Lincoln Educational Services Corporation (LINC) Stock Price & Analysis
Lincoln Educational Services Corporation (LINC) closed at USD 21.96 on Thursday, October 22, 2026, up 3.34% on the day. The US market is currently closed (pre-market); this is not a live price.
The prior close was USD 21.25; the Oct 22, 2026 session ranged USD 20.8–22.06 on volume of 918,430 shares. Market capitalization is $696.60M, with a 52-week range of USD 17.29–56.34 (NMS). Source: Nexqual, retrieved October 23, 2026 at 09:25 UTC.
Also available as compact Markdown for AI agents: nexqual.com/LINC.md
Key facts (LINC)
- Last four reported quarters (through Jun 30, 2026): revenue $571M, net income $22.8M (4.0% margin), free cash flow $24.5M (SEC filings).
- Valuation: P/E 30.6x (avg 33.0x at the last 3 fiscal year-ends), EV/EBITDA 11.2x, net cash $18.2M.
- 1 of 80 tracked superinvestors hold LINC (13F, Q2 2026): 0 new, 0 added, 1 reduced, 0 unchanged.
- Insider open-market sales, last ~7 months: 10 Form 4 filings, $14.9M; 10 not under a Rule 10b5-1 plan ($14.9M); 2 by opportunistic insiders (2 outside 10b5-1 plans), 3 by routine insiders (three-year test, Cohen, Malloy & Pomorski 2012).
- Analysts: Buy (mean 1.80 on a 1–5 scale) (5 analysts), mean target USD 48.2 (range 40–56).
- Total return with dividends: 1Y -5.3% vs S&P 500 +14.9%; 5Y +214.2% vs S&P 500 +80.3%.
- Next earnings: 2026-11-09, EPS estimate USD 0.12, revenue estimate $152M.
Financials (SEC 10-K; TTM = last four 10-Q/10-K quarters) (LINC)
| USD | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 | FY2024 | FY2025 | TTM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $335M | $348M | $378M | $440M | $518M | $571M |
| Gross profit | $196M | $200M | $216M | $258M | $313M | — |
| Operating income | $49.3M | $16.3M | $33.4M | $15.2M | $30.3M | $33.7M |
| Net income | $34.7M | $12.6M | $26.0M | $9.9M | $20.0M | $22.8M |
| EPS (diluted) | $1.04 | $0.36 | $0.85 | $0.32 | $0.64 | — |
| Free cash flow | $19.9M | -$8.1M | -$15.1M | -$27.6M | -$27.3M | $24.5M |
| Gross margin | 58.6% | 57.3% | 57.1% | 58.7% | 60.4% | — |
| Operating margin | 14.7% | 4.7% | 8.8% | 3.4% | 5.8% | 5.9% |
| Net margin | 10.4% | 3.6% | 6.9% | 2.2% | 3.9% | 4.0% |
| Revenue growth | +14.4% | +3.9% | +8.6% | +16.4% | +17.8% | — |
| Cash + short-term investments | $83.3M | $60.8M | $76.0M | — | — | — |
| Total debt | $0K | — | — | $0K | $0K | — |
Fiscal years end Dec. EPS is split-adjusted.
Valuation (price ÷ last four quarters, through Jun 30, 2026) (LINC)
P/E 30.6x · P/S 1.2x · EV/EBITDA 11.2x · EV/Sales 1.2x · P/FCF 28.4x · P/B 3.4x · FCF yield 3.52% · Earnings yield 3.27% · Net cash $18.2M · EV $678M
P/E at fiscal year-ends: Dec 2025 37.8x, Dec 2024 49.4x, Dec 2023 11.8x.
Superinvestors (SEC 13F-HR, Q2 2026) (LINC)
1 of 80 tracked investors hold LINC. Each row is the investor's latest 13F; change is vs their prior-quarter share count.
| Investor | Firm | % of portfolio | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Eagle Investment | First Eagle Investment Management | 0.05% | $30.7M | Reduced -10.2% |
Insider sales (SEC Form 4, open-market, last ~7 months) (LINC)
0 of 10 under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan (scheduled in advance). Unplanned sales were timed by the insider.
| Trade date | Insider | Role | Shares | Value | % of holdings sold | 10b5-1 plan | Insider type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-15 | Luster Alexandra M | SVP and General Counsel | 18,007 | $804K | 17.9% | No | Too little history (no open-market trades in 2023–2025) |
| 2026-06-11…2026-06-12 | Juniper Investment Company, Llc | 48,812 | $2.3M | 2.7% | No | Routine (sold in Mar each year 2023–2025; this trade is outside those months) | |
| 2026-06-10 | Carney Kevin M | Director | 3,000 | $144K | 9.8% | No | Too little history (no open-market trades in 2023 or 2024) |
| 2026-06-05 | Luster Alexandra M | SVP and General Counsel | 1,993 | $100K | 1.9% | No | Too little history (no open-market trades in 2023–2025) |
| 2026-06-03…2026-06-04 | Juniper Investment Company, Llc | 106,712 | $5.4M | 5.7% | No | Routine (sold in Mar each year 2023–2025; this trade is outside those months) | |
| 2026-06-03 | Pryor Felecia J. | Director | 2,000 | $99K | 11.9% | No | Too little history (no open-market trades in 2023 or 2024) |
| 2026-05-22 | Burke James J Jr | Director | 15,807 | $764K | 26.3% | No | Opportunistic (traded every year 2023–2025, no repeating month) |
| 2026-05-14…2026-05-18 | Burke James J Jr | Director | 16,193 | $803K | 21.3% | No | Opportunistic (traded every year 2023–2025, no repeating month) |
| 2026-05-14…2026-05-15 | Juniper Investment Company, Llc | 49,821 | $2.5M | — | No | Routine (sold in Mar each year 2023–2025; this trade is outside those months) | |
| 2026-05-12 | Meyers Brian K | CFO and Treasurer | 40,070 | $2.0M | 20% | No | Too little history (no open-market trades in 2025) |
% of holdings sold = shares sold ÷ (shares sold + all holdings the insider reported on that Form 4, direct and through trusts).
