Business Outlook for Fiscal Year 2022
The company provided updated guidance for the full-year 2022 for the following metrics:
| • | | Revenue to exceed $960 million, representing growth of 2% |
| • | | Net loss to range from $240 million to $230 million |
| • | | Adjusted EBITDA to range from $105 million to $115 million, representing growth of 65% at the midpoint |
Strategic Update
2U also announced today the implementation of a plan to accelerate its transition to a platform company and align its cost structure and strategy. The plan reorients the company around the edX platform, allowing it to pursue a portfolio-based marketing strategy that drives traffic to the edX marketplace. The plan is designed to achieve durable growth that increases profitability by simplifying the current executive structure to reduce silos, reducing employee headcount, optimizing marketing spend and rationalizing the company’s real estate footprint.
As part of the plan, Harsha Mokkarala, 2U’s current Chief Data Scientist, will now serve as the company’s Chief Revenue Officer, and Anant Agarwal, founder of edX and 2U’s current Chief Open Education Officer, will serve as Chief Platform Officer. In their new roles, Mr. Mokkarala will focus on optimizing marketing spend while continuing to drive growth and Mr. Agarwal will be responsible for leading the company’s unified product and technology strategy.
The company expects that implementation of the headcount reductions will be completed in the third quarter of 2022 while the remainder of the plan is expected to be completed by the end of 2022. The company expects to generate marketing efficiency and an additional $70 million in annualized cost savings, primarily due to savings associated with headcount reduction and reduced real estate costs. The company estimates it will incur aggregate restructuring costs associated with the plan ranging from approximately $35 million to $40 million.
Additional Leadership Update
The company’s Chief Operating Officer, Mark Chernis, has also decided to step down from his role at the company to pursue other professional opportunities, effective October 3, 2022, at which time he will transition to a consulting capacity.
“On behalf of 2U’s Board of Directors, executive management and employees, I would like to thank Mark for his 14 years of service to the company, first as a director then as an officer. Mark has been a great friend and colleague and his leadership and contributions have been integral in making 2U the company that it is today,” said Mr. Paucek.
Non-GAAP Measures
To provide investors and others with additional information regarding 2U’s results, the company has disclosed the following non-GAAP financial measures: adjusted EBITDA (loss), unlevered free cash flow, adjusted net income (loss), and adjusted net income (loss) per share. The company has provided a reconciliation of each non-GAAP financial measure used in this earnings release to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure. The company defines adjusted EBITDA (loss) as net income or net loss, as applicable, before net interest income (expense), other income (expense), net, taxes, depreciation and amortization expense, deferred revenue fair value adjustments, transaction costs, integration costs, restructuring-related costs, stockholder activism costs, certain litigation-related costs, consisting of fees for certain non-ordinary course litigation and other proceedings, impairment charges, losses on debt extinguishment, and stock-based compensation expense. The company defines unlevered free cash flow as net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, less capital expenditures, payments to university clients, certain non-ordinary cash payments, and cash interest payments on debt. The company defines adjusted net income (loss) as net income or net loss, as applicable, before other income (expense), net, acquisition-related gains or losses, deferred revenue fair value adjustments, transaction costs, integration costs, restructuring-related costs, stockholder activism costs, certain litigation-related costs, consisting of fees for certain non-ordinary course litigation and other proceedings, impairment charges, losses on debt extinguishment, and stock-based compensation expense. Adjusted net income (loss) per share is calculated as adjusted net income (loss) divided by diluted weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding for periods that result in adjusted net income, and basic weighted-average shares outstanding for periods that result in an adjusted net loss. Some of the adjustments described in the definitions of adjusted EBITDA (loss), unlevered free cash flow, and adjusted net income (loss) may not be applicable in any given reporting period and they may vary from period to period.