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KLCConsumer Defensive · Education & Training Services

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

Last close, 24 Aug 2026
$2.61
−5.09% on the day

The 8 Wall Street analysts covering KinderCare Learning Cos., Inc. hold a median 12-month price target of $4 — +53.3% from the last close. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model, run across ~4,600 US stocks, ranks it 23 of 100 as at 22 Aug 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
$325.9M
Ticker Nerd rank
23 / 100
Median analyst target
$4.00
Analysts covering
8
Revenue$672.5M+0.6% y/y
Operating income$19.4M
Net income−$289.8M
Free cash flow$1.1M
Quarterly, 8 quarters to 31 Mar 2026 · latest quarter's figure shown
Total return, dividends reinvested
1W
+2.0%
1M
−47.1%
YTD
−39.6%
1Y
−64.3%
From 52W high
−65.9%
From 52W low
+41.8%
$1.84
$7.66
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 22 Aug 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
61
Value
44
Issuance
43
Revisions
35
Growth
32
Quality
16
Momentum
13
Volatility
6

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

Volatility (6): 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$6.00$7.00$8.00Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26KLCHigh $6.00Median $4.00Low $2.50

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 $2.50Median $4.00High $6.00

The green dot is the last close — the median target sits +53.3% from it.

Recent analyst actionsNewest first

Of the 20 most recent actions, 4 moved their price target up and 1 moved it down.

DateFirmActionRatingTarget
14 Aug 2026UBSMaintainsNeutral$5.00 → $4.50
18 May 2026BarclaysMaintainsUnderweight—
18 May 2026BarclaysMaintainsUnderweight$2.00 → $3.00
18 May 2026BMO CapitalMaintainsOutperform—
18 May 2026BMO CapitalMaintainsOutperform$4.00 → $6.00
15 May 2026BairdMaintainsNeutral—
15 May 2026BairdMaintainsNeutral$1.50 → $4.00
15 May 2026UBSMaintainsNeutral$3.00 → $5.00
15 May 2026UBSMaintainsNeutral—
16 Mar 2026BarclaysDowngradeUnderweight—
16 Mar 2026BMO CapitalMaintainsOutperform—
16 Mar 2026Goldman SachsMaintainsNeutral—
13 Mar 2026BairdDowngradeNeutral—
13 Mar 2026Morgan StanleyDowngradeUnderweight—
13 Mar 2026UBSMaintainsNeutral—
13 Nov 2025BairdMaintainsOutperform—
13 Nov 2025BarclaysMaintainsEqual-Weight—
13 Nov 2025BMO CapitalMaintainsOutperform—
13 Nov 2025LifeSci CapitalDowngradeMarket Perform—
13 Nov 2025Morgan StanleyDowngradeEqual-Weight—

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 24 Aug 2026, KinderCare Learning Cos., Inc. returned −64.3% against +19.6% for the S&P 500, dividends included.

KLC vs S&P 500, last 12 monthsTotal return, rebased to 100
20406080100120Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 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
−41.3%
Analysts raising
7
Analysts cutting
1
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 28% of US stocks

Price / sales
0.1×

Cheaper than 95% of US stocks

Price / book
0.7×

Cheaper than 82% of US stocks

EV / EBITDA
11.4×

Cheaper than 34% of US stocks

Growth & margins
Revenue growth (YoY)
−0.4%

Higher than 27% of US stocks

Earnings growth (YoY)
0.6%

Higher than 36% of US stocks

Gross margin
18.1%

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 17% of US stocks

Return on assets
1.9%

Higher than 58% of US stocks

Dividend yield
—

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 $325.9M and an enterprise value of $2.7B.

  • Revenue in the twelve months to 31 Mar 2026: $2.7B. The latest quarter shrank 0.4% year on year.

  • Net income over the same four quarters: −$423.9M, a −15.5% net margin.

  • Diluted earnings per share, trailing twelve months: $−3.58.

