John Wiley Sons B 2026 Q2 Earnings EPS Rises 13.3% as Net Income Grows 11.0%

John Wiley & Sons B (WLYB) reported fiscal 2026 Q2 results on Dec 4, 2025. The company exceeded revenue estimates despite a 1.1% decline to $421.75 million, while EPS and net income rose sharply. Guidance for revenue growth was narrowed to low single digits, reflecting Learning segment challenges, but AI initiatives and margin expansion bolstered confidence in earnings resilience.

Revenue

The total revenue of John Wiley & Sons B decreased by 1.1% to $421.75 million in 2026 Q2, down from $426.60 million in 2025 Q2. The Research segment accounted for $278.51 million, while the Learning segment contributed $143.24 million. This segmentation highlights the resilience of the Research division amid softer demand in Learning.

Earnings/Net Income

John Wiley & Sons B's EPS rose 13.3% to $0.85 in 2026 Q2 from $0.75 in 2025 Q2, marking continued earnings growth. Meanwhile, the company's profitability strengthened with net income of $44.89 million in 2026 Q2, marking 11.0% growth from $40.46 million in 2025 Q2. The earnings growth was robust, with EPS up 13.3% and net income rising 11.0%, indicating strong profitability.

Price Action

The stock price of John Wiley & Sons B has dropped 5.82% during the latest trading day, has edged up 0.77% during the most recent full trading week, and has edged down 0.60% month-to-date.

Post-Earnings Price Action Review

The strategy of buying WLYB when revenues beat and holding for 30 days underperformed, with a return of -1.70%, significantly lower than the benchmark's 85.89%. The strategy also indicated high risk, as evidenced by a Sharpe ratio of -0.01, despite relatively low volatility of 34.14%.

CEO Commentary

Matthew Kissner, President and CEO, highlighted strong Research performance driven by global demand for publishing and open access models, with 7% growth in Research Publishing and $5 million in AI-related revenue. He emphasized AI momentum through content licensing for large language models and corporate applications, alongside margin expansion via cost reductions (18% lower corporate expenses at constant currency). Operational excellence, including a 250-basis-point EBITDA margin increase, and transformative publishing platform investments were underscored as strategic priorities. The tone reflected optimism, citing “accelerating momentum in AI” and “defensible growth” in recurring revenue models.

Guidance

Wiley reaffirmed Fiscal 2026 Adjusted EBITDA margin guidance of 25.5–26.5%, Adjusted EPS of $3.90–$4.35, and Free Cash Flow of ~$200 million. Revenue guidance was narrowed to low-single-digit growth due to Learning segment challenges, including market softness and inventory declines. Research and AI momentum remain “strong,” with margin expansion initiatives and cost discipline expected to sustain performance.

Additional News

John Wiley & Sons B accelerated AI licensing initiatives, securing near-$100 million in training revenue over two years and expanding partnerships with AWS, Anthropic, and Mistral AI. The company also enhanced cost discipline, reducing corporate expenses by 18% at constant currency and boosting share repurchases by 69% to $21 million in Q2. CEO Matthew Kissner emphasized AI’s role in driving long-term growth, while CFO Craig Albright highlighted a 250-basis-point margin expansion to 18.8%.