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KLCConsumer Defensive · Education & Training Services

KLC Stock Forecast: KinderCare Learning Cos., Inc. Price Predictions for 2026-2027

Last close, 14 Oct 2026
$1.81
−1.63% on the day

The 8 Wall Street analysts covering KinderCare Learning Cos., Inc. hold a median 12-month price target of $4 — +121.0% from the last close. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model, run across ~4,600 US stocks, ranks it 23 of 100 as at 14 Oct 2026 — in the weakest quartile. The Street sees upside; the factor read is a caution. That gap is the story on this page.

Market cap
$214.5M
Ticker Nerd rank
23 / 100
Median analyst target
$4.00
Analysts covering
8
Revenue$697.5M−0.4% y/y
Operating income$25.3M
Net income−$8.8M
Free cash flow$45.4M
Quarterly, 8 quarters to 30 June 2026 · latest quarter's figure shown
Total return, dividends reinvested
1W
−8.1%
1M
−23.9%
YTD
−58.1%
1Y
−69.2%
From 52W high
−70.4%
From 52W low
0.0%
$1.81
$6.11
52-week range, adjusted closes · the dot is the last close
Ticker Nerd rank

KLC stock analysis: one number for the whole business

Consensus tells you what everyone already believes. The model scores KinderCare Learning Cos., Inc. on its factor families — the same systematic rank behind the Ticker Nerd portfolio.

Where the model ranks itAs at 14 Oct 2026
23 / 100

Percentile across ~4,600 US stocks on Ticker Nerd’s systematic factor model. Higher is better. How the model is built and tested

Accruals
93
Size
66
Value
48
Issuance
43
Revisions
34
Growth
31
Quality
17
Momentum
7
Volatility
5

Accruals (93): Reported profit is backed by cash, and the company is not expanding recklessly.

Volatility (5): The share price moves around a lot.

Built and run by Aslam Ghouse, an ex-Goldman Sachs quant trader with fourteen years in markets.

Wall Street

KLC stock forecast 2026-2027: analyst price targets & predictions

The bullish and bearish analyst opinions on KLC, reported as data — targets and ratings, the market's view beside the model's.

Share price and the analyst range, 12 monthsAdjusted close, US dollars
$2.00$3.00$4.00$5.00$6.00Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26Oct 26KLCHigh $6.00Median $4.00Low $2.00

Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Data provided by Twelve Data

What Wall Street says8 analysts
1 Buy4 Hold3 Sell
Low $2.00Median $4.00High $6.00

The green dot is the last close — the median target sits +121.0% from it.

Recent analyst actionsNewest first

Of the 20 most recent actions, 4 moved their price target up and 3 moved it down.

DateFirmActionRatingTarget
5 Oct 2026BMO CapitalMaintainsOutperform$5.00 → $4.00
23 Sept 2026Morgan StanleyMaintainsUnderweight—
23 Sept 2026Morgan StanleyMaintainsUnderweight$2.50 → $2.00
14 Aug 2026UBSMaintainsNeutral—
14 Aug 2026UBSMaintainsNeutral$5.00 → $4.50
18 May 2026BarclaysMaintainsUnderweight$2.00 → $3.00
18 May 2026BarclaysMaintainsUnderweight—
18 May 2026BMO CapitalMaintainsOutperform$4.00 → $6.00
18 May 2026BMO CapitalMaintainsOutperform—
15 May 2026BairdMaintainsNeutral$1.50 → $4.00
15 May 2026BairdMaintainsNeutral—
15 May 2026UBSMaintainsNeutral—
15 May 2026UBSMaintainsNeutral$3.00 → $5.00
16 Mar 2026BarclaysDowngradeUnderweight—
16 Mar 2026BMO CapitalMaintainsOutperform—
16 Mar 2026Goldman SachsMaintainsNeutral—
13 Mar 2026BairdDowngradeNeutral—
13 Mar 2026Morgan StanleyDowngradeUnderweight—
13 Mar 2026UBSMaintainsNeutral—
13 Nov 2025BairdMaintainsOutperform—

Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Market Radar

This page is one stock. Monday covers all of them.

Computed off the Friday close and sent before the US open.

Market Radar reports the week’s largest rank changes across roughly 4,600 US stocks, the factor behind each one, and where the market went. KLC appears on the weeks it earns a place.

Free, every Monday. Unsubscribe any time.

Performance

KLC vs the S&P 500

Both lines are total return — dividends reinvested — so the comparison is honest on both sides.