  • Free cash flow in the twelve months to 31 Mar 2026: $36.3M, after $134.8M of capital spending.

  • Shares outstanding: 118.4M.

  • Trailing P/E: 28.1×; forward P/E: 12.0× — the forward figure prices analyst consensus estimates, not reported earnings.

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

Statement figures: company filings via Twelve Data, four quarters to 31 Mar 2026 · market figures as at 25 Aug 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.$325.9M
23
FCFranklin Covey Co.$228.7M
76
LGCYLegacy Education, Inc.$132.5M
63
LINCLincoln Educational Services Corp.$819.9M
64
APEIAmerican Public Education, Inc.$839.7M
99
PXEDPhoenix Education Partners, Inc.$1.0B
46
CHGGChegg, Inc.$89.4M
63

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

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.

KinderCare Learning Companies: I'm Backing The Truck Up On This Stock

Seeking Alpha · 14 Aug 2026positive

KinderCare Learning Companies' shares fell sharply after Q2 2026 results missed expectations and management cut full-year guidance, citing enrollment declines and underperforming state subsidies. The company is closing underperforming centers while executing operational fixes and cost reductions, with negative free cash flow expected in the second half.

Why it matters — A KLC watcher would care because the article argues the stock trades at distressed-like multiples with manageable leverage and long-dated debt, indicating the market may be overreacting to near-term headwinds.

KinderCare Learning Companies Q2 Earnings Call Highlights

MarketBeat · 14 Aug 2026negative

KinderCare Learning Companies reported second-quarter 2026 revenue of $698 million, slightly below the $700 million posted a year earlier. Enrollment pressure and center closures offset growth in its Champions school-age care business and employer-sponsored offerings.

Why it matters — The mild revenue decline highlights how enrollment challenges and center closures are tempering growth in KinderCare's other business lines.

KinderCare Learning Companies, Inc. (KLC) Misses Q2 Earnings Estimates

Zacks Investment Research · 13 Aug 2026negative

KinderCare Learning Companies (KLC) reported Q2 earnings of $0.08 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.10 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.22 per share in the same quarter last year.

Why it matters — A miss on quarterly earnings estimates and a year-over-year decline in earnings could indicate weakening financial performance for KLC.

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 $2.5 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 22 Aug 2026. None of this is personal advice — it does not consider your circumstances.

How does Ticker Nerd's model rank KLC?

As at 22 Aug 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 +53.3% from the last close, and Ticker Nerd's factor model ranks KinderCare Learning Cos., Inc. 23 out of 100 as at 22 Aug 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: $2.5 to $6 over the next 12 months.

How has KLC stock performed over the past year?

KinderCare Learning Cos., Inc. returned -64.3% over the 12 months to 24 Aug 2026, with dividends reinvested. Past performance does not indicate future returns.

What does KinderCare Learning Cos., Inc. do?

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

What is the latest news on KLC?

The most recent item we track (GlobeNewsWire, 14 Aug 2026): "KLC INVESTOR ALERT: Investigation of KinderCare Learning Companies Announced by Holzer & Holzer, LLC". 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.

Company

About KinderCare Learning Cos., Inc.

KinderCare Learning Companies Inc. is a leading provider of early childhood education and childcare services in the United States. With a focus on creating nurturing environments for young children, KinderCare offers a comprehensive range of programs that support early childhood development. These programs include infant, toddler, preschool, prekindergarten, and school-age learning initiatives that cater to children's diverse learning needs. KinderCare Learning Companies Inc. serves a wide network of families and communities through its nationwide presence of childcare centers. These centers are strategically located to provide accessible and quality education and care for working parents or guardians seeking reliable educational support for their children. In addition to its commitment to quality service, KinderCare invests in continuous staff training and curriculum development to maintain high educational standards. Holding a significant role in the educational services sector, the company plays a crucial part in supporting workforce participation and children's early educational experiences. As part of its market impact, KinderCare Learning Companies Inc. helps shape the foundation of future learning paradigms and parental employment trends across various communities.

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