KinderCare Learning Companies (KLC) vs Lincoln Educational Services (LINC)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Lincoln Educational Services (LINC) has outperformed KinderCare Learning Companies (KLC) over the past year, gaining 4.8% versus a loss of 69.2%. Lincoln Educational Services is the larger company by market cap ($722.9 million vs $231.1 million), about 3.1 times the size. On valuation, KinderCare Learning Companies trades at a lower forward P/E (9.1x vs 21.8x for Lincoln Educational Services).
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 | KLC | LINC |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $1.95 | $22.79 |
| Market cap | $231.11M | $722.93M |
| 1-day change | -1.02% | +0.22% |
| YTD return | -54.40% | -5.84% |
| 1-year return | -69.17% | +4.84% |
| 5-year return | — | +236.89% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | — | 31.22 |
| Forward P/E | 9.08 | 21.79 |
| EPS (TTM) | $-3.97 | $0.73 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 52-week high | $6.46 | $56.34 |
| 52-week low | $1.75 | $17.29 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -69.80% | -59.55% |
| Analyst consensus | hold | strong_buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +100.51% | +111.50% |
| Average volume | 763.22K | 874.39K |
| Shares outstanding | 118.52M | 31.72M |
| Employees | 35,700 | 2,190 |
| 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
- Lincoln Educational Services is about 3.1 times larger than KinderCare Learning Companies by market value ($722.93M vs $231.11M).
- LINC has outperformed KLC by 74.0 percentage points over the past year.
- The two companies sit in different sectors: KinderCare Learning Companies in Consumer Discretionary and Lincoln Educational Services in Real Estate.
About KinderCare Learning Companies
KLC stock →KinderCare Learning Companies, Inc. provides early childhood education and care services in the United States.
Consumer Discretionary · Other Consumer Services · 35,700 employees
About Lincoln Educational Services
LINC stock →Lincoln Educational Services Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides various career-oriented postsecondary education services to high school graduates and working adults in the United States. It operates in two segments, Campus Operations and Transitional.
Real Estate · Other Consumer Services · 2,190 employees
KLC vs LINC FAQ
Which is bigger, KinderCare Learning Companies or Lincoln Educational Services?
Lincoln Educational Services (LINC) is larger, with a market capitalization of $722.93M compared with $231.11M for KinderCare Learning Companies (KLC).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, KLC or LINC?
LINC returned +4.84% over the past 12 months, compared with -69.17% for KLC (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Are KinderCare Learning Companies and Lincoln Educational Services in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Other Consumer Services industry within the Consumer Discretionary sector.