John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Class B (WLYB) AI Stock Analysis

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Class B

(NYSE:WLYB)

Select Model

Rating:68Neutral

Price Target:$59.00▲(14.35% Upside)

Action:initiatedcoverage

Date:10/23/26

The score is driven primarily by improved profitability and healthy free cash flow, supported by constructive technical trend signals. The main constraints are the sharp recent revenue decline and increased leverage, while valuation is reasonable and the latest earnings call was net-positive due to reaffirmed guidance, AI momentum, and Emerald integration progress.

Positive Factors

Research publishing strengthResearch publishing is showing durable demand, supported by double-digit revenue growth, strong submissions, expanding output, and retention above 99%. These indicators reinforce Wiley’s market position and provide a stable foundation for recurring institutional and scholarly revenue.

Negative Factors

Learning revenue weaknessThe learning segment remains a material drag on consolidated growth, with declines across academic and professional activities and compressed profitability. Continued weakness in consumer, retail, and corporate demand could make it harder for Wiley to sustain overall revenue and margin improvement.

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Class B (WLYB) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Market Cap: $2.62B
Dividend Yield: 2.71%
Average Volume (3M): 4,342
Price to Earnings (P/E): 13.6
Beta (1Y): 0.31
Revenue Growth: -0.27%
EPS Growth: 111.79%
Country: US
Employees: 4,500
Sector: Communication Services
Sector Strength: 60
Industry: Publishing

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Class B Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company Description

John Wiley & Sons, Inc., a publisher, provides authoritative content, data-driven insights, and knowledge services for the advancement of science, innovation, and learning in the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, and interna...

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Class B Financial Statement Overview

Summary

Profitability and free cash flow are solid (TTM net margin ~11.9%, operating margin ~13.9%, free cash flow ~$212M with strong growth), supporting debt service and shareholder returns. Offsetting this, TTM revenue decline is sharp (RevenueGrowthRate -0.623) and leverage has increased (TTM debt-to-equity ~1.72), raising risk if top-line pressure persists.

Income Statement

64Positive

Balance Sheet

48Neutral

Cash Flow

67Positive

Financial statement breakdown
Breakdown	TTM	Apr 2026	Apr 2025	Apr 2024	Apr 2023	Apr 2022
Income Statement
Total Revenue	1.67B	1.68B	1.68B	1.87B	2.02B	2.08B
Gross Profit	1.20B	1.19B	1.25B	1.29B	1.33B	1.38B
EBITDA	421.74M	405.18M	343.63M	38.95M	289.90M	440.43M
Net Income	198.19M	221.62M	84.16M	-200.32M	17.23M	148.31M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets	3.13B	2.59B	2.69B	2.73B	3.11B	3.36B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments	106.43M	75.62M	85.88M	83.25M	106.71M	100.40M
Total Debt	1.37B	768.89M	899.20M	887.28M	883.50M	940.14M
Total Liabilities	2.34B	1.74B	1.94B	1.99B	2.06B	2.22B
Stockholders Equity	797.04M	848.24M	752.21M	739.72M	1.05B	1.14B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow	211.52M	176.67M	119.82M	105.88M	170.38M	217.40M
Operating Cash Flow	290.25M	260.52M	202.59M	207.64M	277.07M	339.10M
Investing Cash Flow	-536.13M	28.11M	-94.02M	-106.64M	-98.40M	-194.02M
Financing Cash Flow	271.50M	-298.30M	-125.33M	-107.22M	-168.57M	-131.64M

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Class B Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis SentimentPositive

Last Price51.60

Price Trends

50DMA50.43Positive

100DMA50.01Positive

200DMA43.26Positive

Market Momentum

MACD0.79Positive

RSI50.64Neutral

STOCH25.36Neutral

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For WLYB, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 51.60 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 51.73, above the 50-day MA of 50.43, and above the 200-day MA of 43.26, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 0.79 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 50.64 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 25.36 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for WLYB.

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Class B Peers Comparison

Overall Rating

UnderperformOutperform

Sector (60)

Financial Indicators

WLYB against its peers
Name	Overall Rating	Market Cap	P/E Ratio	ROE	Dividend Yield	Revenue Growth	EPS Growth
WLYB	68Neutral	$2.60B	13.57	25.28%	2.71%	-0.27%	111.79%
Sector *	60Neutral	$48.67B	4.58	-11.27%	4.14%	2.83%	-41.78%

* Communication Services Sector Average

Performance Comparison

WLYB and its peers over the selected period
Show on chart	Ticker	Company Name	Price	Change	% Change
	WLYB	John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Class B	51.60	15.89	44.49%

Glossary

BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.

Date of analysis: Oct 23, 2026

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Class B AI Stock Analysis