NEW YORK - Scholastic (NASDAQ:SCHL) Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL), a prominent children's publishing, education, and media firm, has announced the appointment of Jeffrey Mathews as Chief Growth Officer and Executive Vice President. Mathews, who has over 30 years of experience in the sector, will expand his role to refine and implement the company's growth strategy. He will continue to report to Scholastic President and CEO Peter Warwick.
Mathews rejoined Scholastic two years ago in the capacity of Executive Vice President, Corporate Development and Investor Relations. His new responsibilities will encompass leading the company's corporate development, investor relations, and corporate sustainability and impact program. The strategic move aims to leverage Scholastic's trusted brand and content to create long-term value and impact.
Peter Warwick commented on Mathews' appointment, highlighting his deep industry insights and dedication to the company's mission as key to Scholastic's reorientation toward growth. Warwick expressed confidence in Mathews' ability to lead the development and execution of growth initiatives in collaboration with the company's leadership.
Mathews expressed his enthusiasm for the opportunity to contribute to Scholastic's growth, emphasizing the importance of providing engaging educational content for children. His background includes co-founding two technology startups and holding various strategic roles at Scholastic and other organizations. Mathews is an alumnus of Princeton University and holds a D.Phil. from Oxford University.
The appointment is effective immediately, and it is part of Scholastic's ongoing efforts to strengthen its position in the market by capitalizing on its unique strengths and purpose-driven approach. This information is based on a press release statement from Scholastic Corporation.
In other recent news, Scholastic Corporation reported a downturn in its fiscal year 2024 fourth-quarter earnings with consolidated revenue decreasing by 10% or $53 million. Despite this decrease, the company managed to generate a robust free cash flow and returned a significant amount of capital to its shareholders. Scholastic anticipates modest revenue and EBITDA growth for fiscal 2025, with a particular focus on its Entertainment and Children's Books segments.
In addition to its financial results, Scholastic announced significant developments in its board structure following its annual stockholders' meeting. All nominated members were elected to the Board of Directors with unanimous consent from the holders of Class A stock. Furthermore, the company appointed Stacey Jaffe, previously the Senior Vice President of Data & Digital Strategy, as its new Chief Digital Officer. This strategic appointment is part of Scholastic's ongoing efforts to adapt to the evolving digital landscape and meet the changing needs of its customers.
These recent developments highlight Scholastic's commitment to corporate governance and its strategic focus on digital transformation and future growth.
InvestingPro Insights
In the context of Scholastic Corporation's strategic appointment aimed at growth, recent data and insights from InvestingPro provide a financial perspective on the company's current market standing. Scholastic's management has demonstrated a commitment to enhancing shareholder value, as evidenced by an aggressive share buyback strategy and a notable shareholder yield. Moreover, the company has maintained dividend payments for an impressive 17 consecutive years, showcasing its dedication to returning value to its investors.
InvestingPro data reveals that Scholastic Corporation currently has a market capitalization of approximately $856.73 million and is trading at an earnings multiple of 74.79, which adjusts to a more moderate 30.81 when considering the last twelve months leading up to Q4 2024. Despite a revenue decline of 6.71% over the same period, the company's gross profit margin remains strong at 55.65%, reflecting its ability to retain a significant portion of sales as gross profit.
Additionally, Scholastic's operational efficiency can be inferred from its operating income margin of 2.16% for the last twelve months as of Q4 2024. The company's financial health is further highlighted by its liquid assets exceeding short-term obligations, suggesting a robust position to cover immediate liabilities.
For investors considering the timing of their investment, Scholastic is trading near its 52-week low, which could represent a potential entry point for those who believe in the company's growth prospects and long-term strategy. There are more InvestingPro Tips available that delve deeper into Scholastic's financials and forecasts, providing valuable insights for informed investment decisions.
For a comprehensive analysis and additional tips, investors can explore Scholastic's profile on InvestingPro: https://www.investing.com/pro/SCHL, which includes a total of 12 InvestingPro Tips that further inform on the company's financial outlook and investment potential.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.