2U Reports Results for Full-Year and Fourth Quarter 2021

LANHAM, Md., Feb. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 2U, Inc. (Nasdaq: TWOU), a global leader in education technology, today reported financial and operating results for the full-year and fourth quarter ended December 31, 2021.

Results for Full-Year 2021 Compared to Full-Year 2020

• Revenue increased 22% to $945.7 million
• Degree Program Segment revenue increased 22% to $592.3 million
• Alternative Credential Segment revenue increased 23% to $353.4 million
• Net loss improved $21.7 million to $194.8 million, or $2.61 per share

Non-GAAP Results for Full-Year 2021 Compared to Full-Year 2020

• Adjusted EBITDA improved $50.5 million to $66.6 million
• Adjusted net loss improved $16.1 million to $47.6 million, or $0.64 per share

Results for Fourth Quarter 2021 Compared to Fourth Quarter 2020

• Revenue increased 13% to $243.6 million
• Degree Program Segment revenue increased 17% to $152.4 million
• Alternative Credential Segment revenue increased 8% to $91.2 million
• Net loss increased $29.6 million to $67.3 million, or $0.89 per share

Non-GAAP Results for Fourth Quarter 2021 Compared to Fourth Quarter 2020

• Adjusted EBITDA improved $2.2 million to $21.0 million
• Adjusted net loss increased $10.8 million to $14.9 million, or $0.20 per share

"Our strong 2021 results were led by healthy revenue growth in both our degree and alternative credential business, with demand for our undergraduate offerings particularly compelling," said Christopher "Chip" Paucek, 2U's Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer. "With the closing of the edX transaction in November 2021, we are laser focused on transforming 2U into the leading global education platform company, positioned to drive powerful societal impact and superior value for all our stakeholders, by delivering learners affordable, flexible, and career-relevant online education offerings, while helping universities and businesses strengthen their institutions for the digital age."

Paul Lalljie, 2U's Chief Financial Officer, added, "We ended 2021 nicely, capping off a strong year. We closed out the year with double-digit revenue growth and continued margin improvement. Additionally, we completed our transformational acquisition of edX in the fourth quarter and its successful integration is a key priority for us. Our outlook for 2022 reflects a disciplined growth strategy and continued progress towards profitability, which is prudent given the digital marketing environment. With the addition of edX and our transition to a platform company, we have established a strategic and financial framework for achieving our mid-term goals and creating shareholder value."

Discussion of 2021 Results

Revenue for the year totaled $945.7 million, a 22% increase from $774.5 million in 2020. This increase was driven by a 23% increase in Alternative Credential Segment revenue to $353.4 million, primarily due to an increase in the average revenue per full course equivalent ("FCE") enrollment of 15% resulting from a higher proportion of boot camp offerings in operation, and a 22% increase in Degree Program Segment revenue to $592.3 million, primarily due to growth in FCE enrollments of 39,102, or 20%. On a year-over-year basis, total FCE enrollments increased 16% to 323,329.

Revenue for the fourth quarter totaled $243.6 million, a 13% increase from $215.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2020. This increase was driven by a 17% increase in Degree Program Segment revenue to $152.4 million, primarily due to an increase in the average revenue per FCE enrollment of 16%, and an 8% increase in Alternative Credential Segment revenue to $91.2 million, primarily due to an increase in the average revenue per FCE enrollment of 13%. Total average revenue per FCE enrollment increased by 14% over the prior year period to $3,041.

Costs and expenses for the year totaled $1.1 billion, a 17% increase from $953.5 million in 2020. This increase was primarily driven by increased operational expense to support revenue growth, including the acquisition of edX.

Costs and expenses for the fourth quarter totaled $293.3 million, a 20% increase from $245.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2020. This increase was primarily driven by increased operational expense to support revenue growth, including the acquisition of edX.

As of December 31, 2021, the company's cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash totaled $249.9 million, a decrease of $269.0 million from $518.9 million as of December 31, 2020. Cash used in operating activities of $18.1 million and cash used in investing activities of $793.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 were partially offset by cash provided by financing activities of $544.9 million.

Business Outlook for Fiscal Year 2022

The company provided updated guidance for the full-year 2022 for the following metrics:

• Revenue to range from $1.05 billion to $1.09 billion, representing growth of 13% at the midpoint
• Net loss to range from $235 million to $215 million
• Adjusted EBITDA to range from $70 million to $90 million, representing growth of 20% at the midpoint

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.