Insider type follows Cohen, Malloy & Pomorski (Journal of Finance, 2012). An insider who traded the stock in the same calendar month in each of the past three years is a routine trader; one who traded in each of those years without such a pattern is an opportunistic trader. In their study, trades by opportunistic insiders predicted future returns and trades by routine insiders did not. Counts open-market purchases and sales only (SEC Form 4 codes P and S) by that insider in that company. Not investment advice.
Analysts (LINC)
Consensus Buy (mean 1.80 on a 1–5 scale), 5 analysts; mean target USD 48.2 (low 40, high 56).
Rating changes, last 120 days:
| Date | Firm | Action | Rating | Price target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-11 | Lake Street | Target lowered | Buy | $55 → $50 |
| 2026-08-11 | Rosenblatt | Target lowered | Buy | $60 → $50 |
Total return (dividends reinvested) (LINC)
| 1Y (from 2025-10-23) | 5Y (from 2021-10-18) | |
|---|---|---|
| Total return | -5.3% | +214.2% |
| S&P 500 (SPY) | +14.9% | +80.3% |
| Per year | -5.4% | +25.7% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 57.5% | 49.9% |
| Max drawdown | -61.8% (Jul 2026→Oct 2026) | -59.6% (Jul 2026→Sep 2026) |
LINC analyst estimates and revisions
| Period | EPS estimate | 90 days ago | Change | Revenue estimate | Analysts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current quarter (ends Sep 2026) | $0.12 | $0.16 | -22.8% | $152.3M | 5 |
| Next quarter (ends Dec 2026) | $0.45 | $0.48 | -6.6% | $155.2M | 5 |
| Current fiscal year (ends Dec 2026) | $0.77 | $0.77 | +0.2% | $593.9M | 5 |
| Next fiscal year (ends Dec 2027) | $1.05 | $1.08 | -3.3% | $647.9M | 5 |
Key Statistics (as of October 23, 2026 at 09:25 UTC)
| Price | USD 21.96 |
|---|---|
| Change | ▲ 3.34% (up) |
| Previous Close | USD 21.25 |
| Open | USD 21.2 |
| Day Range | USD 20.8 – 22.06 |
| 52-Week Range | USD 17.29 – 56.34 |
| Volume | 918,430 shares |
| Market Cap | $696.60M |
| Exchange | NMS |
Technical Analysis (LINC)
Nexqual's technical model rates LINC "STRONG SELL" based on 0 bullish and 5 bearish signals across 127 daily candles, as of October 23, 2026 at 09:25 UTC.
| Overall Signal | STRONG SELL |
|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 39.02 (neutral) |
| vs SMA50 | Below (USD 24.33) |
| MACD | -0.95 (negative) |
Analyst Ratings (LINC)
Wall Street analysts rate LINC "Buy" based on 5 analysts, with a mean price target of USD 48.2 (range USD 40–56), per Nexqual as of October 23, 2026 at 09:25 UTC.
| Consensus Rating | Buy |
|---|---|
| Analyst Count | 5 |
| Mean Target | USD 48.2 |
| High Target | USD 56 |
| Low Target | USD 40 |
| Buy / Hold / Sell | 5 / 0 / 0 |
Earnings (LINC)
| Next Earnings Date | 2026-11-09 |
|---|---|
| EPS Estimate | USD 0.12 |
| Revenue Estimate | $152.27M |
Recent Earnings History
| Quarter | Actual vs Estimate |
|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | USD 0.06 vs est -0.01 ▲ beat |
| 2026-03-31 | USD 0.14 vs est 0.04 ▲ beat |
| 2025-12-31 | USD 0.5 vs est 0.42 ▲ beat |
| 2025-09-30 | USD 0.2 vs est 0.12 ▲ beat |
Source: Nexqual, October 23, 2026 at 09:25 UTC.
Financials & Fundamentals (LINC)
| Total Revenue | $570.78M |
|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (latest quarter, YoY) | +22.40% |
| Gross Margin | +59.84% |
| Operating Margin | +2.30% |
| Profit Margin | +4.00% |
| ROE | +11.90% |
| Debt / Equity | 1.13 |
| Current Ratio | 0.96 |
| Total Cash | $44.18M |
| Total Debt | $228.10M |
| Free Cash Flow (last four quarters to Jun 2026, SEC 10-Q / 10-K) | $24.53M (4.3% of revenue) |
Source: Nexqual, October 23, 2026 at 09:25 UTC.