Over the twelve months to 14 Oct 2026, KinderCare Learning Cos., Inc. returned −69.2% against +17.5% for the S&P 500, dividends included.

KLC vs S&P 500, last 12 monthsTotal return, rebased to 100
20406080100120Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26Oct 26KLCS&P 500

Download this chart as an image — free to reuse; link this page as the source.

Data provided by Twelve Data

Estimates

KLC analyst estimate revisions

Not the forecast itself — the direction analysts are revising it. Revision direction is one of the model's factor families.

Which way the estimates are movingNext fiscal year
EPS revision, 90 days
−41.4%
Analysts raising
0
Analysts cutting
5
Fundamentals

KinderCare Learning Cos., Inc. (KLC) financial data

A margin means little on its own. Each bar marks where the figure sits across the whole US universe we score.

Valuation
Trailing P/E
28.1×

Cheaper than 27% of US stocks

Price / sales
0.1×

Cheaper than 96% of US stocks

Price / book
0.5×

Cheaper than 84% of US stocks

EV / EBITDA
11.0×

Cheaper than 34% of US stocks

Growth & margins
Revenue growth (YoY)
−0.4%

Higher than 27% of US stocks

Earnings growth (YoY)
−0.4%

Higher than 35% of US stocks

Gross margin
18.7%

Higher than 19% of US stocks

Operating margin
3.6%

Higher than 52% of US stocks

Net margin
−17.2%

Higher than 16% of US stocks

Returns & dividend
Return on equity
−67.8%

Higher than 18% of US stocks

Return on assets
1.9%

Higher than 58% of US stocks

Dividend yield
0.0%

Higher than 1% of US dividend payers

Bars mark the percentile across the ~4,600 US stocks Ticker Nerd covers, among those reporting the figure.

Key statistics

KinderCare Learning Cos., Inc. (KLC) statistics: revenue, profit & scale

The headline figures, each with its date. Every row carries its own link — cite it straight from here.

  • KinderCare Learning Cos., Inc. has a market value of $214.5M and an enterprise value of $2.6B.

  • Revenue in the twelve months to 30 June 2026: $2.7B. The latest quarter shrank 0.4% year on year.

  • Net income over the same four quarters: −$471.2M, a −17.2% net margin.

  • Diluted earnings per share, trailing twelve months: $−3.98.

  • Free cash flow in the twelve months to 30 June 2026: $81.0M.

  • Shares outstanding: 118.5M.

  • Trailing P/E: 28.1×; forward P/E: 8.6× — the forward figure prices analyst consensus estimates, not reported earnings.

  • Forward dividend yield: 0.00%, paying out 0% of earnings.

  • KinderCare Learning Cos., Inc. employs 35,700 people — $77K of revenue per employee.

Statement figures: company filings via Twelve Data, four quarters to 30 June 2026 · market figures as at 15 Oct 2026

Data provided by Twelve Data

Peers

KLC vs competitors

The nearest names by industry and size, scored by the same model — like for like.

Its peer group, ranked by the same modelEducation & Training Services
CompanyMarket capTKN rank
KLCKinderCare Learning Cos., Inc.$214.5M
23
FCFranklin Covey Co.$206.8M
75
LGCYLegacy Education, Inc.$130.2M
43
CHGGChegg, Inc.$76.5M
63
LINCLincoln Educational Services Corp.$718.6M
62
PXEDPhoenix Education Partners, Inc.$857.6M
57
APEIAmerican Public Education, Inc.$890.2M
97

Look up any of the roughly 4,600 stocks we score.

The rank is the raw material. Whether the rules would actually own KinderCare Learning Cos., Inc. — and when they’d sell — is the membership. See the Ticker Nerd 20 →

News

Latest KLC news & analysis

KinderCare Introduces Spanish Foundations

Business Wire · 5 Oct 2026positive

KinderCare announced the introduction of Spanish Foundations, a new addition to its Learning Adventures program of small group enrichment classes for children ages 2-12 offered at KinderCare Learning Centers. Spanish Foundations joins existing classes covering cooking, music, STEM and phonics.

Why it matters — A KLC watcher would care because expanding its enrichment curriculum could help differentiate KinderCare's offerings and attract more families to its learning centers.

KinderCare Announces Board of Directors Transitions

Business Wire · 2 Oct 2026neutral

KinderCare announced that Mike Nuzzo resigned from its Board of Directors effective Sept. 28 due to personal and professional time commitments. David Barse, who joined the board on Aug. 3, will replace Nuzzo as Head of the Audit Committee.

Why it matters — KLC watchers would note a change in board leadership and audit committee oversight, which affects corporate governance.

