Companies /Communication Services

John Wiley & Sons Inc - Class A

NYSE: WLY Publishing
$54.01
â–² $0.90 (+1.69%) today
Markets closed · 4:59pm ET

Q2 2026 Earnings

Reported Dec 4, 2025, 11:00am ET · SEC source
$1.10
Beat +13.40%
EPS · est. $0.97
$421.8M
Beat +1.29%
Revenue · est. $416.4M
−12.6%
Trailing market
WLY vs S&P since report
3 quarters
Consecutive EPS beats

Market Reaction

% change · around the report
−12%−6%0Dec 4Dec 5report 11:00am ETearnings+0.4%−15.3%
−12%−6%0Dec 4Dec 5earnings+0.4%−15.3%
WLY −15.3%S&P 500 +0.4%
−12%−6%0Dec 4Dec 5report 11:00am ETearnings+0.7%−15.3%
−12%−6%0Dec 4Dec 5earnings+0.7%−15.3%
WLY −15.3%NASDAQ +0.7%
−16%−8%0+8%Dec 3Dec 12report 11:00am ETearnings−0.3%−16.8%
−16%−8%0+8%Dec 3Dec 12earnings−0.3%−16.8%
WLY −16.8%S&P 500 −0.3%
−16%−8%0+8%Dec 3Dec 12report 11:00am ETearnings−1.3%−16.8%
−16%−8%0+8%Dec 3Dec 12earnings−1.3%−16.8%
WLY −16.8%NASDAQ −1.3%
−8.63%
Day of report
−6.41%
Next session
−8.15%
One week
−11.81%
30 days

S&P 500 over the same 30 days: +0.76%.

Did WLY Beat Earnings? Q2 2026 Results

John Wiley & Sons delivered a stronger-than-expected fiscal second quarter, posting adjusted EPS of $1.10 against a consensus estimate of $0.97, a beat of 13.40%, while revenue of $421.75 million edged ahead of the $416.40 million analyst estimate despite slipping 1.1% year over year. The headline revenue dip masked a sharply bifurcated performance: Research revenue climbed 6% to $278.51 million, powered by a 28% surge in article submissions and nearly $100 million in cumulative AI training revenue across partnerships with major technology companies, while the Learning segment weighed heavily on results, falling 11% to $143.24 million amid Amazon inventory drawdowns and soft consumer spending. Margin discipline added further lift, with adjusted EBITDA margin expanding 240 basis points to 27.3%. Despite the earnings strength, shares retreated roughly 6.8% near their 12-month low, reflecting investor unease over Learning headwinds. Looking ahead, Wiley narrowed its revenue growth outlook to low-single digits while reaffirming adjusted EPS guidance of $3.90 to $4.35 and free cash flow of approximately $200 million for fiscal 2026.

Key Takeaways
  • Strong global demand for research publishing driving 7% growth in Research Publishing at constant currency
  • Article submissions rose 28% and output rose 12% with robust growth across all key geographies
  • Double-digit growth in author-funded open access
  • AI content licensing revenue of $6M in Q2 and $35M year-to-date
  • Corporate expenses reduced by 18% at constant currency through restructuring and expense management
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin expanded 240 basis points to 27.3%
  • Research EBITDA margin expanded 220 basis points to 33.5%

“We continue to deliver strong performance in Research and accelerating momentum in AI as we capitalize on record research volume and expanding corporate R&D opportunities.”

John Wiley & Sons CEO, on the earnings call

Forward Guidance & Outlook

Wiley reaffirmed its fiscal 2026 outlook for Adjusted EBITDA margin (25.5% to 26.5%), Adjusted EPS ($3.90 to $4.35), and Free Cash Flow (approximately $200 million). Revenue guidance was narrowed to low-single digit growth (from low-to-mid single digit growth) due to market challenges in Learning. Research and AI momentum are expected to remain strong. Learning declines are expected to moderate in the second half as retail inventory levels stabilize, but revenue is expected to be down for the year. Leverage is expected to come down materially in Fiscal 2026.

WLY YoY Financials

Q2 2026 vs Q2 2025 · SEC filings Q2 2025 Q2 2026
$0$200.0M$400.0M$426.6M$421.8MRevenue$67.8M$73.0MOperating Income$40.5M$44.9MNet Income
$0$200.0M$400.0MRevenueOperating IncomeNet Income

WLY Revenue by Segment

Research Publishing$241.4M+8.0%
Academic$87.0M−8.0%
Professional$56.2M−16.0%
Research Solutions$37.1M−5.0%

Figures from SEC filings and company reports. Not investment advice.