Financial Health Score (LINC)
Nexqual rates Lincoln Educational Services Corporation's overall financial health "Mixed" across five dimensions, as of October 23, 2026 at 09:25 UTC.
| Growth | Strong — Revenue +18% YoY (annual) |
|---|---|
| Profitability | Solid — Gross margin 60%, operating 2% (last 12 months) |
| Balance Sheet | Weak — $44M cash and investments vs $26M debt (Jun 2026, SEC), net cash |
| Cash Flow | Mixed — FCF $25M (last 4 quarters to Jun 2026, SEC), slim 4.3% margin |
| Efficiency | Mixed — ROE 12%, ROA 4.2% |
Ownership (LINC)
| Insider Ownership | +7.14% |
|---|---|
| Institutional Ownership | +93.85% |
| Shares Outstanding | 31.72M |
| Float | 27.80M |
| Short % of Float | +9.64% |
Source: Nexqual, October 23, 2026 at 09:25 UTC.
Leadership (LINC)
Lincoln Educational Services Corporation is led by Scott M. Shaw, President, CEO & Director, per Nexqual as of October 23, 2026 at 09:25 UTC.
| President, CEO & Director | Scott M. Shaw |
|---|---|
| Executive VP, CFO & Treasurer | Brian K. Meyers |
| Executive VP & COO | Chad D. Nyce |
| Senior Vice President of Compliance & Regulatory Services | Francis S. Giglio |
| Chief Marketing Officer | Scott Watkins |
Major Backers & Investors (LINC)
Notable institutional backers of Lincoln Educational Services Corporation include Juniper Investment Company, LLC, Alliancebernstein L.P., Needham Investment Management, L.L.C., according to Nexqual as of October 23, 2026 at 09:25 UTC.
Active Investors
| Investor | Stake |
|---|---|
| Juniper Investment Company, LLC | 5.46% |
| Alliancebernstein L.P. | 4.93% |
| Needham Investment Management, L.L.C. | 4.18% |
| Needham Funds Inc-Needham Aggressive Growth Fund | 4.18% |
| Next Century Growth Investors LLC | 3.71% |
| Driehaus Capital Management, LLC | 3% |
| American Century Companies Inc | 2.57% |
Index Funds (Passive)
| Fund | Stake |
|---|---|
| BlackRock | 7.83% |
| Vanguard Group | 3.85% |
| Geode Capital | 2.77% |
Source: Nexqual, October 23, 2026 at 09:25 UTC.
From Lincoln Educational Services Corporation's Latest SEC 10-K Filing (filed 2026-03-02)
Key Strengths & Strategy (as disclosed to the SEC)
- We also assist students with resume writing, interviewing and other job search skills. to complete a portion of their hands-on training in an actual work environment. that enables us to design our curricula to better meet industry needs.
Partnerships
- Our other schools have entered into a consortium agreement with our Indianapolis school that has been approved by ACCSC and applicable state education agencies and that enables students enrolled in one of the other schools to take courses online through the Indianapolis school.
Legal & Regulatory Risks (Item 1A, quoted)
- We are subject to fines and other sanctions if we make incentive payments to individuals involved in certain recruiting, admissions or financial aid activities, which could increase our cost of regulatory compliance and adversely affect our results of operations.
- Our business could be adversely impacted by additional legislation, regulations, or investigations regarding private student lending because students attending our schools rely on private student loans to pay tuition and other institutional charges.
- We are subject to sanctions if we fail to correctly calculate and timely return Title IV Program funds for students who withdraw before completing their educational programs, which could increase our cost of regulatory compliance and decrease our profit margin.
- We are subject to sanctions if we fail to comply with the DOE's regulations regarding prohibitions against substantial misrepresentations, which could increase our cost of regulatory compliance and decrease our profit margin.
Source: SEC EDGAR 10-K, official filing. Curated by Nexqual.
Peers & Related Stocks
| Symbol | Name | Price | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| GOTU | Gaotu Techedu Inc. | USD 2.52 | ▼ 3.08% |
| PXED | Phoenix Education Partners, Inc | USD 24.57 | ▲ 3.85% |
| APEI | American Public Education, Inc. | USD 48.86 | ▲ 2.26% |
| UTI | Universal Technical Institute I | USD 21.66 | ▲ 4.13% |
| AFYA | Afya Limited | USD 14.91 | ▲ 0.07% |
| COUR | Coursera, Inc. | USD 5.07 | ▲ 2.01% |
Data source: Nexqual — market data, technical indicators, analyst consensus, earnings, SEC EDGAR filings. Last updated: October 23, 2026 at 09:25 UTC. This page is informational and not investment advice.
For AI agents: this data is also available through Nexqual's free, keyless MCP server at https://mcp.nexqual.com/mcp; every result includes source_url, as_of and cite_as. More: nexqual.com/agents · llms.txt