The company's management uses these non-GAAP financial measures to understand and compare operating results across accounting periods, to understand cash that is generated by or available for operational expenses and investment in the business after capital expenditures, for internal budgeting and forecasting purposes, for short- and long-term operating plans, and to evaluate the company's financial performance. Management believes these non-GAAP financial measures reflect the company's ongoing business in a manner that allows for meaningful period-to-period comparisons and analysis of trends in the company's business as they exclude expenses that are not reflective of ongoing operating results. Management also believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information to investors and others in understanding and evaluating the company's operating results and prospects in the same manner as management and in comparing financial results across accounting periods and to those of peer companies.

The use of adjusted EBITDA (loss), unlevered free cash flow, adjusted net income (loss), and adjusted net income (loss) per share measures has certain limitations, as they do not reflect all items of income and expense that affect the company's operations. The company compensates for these limitations by reconciling the non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. These non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for or in isolation from, measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. Further, these non-GAAP measures may differ from the non-GAAP information used by other companies, including peer companies, and therefore comparability may be limited. Management encourages investors and others to review the company's financial information in its entirety and not rely on a single financial measure.

Conference Call Information

About 2U, Inc. (Nasdaq: TWOU)

For more than a decade, 2U, Inc. has been the digital transformation partner of choice to great non-profit colleges and universities delivering high-quality online education at scale. As the parent company of edX, a leading global online learning platform, 2U provides over 42 million learners with access to world-class education in partnership with more than 230 colleges, universities, and corporations. Our people and technology are powering more than 3,600 digital education offerings — from free courses to full degrees — and helping unlock human potential. To learn more: visit 2U.com.

Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding 2U, Inc.'s future business expectations, which are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release, including statements regarding future results of operations and financial position of 2U, including financial targets, business strategy, and plans and objectives for future operations, are forward-looking statements. 2U has based these forward-looking statements largely on its estimates of its financial results and its current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that it believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, short-term and long-term business operations and objectives, and financial needs as of the date of this press release. The company undertakes no obligation to update these statements as a result of new information or future events. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results predicted, including, but not limited to:

• trends in the higher education market and the market for online education, and expectations for growth in those markets;
  
  
• the acceptance, adoption and growth of online learning by colleges and universities, faculty, students, employers, accreditors and state and federal licensing bodies;
  
  
• the impact of competition on the company's industry and innovations by competitors;
  
  
• the company's ability to comply with evolving regulations and legal obligations related to data privacy, data protection and information security;
  
  
• the company's expectations about the potential benefits of its cloud-based software-as-a-service technology and technology-enabled services to university clients and students;
  
  
• the company's dependence on third parties to provide certain technological services or components used in its platform;
  
  
• the company's expectations about the predictability, visibility and recurring nature of its business model;
  
  
• the company's ability to meet the anticipated launch dates of its degree programs, executive education offerings and boot camps;
  
  
• the company's ability to acquire new university clients and expand its degree programs, executive education offerings and boot camps with existing university clients;
  
  
• the company's ability to successfully integrate the operations of its acquisitions, including the edX acquisition, to achieve the expected benefits of its acquisitions and manage, expand and grow the combined company;
  
  
• the company's ability to refinance its indebtedness on attractive terms, if at all, to better align with its focus on profitability;
  
  
• the company's ability to service its substantial indebtedness and comply with the covenants and conversion obligations contained in the indenture governing its convertible senior notes and the term loan agreement governing its term loan facility;
  
  
• the company's ability to generate sufficient future operating cash flows from recent acquisitions to ensure related goodwill is not impaired;
  
  
• the company's ability to execute its growth strategy in the international, undergraduate and non-degree alternative markets;
  
  
• the company's ability to continue to recruit prospective students for its offerings;
  
  
• the company's ability to maintain or increase student retention rates in its degree programs;
  
  
• the company's ability to attract, hire and retain qualified employees;
  
  
• the company's expectations about the scalability of its cloud-based platform;
  
  
• potential changes in regulations applicable to the company or its university clients;
  
  
• the company's expectations regarding the amount of time its cash balances and other available financial resources will be sufficient to fund its operations;
  
  
• the impact and cost of stockholder activism;
  
  
• the impact of any natural disasters or public health emergencies, such as the coronavirus disease 2019 ("COVID-19") pandemic;
  
  
• the company's expectations regarding the effect of the capped call transactions and regarding actions of the option counterparties and/or their respective affiliates; and
  
  
• other factors beyond the company's control.

These and other potential risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from the results predicted are more fully detailed under the heading "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, and other SEC filings. Moreover, 2U operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for 2U management to predict all risks, nor can 2U assess the impact of all factors on its business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements 2U may make. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this press release may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated.

Investor Relations Contact: Parth Patel, 2U, Inc., investorinfo@2U.com

Media Contact: Glenda Felden, 2U, Inc., media@2U.com

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SOURCE 2U, Inc.