Scholastic (SCHL)
Market Price (12/18/2025): $28.675 | Market Cap: $722.6 MilSector: Communication Services | Industry: Publishing
Scholastic (SCHL)
Market Price (12/18/2025): $28.675Market Cap: $722.6 MilSector: Communication ServicesIndustry: Publishing
Investment Highlights
Why It Matters
Which of these 2 stories sounds closer for this stock?
1. Generates cash flow
The stock generated 4% or more of the share price (called cash flow yield), and shows moderate 10-15% or more growth.
2. Riding a trend
Think Tesla during the pandemic of 2020 when EVs were riding a cultural high, or Nvidia in the current AI boom, or even Figma. These companies don’t have enough yield, or, enough growth, or both - however - they are riding a trend. They have momentum. These can be more volatile - they don’t have the floor of strong cash flow
| Attractive yieldDividend Yield is 4.2%, FCF Yield is 8.0% | Trading close to highsDist 52W High is -4.8% | Debt is significantNet D/ENet Debt/Equity. Debt net of cash. Negative indicates net cash. Equity is taken as the Market Capitalization is 66% |
| Megatrend and thematic driversMegatrends include Future of Education. Themes include Children's Book Publishing, K-12 Educational Content, and Digital Learning Platforms. | Weak multi-year price returns2Y Excs Rtn is -67%, 3Y Excs Rtn is -87% | Weak revenue growthRev Chg 3Y AvgRevenue Change % averaged over trailing 3 years is -0.6%, Rev Chg QQuarterly Revenue Change % is -4.9% |
| Yield minus risk free rate is negativeERPEquity Risk Premium (ERP) = Total Yield - Risk Free Rate, Reflects the premium above risk free assets offered by the investment. is -2.0% | ||
| Key risksSCHL key risks include [1] significant revenue declines in its Education Solutions segment due to uncertain school spending, Show more. |
| Attractive yieldDividend Yield is 4.2%, FCF Yield is 8.0% |
| Megatrend and thematic driversMegatrends include Future of Education. Themes include Children's Book Publishing, K-12 Educational Content, and Digital Learning Platforms. |
| Trading close to highsDist 52W High is -4.8% |
| Weak multi-year price returns2Y Excs Rtn is -67%, 3Y Excs Rtn is -87% |
| Debt is significantNet D/ENet Debt/Equity. Debt net of cash. Negative indicates net cash. Equity is taken as the Market Capitalization is 66% |
| Weak revenue growthRev Chg 3Y AvgRevenue Change % averaged over trailing 3 years is -0.6%, Rev Chg QQuarterly Revenue Change % is -4.9% |
| Yield minus risk free rate is negativeERPEquity Risk Premium (ERP) = Total Yield - Risk Free Rate, Reflects the premium above risk free assets offered by the investment. is -2.0% |
| Key risksSCHL key risks include [1] significant revenue declines in its Education Solutions segment due to uncertain school spending, Show more. |
Valuation, Metrics & Events
SCHL Stock
Why The Stock Moved
Qualitative Assessment
AI Generated Analysis | Feedback
Here are the key points explaining the stock movement for Scholastic (SCHL) between August 31, 2025, and December 18, 2025:
1. Mixed Q1 Fiscal 2026 Earnings Report. Scholastic reported its first-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings on September 18, 2025, with an earnings per share (EPS) of -$2.52 and revenue of $225.60 million, both of which missed analyst consensus estimates. Despite these misses, the company reaffirmed its fiscal year 2026 guidance for improved Adjusted EBITDA, which may have tempered negative market reaction.
2. Strategic Real Estate Sales and Leasebacks. On December 2, 2025, Scholastic announced binding agreements for the sale and leaseback of its New York City Headquarters and a distribution center in Jefferson City, Missouri. These transactions are anticipated to generate $401 million in estimated net proceeds, which the company plans to use for debt reduction and share repurchases, signaling a move to unlock significant value and improve financial flexibility.
Stock Movement Drivers
Return vs. Risk
Price Returns Compared
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Total [1] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Returns | |||||||
| SCHL Return | -33% | 63% | 0% | -3% | -42% | 42% | -12% |
| Peers Return | 6% | 21% | -24% | 17% | 35% | 15% | 77% |
| S&P 500 Return | 16% | 27% | -19% | 24% | 23% | 14% | 108% |
Monthly Win Rates [3] | |||||||
| SCHL Win Rate | 42% | 83% | 50% | 58% | 50% | 58% | |
| Peers Win Rate | 57% | 52% | 42% | 48% | 60% | 60% | |
| S&P 500 Win Rate | 58% | 75% | 42% | 67% | 75% | 73% | |
Max Drawdowns [4] | |||||||
| SCHL Max Drawdown | -48% | -2% | -26% | -18% | -46% | -25% | |
| Peers Max Drawdown | -42% | -6% | -31% | -10% | -8% | -19% | |
| S&P 500 Max Drawdown | -31% | -1% | -25% | -1% | -2% | -15% | |
[1] Cumulative total returns since the beginning of 2020
[2] Peers: LRN, HAS, MAT, DIS, FOXA. See SCHL Returns vs. Peers.
