Bright Horizons Family Solutions (BFAM) vs Laureate Education (LAUR)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Laureate Education (LAUR) has outperformed Bright Horizons Family Solutions (BFAM) over the past year, gaining 31.0% versus a loss of 32.9%. Over five years, LAUR leads with a +122.9% price change compared with -59.2% for BFAM. Laureate Education is the larger company by market cap ($5.31 billion vs $3.25 billion), about 1.6 times the size.
On valuation, Bright Horizons Family Solutions trades at a lower forward P/E (11.3x vs 15.9x for Laureate Education).
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | BFAM | LAUR |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $66.84 | $38.56 |
| Market cap | $3.25B | $5.31B |
| 1-day change | +0.63% | +0.81% |
| YTD return | -34.08% | +14.52% |
| 1-year return | -32.88% | +31.02% |
| 5-year return | -59.20% | +122.89% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 21.02 | 17.37 |
| Forward P/E | 11.33 | 15.87 |
| EPS (TTM) | $3.18 | $2.22 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | — | $1.70B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | — | +8.64% |
| Net income (latest FY) | — | $281.63M |
| Gross margin | — | 28.33% |
| Operating margin | — | 25.33% |
| Net margin | — | 16.55% |
| 52-week high | $109.86 | $40.93 |
| 52-week low | $57.63 | $24.98 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -39.16% | -5.78% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +31.82% | +6.87% |
| Average volume | 831.59K | 1.03M |
| Shares outstanding | 48.64M | 137.75M |
| Employees | 32,200 | 33,900 |
| Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Real Estate |
| Industry | Other Consumer Services | Other Consumer Services |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- LAUR has outperformed BFAM by 63.9 percentage points over the past year.
- The two companies sit in different sectors: Bright Horizons Family Solutions in Consumer Discretionary and Laureate Education in Real Estate.
About Bright Horizons Family Solutions
BFAM stock →Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. provides early education and childcare, comprehensive back-up care, educational advisory, and other workplace solutions services for employers and families in the United States, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Australia, and India.
Consumer Discretionary · Other Consumer Services · 32,200 employees
About Laureate Education
LAUR stock →Laureate Education, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, offers higher education programs and services to students through a portfolio of higher education institutions in Mexico, Peru, and the United States. The company offers a range of undergraduate, graduate, and specialized degree programs in the areas of medicine and health sciences, engineering and information technology, and business and management through campus-based, online, and hybrid programs.
Real Estate · Other Consumer Services · 33,900 employees
BFAM vs LAUR FAQ
Which is bigger, Bright Horizons Family Solutions or Laureate Education?
Laureate Education (LAUR) is larger, with a market capitalization of $5.31B compared with $3.25B for Bright Horizons Family Solutions (BFAM).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, BFAM or LAUR?
LAUR returned +31.02% over the past 12 months, compared with -32.88% for BFAM (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, BFAM or LAUR?
LAUR has the lower trailing P/E at 17.4, versus 21.0 for BFAM. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Are Bright Horizons Family Solutions and Laureate Education in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Other Consumer Services industry within the Consumer Discretionary sector.