Private education group AdvTech expects full-year earnings to rise by between 14% and 19% on support from steady growth in student enrolments.
In a voluntary trading statement released on Wednesday, the group said all basic normalised EPS (NEPS) and basic HEPS and EPS for the year to end-December are expected to be between 229.9c and 241.0c per share.
This compares with NEPS, excluding the effects of one-off transactions and corporate action costs, of 202.5c, HEPS of 202.2c, and EPS of 201.7c reported for the year to end-December 2024.
It added that 2026 student enrolment is on track and continues to grow in line with recent trends.
AdvTech will release its full-year results on March 23.
The update follows a solid performance in 2024, when the group reported growth in revenue, operating profit and earnings. At the time, the company attributed the performance to steady demand across its schools and tertiary divisions, disciplined cost management, and continued expansion of capacity to accommodate rising enrolments.
During that year, AdvTech maintained investment in its campus network while generating strong cash flows. This allowed the school group to declare higher full-year shareholder payouts and retain funds to support its expansion programme.
AdvTech operates a portfolio of private schools and tertiary institutions across South Africa and selected African markets. It has in recent years focused on expanding capacity in high-demand areas and broadening access to its education brands.
The group recently announced that it has acquired 10ha of land in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, to develop a new university mega-campus as part of its expansion in higher education. This development followed the opening of two new tertiary mega-campuses earlier in February, in Sandton and Nelson Mandela Bay. The group has also indicated that it intends to apply for university status for its Emeris brand once regulatory framework allows.