[3] Win Rate = % of calendar months in which monthly returns were positive
[4] Max drawdown represents maximum peak-to-trough decline within a year
[5] 2025 data is for the year up to 12/17/2025 (YTD)
How Low Can It Go
| Event | SCHL | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 Inflation Shock | ||
| % Loss | -38.7% | -25.4% |
| % Gain to Breakeven | 63.0% | 34.1% |
| Time to Breakeven | Not Fully Recovered days | 464 days |
| 2020 Covid Pandemic | ||
| % Loss | -48.8% | -33.9% |
| % Gain to Breakeven | 95.3% | 51.3% |
| Time to Breakeven | 215 days | 148 days |
| 2018 Correction | ||
| % Loss | -31.6% | -19.8% |
| % Gain to Breakeven | 46.1% | 24.7% |
| Time to Breakeven | 1,144 days | 120 days |
| 2008 Global Financial Crisis | ||
| % Loss | -76.3% | -56.8% |
| % Gain to Breakeven | 321.5% | 131.3% |
| Time to Breakeven | 2,205 days | 1,480 days |
Compare to SBGI, CCO, ANGI, GTN, TDAY
In The Past
Scholastic's stock fell -38.7% during the 2022 Inflation Shock from a high on 9/2/2022. A -38.7% loss requires a 63.0% gain to breakeven.
Preserve Wealth
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Asset Allocation
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Latest Trefis Analyses
| Title | |
|---|---|
| ARTICLES |
Trade Ideas
Select past ideas related to SCHL. For more, see Trefis Trade Ideas.
| Date | Ticker | Company | Category | Trade Strategy | 6M Fwd Rtn | 12M Fwd Rtn | 12M Max DD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11302025 | PINS | Monopoly | MY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S DeclineLarge cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple | -0.9% | -0.9% | -1.4% | |
| 11212025 | TMUS | T-Mobile US | Monopoly | MY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S DeclineLarge cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple | -4.3% | -4.3% | -6.4% |
| 11212025 | Z | Zillow | Monopoly | MY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S DeclineLarge cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple | -3.4% | -3.4% | -3.9% |
| 11072025 | IRDM | Iridium Communications | Dip Buy | DB | CFO/Rev | Low D/EDip Buy with High Cash Flow MarginsBuying dips for companies with significant cash flows from operations and reasonable debt / market cap | -0.3% | -0.3% | -5.6% |
| 10032025 | TTD | Trade Desk | Dip Buy | DB | CFO/Rev | Low D/EDip Buy with High Cash Flow MarginsBuying dips for companies with significant cash flows from operations and reasonable debt / market cap | -27.9% | -27.9% | -29.8% |
| Date | Ticker | Company | Category | Trade Strategy | 6M Fwd Rtn | 12M Fwd Rtn | 12M Max DD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11302025 | PINS | Monopoly | MY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S DeclineLarge cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple | -0.9% | -0.9% | -1.4% | |
| 11212025 | TMUS | T-Mobile US | Monopoly | MY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S DeclineLarge cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple | -4.3% | -4.3% | -6.4% |
| 11212025 | Z | Zillow | Monopoly | MY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S DeclineLarge cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple | -3.4% | -3.4% | -3.9% |
| 11072025 | IRDM | Iridium Communications | Dip Buy | DB | CFO/Rev | Low D/EDip Buy with High Cash Flow MarginsBuying dips for companies with significant cash flows from operations and reasonable debt / market cap | -0.3% | -0.3% | -5.6% |
| 10032025 | TTD | Trade Desk | Dip Buy | DB | CFO/Rev | Low D/EDip Buy with High Cash Flow MarginsBuying dips for companies with significant cash flows from operations and reasonable debt / market cap | -27.9% | -27.9% | -29.8% |
Research & Analysis