KinderCare Honors 25 Teachers With Educational Excellence Awards

Business Wire · 28 Sept 2026positive

KinderCare Learning Companies honored 25 teachers from across the country with its Educational Excellence Award, recognizing their dedication and impact on early childhood education. The announcement was made by Dr. Lisa Grant, the company's vice president of education.

Why it matters — This recognition highlights KinderCare's commitment to teacher quality and educational standards, reinforcing its brand as a provider of high-quality early childhood education.

KLC INVESTOR ALERT: Investigation of KinderCare Learning Companies Announced by Holzer & Holzer, LLC

GlobeNewsWire · 14 Aug 2026negative

Holzer & Holzer, LLC announced an investigation into whether KinderCare Learning Companies complied with federal securities laws. This follows the company's August 13, 2026 second-quarter financial report, in which it posted a net loss and lowered its full-year outlook, and after which its stock price fell.

Why it matters — A federal securities investigation combined with a lowered full-year outlook and declining adjusted EBITDA adds legal and operational uncertainty for KLC investors.

KinderCare Learning Companies, Inc. (KLC) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

Seeking Alpha · 14 Aug 2026neutral

KinderCare Learning Companies, Inc. (KLC) held its second-quarter 2026 earnings call, and a full transcript of the call has been published by Seeking Alpha. The transcript documents the company's Q2 2026 results discussion with analysts.

Why it matters — The earnings call transcript provides KLC watchers with the company's official Q2 2026 performance commentary directly from management.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about KLC stock

What is the KLC stock price forecast for 2026-2027?

The 8 Wall Street analysts covering KinderCare Learning Cos., Inc. have a median 12-month price target of $4, with estimates ranging from $2 to $6. These are third-party analyst estimates, not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Is KLC stock a buy right now?

Of the 8 analysts covering KinderCare Learning Cos., Inc., 1 rate it a Buy, 4 a Hold and 3 a Sell. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model ranks KinderCare Learning Cos., Inc. 23 out of 100 across roughly 4,600 US stocks as at 14 Oct 2026. None of this is personal advice — it does not consider your circumstances.

How does Ticker Nerd's model rank KLC?

As at 14 Oct 2026, KinderCare Learning Cos., Inc. ranks 23 out of 100 on Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model — a percentile across roughly 4,600 US stocks, built from its factor families. Its strongest factor family is Accruals (93 of 100).

Will KLC stock go up?

No one can know that. What the data says: the median 12-month target from 8 analysts implies +121.0% from the last close, and Ticker Nerd's factor model ranks KinderCare Learning Cos., Inc. 23 out of 100 as at 14 Oct 2026. Analyst targets are third-party estimates and frequently wrong; none of this is personal advice.

What is the KLC stock forecast for 2030?

No analyst covering KinderCare Learning Cos., Inc. publishes a 2030 price target — Wall Street targets run 12 to 18 months out. Sites quoting a 2030 price for KLC are extrapolating price history, which says nothing about the business. The furthest attributed numbers are the current analyst targets: $2 to $6 over the next 12 months.

How has KLC stock performed over the past year?

KinderCare Learning Cos., Inc. returned -69.2% over the 12 months to 14 Oct 2026, with dividends reinvested. Past performance does not indicate future returns.

What does KinderCare Learning Cos., Inc. do?

KinderCare Learning Companies, Inc. is a provider of early childhood education and care services in the United States.

What is the latest news on KLC?

The most recent item we track (Business Wire, 5 Oct 2026): "KinderCare Introduces Spanish Foundations". KinderCare announced the introduction of Spanish Foundations, a new addition to its Learning Adventures program of small group enrichment classes for children ages 2-12 offered at KinderCare Learning Centers. Spanish Foundations joins existing classes covering cooking, music, STEM and phonics.

Company

About KinderCare Learning Cos., Inc.

KinderCare Learning Companies, Inc. is a provider of early childhood education and care services in the United States. The company serves infants, toddlers, preschool children, kindergarten students, and school-age children through community-based learning centers, employer-sponsored care programs, and before- and after-school services. Its offerings include full-day child care, early learning curricula, backup care, tuition benefits, and on-site or near-site care solutions for working families. KinderCare Learning Companies operates through the KinderCare Learning Centers, Crème School, and Champions brands, giving it a broad presence across family care and school-age education. The company plays a significant role in the education services market by supporting both household child care needs and employer-sponsored dependent care benefits.

CEO Mr. John Thomson Wyatt · 35,700 employees · United States · https://www.investors.kindercare.com