.50%	―
ZD	62 Neutral	$1.30B	13.37	6.26%	―	5.70%	97.88%
Sector *	60 Neutral	$48.67B	4.58	-11.27%	4.14%	2.83%	-41.78%
SCHL	58 Neutral	$746.87M	―	-1.14%	2.69%	0.97%	-197.80%

John Wiley Sons Cl A Corporate Events

John Wiley Sons Cl A Annual Shareholders Meeting Update

On September 25, 2025, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. held its Annual Meeting of Shareholders, where a significant majority of Class A and Class B shares were represented. All directors standing for re-election were re-elected, but Brian Hemphill, who received more withheld votes than votes for, tendered his resignation. The Board, however, decided not to accept his resignation, citing his valuable contributions and leadership experience as beneficial to the company.

The most recent analyst rating on (WLY) stock is a Hold with a $43.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on John Wiley Sons Cl A stock, see the WLY Stock Forecast page.

John Wiley Sons Cl Earnings Call: AI Growth and Market Challenges

John Wiley Sons Cl’s recent earnings call presented a balanced outlook, with notable achievements in AI licensing revenue and strategic partnerships, countered by challenges in the professional publishing market and a decline in learning revenue. The company remains committed to shareholder returns, yet faces temporary increases in corporate expenses, resulting in a neutral overall sentiment.

Wiley Reports Strong Q1 2026 Results Driven by AI

John Wiley & Sons, Inc., a global leader in providing authoritative content and data-driven insights for science and learning, has reported its first-quarter results for 2026, highlighting the impact of AI demand on its performance.

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.

The most recent analyst rating on (WLY) stock is a Hold with a $43.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on John Wiley Sons Cl A stock, see the WLY Stock Forecast page.