Invest in Strategies
Wealth Management
Peer Comparisons for Scholastic
| Peers to compare with: |
Financials
| Median | |
|---|---|
| Name | |
| Mkt Price | 68.66 |
| Mkt Cap | 8.9 |
| Rev LTM | 4,792 |
| Op Inc LTM | 698 |
| FCF LTM | 519 |
| FCF 3Y Avg | 535 |
| CFO LTM | 704 |
| CFO 3Y Avg | 726 |
Growth & Margins
| Median | |
|---|---|
| Name | |
| Rev Chg LTM | 2.2% |
| Rev Chg 3Y Avg | 2.0% |
| Rev Chg Q | 2.2% |
| QoQ Delta Rev Chg LTM | 0.5% |
| Op Mgn LTM | 16.2% |
| Op Mgn 3Y Avg | 12.1% |
| QoQ Delta Op Mgn LTM | -0.1% |
| CFO/Rev LTM | 16.3% |
| CFO/Rev 3Y Avg | 14.0% |
| FCF/Rev LTM | 11.6% |
| FCF/Rev 3Y Avg | 10.2% |
Valuation
| Median | |
|---|---|
| Name | |
| Mkt Cap | 8.9 |
| P/S | 1.9 |
| P/EBIT | 11.7 |
| P/E | 13.1 |
| P/CFO | 10.1 |
| Total Yield | 5.8% |
| Dividend Yield | 0.7% |
| FCF Yield 3Y Avg | 7.2% |
| D/E | 0.3 |
| Net D/E | 0.2 |
Returns
| Median | |
|---|---|
| Name | |
| 1M Rtn | 5.5% |
| 3M Rtn | 8.6% |
| 6M Rtn | 14.6% |
| 12M Rtn | 13.3% |
| 3Y Rtn | 43.5% |
| 1M Excs Rtn | 4.8% |
| 3M Excs Rtn | 5.9% |
| 6M Excs Rtn | 2.2% |
| 12M Excs Rtn | 0.9% |
| 3Y Excs Rtn | -30.9% |
Segment Financials
Revenue by Segment
| $ Mil | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children's Book Publishing & Distribution | 953 | 1,019 | 946 | 675 | 875 |
| Education Solutions | 351 | 387 | 394 | 312 | 287 |
| International | 274 | 279 | 303 | 313 | 324 |
| Overhead | 10 | 0 | |||
| Entertainment | 2 | 19 | |||
| Total | 1,590 | 1,704 | 1,643 | 1,300 | 1,487 |
| $ Mil | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children's Book Publishing & Distribution | 123 | 142 | 115 | 9 | 24 |
| Education Solutions | 16 | 58 | 82 | 58 | 30 |
| International | -7 | -4 | 3 | 21 | -6 |
| Entertainment | -11 | 1 | |||
| Overhead | -106 | -92 | -103 | -110 | -136 |
| Total | 14 | 106 | 97 | -23 | -88 |
| $ Mil | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overhead | 608 | 716 | 834 | 948 | 1,013 |
| Children's Book Publishing & Distribution | 556 | 587 | 559 | 518 | 524 |
| International | 256 | 260 | 258 | 302 | 274 |
| Education Solutions | 242 | 291 | 289 | 240 | 223 |
| Entertainment | 9 | 13 | |||
| Total | 1,671 | 1,867 | 1,941 | 2,008 | 2,034 |
Returns Analyses
Earnings Returns History
Expand for More| Forward Returns | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings Date | 1D Returns | 5D Returns | 21D Returns |
| 7/24/2025 | 23.9% | 14.5% | 17.9% |
| 3/20/2025 | 12.9% | -0.8% | -12.7% |
| 12/19/2024 | -20.2% | -14.3% | -19.9% |
| 9/26/2024 | 6.2% | -15.3% | -18.6% |
| 7/18/2024 | -19.9% | -15.4% | -15.4% |
| 3/21/2024 | 1.7% | -0.5% | -6.0% |
| 12/14/2023 | -11.6% | -7.3% | -9.8% |
| 7/20/2023 | 11.5% | 11.5% | 9.2% |
| ... | |||
| SUMMARY STATS | |||
| # Positive | 10 | 6 | 8 |
| # Negative | 9 | 13 | 11 |
| Median Positive | 7.3% | 12.6% | 14.3% |
| Median Negative | -11.6% | -8.3% | -11.4% |
| Max Positive | 23.9% | 27.1% | 23.6% |
| Max Negative | -22.3% | -19.5% | -19.9% |
SEC Filings
Expand for More| Report Date | Filing Date | Filing |
|---|---|---|
| 8312025 | 9192025 | 10-Q 8/31/2025 |
| 5312025 | 7252025 | 10-K 5/31/2025 |
| 2282025 | 3212025 | 10-Q 2/28/2025 |
| 11302024 | 12202024 | 10-Q 11/30/2024 |
| 8312024 | 9272024 | 10-Q 8/31/2024 |
| 5312024 | 7192024 | 10-K 5/31/2024 |
| 2292024 | 3222024 | 10-Q 2/29/2024 |
| 11302023 | 12152023 | 10-Q 11/30/2023 |
| 8312023 | 9222023 | 10-Q 8/31/2023 |
| 5312023 | 7212023 | 10-K 5/31/2023 |
| 2282023 | 3242023 | 10-Q 2/28/2023 |
| 11302022 | 12162022 | 10-Q 11/30/2022 |
| 8312022 | 9232022 | 10-Q 8/31/2022 |
| 5312022 | 7222022 | 10-K 5/31/2022 |
| 2282022 | 3182022 | 10-Q 2/28/2022 |
| 11302021 | 12172021 | 10-Q 11/30/2021 |
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