Detailed Narrative
Core Business Performance and Growth Drivers
New Oriental reported solid Q3 FY26 results, with total net revenue growing 19.8% year-over-year to $1,473 million, exceeding expectations. This growth was driven by strong performance across various segments, including overseas test prep (up 7% YoY), adults and university students business (up 15% YoY), and new education initiatives (up 23% YoY). The company attributes this success to its strategic focus on operational efficiency, cost control, and product quality enhancement, leading to improved student retention and utilization rates.
New Initiatives and Strategic Expansion
The company's new education initiatives, including nonacademic tutoring and intelligent learning systems, have been rolled out to approximately 60 cities each, with top-tier cities contributing significantly to revenue. Integrated tourism, encompassing study tours and cultural tours, operates in about 55 cities. New Oriental is also piloting 'New Oriental Home,' a private domain platform integrating education, East Buy offerings, and cultural tourism into a unified ecosystem, demonstrating strong user engagement with 330,000 registered families and 10-15% activation rates in 12 pilot cities.
East Buy's Contribution and Future Strategy
East Buy continues to be a significant contributor, advancing its multi-platform, multi-content strategy with specialized live streaming channels and optimizing content. Future plans for East Buy include expanding its private label portfolio, enhancing product R&D, accelerating app membership ecosystem development, and growing its offline footprint through vending machines and experience stores. These initiatives are expected to drive operational efficiency and supply chain excellence, supporting sustainable long-term growth and increased profitability.
AI Integration and Efficiency Gains
New Oriental is actively integrating AI across its offerings to strengthen core capabilities and streamline internal operations. AI technology is being embedded into online products, intelligent learning devices, and even offline classes to enhance learning experiences and improve efficiency. The company is also exploring new AI-purely-driven educational products that rely minimally on human resources, aiming to achieve significant efficiency improvements and labor cost reductions in the coming 1-2 years.
Financial Highlights and Capital Allocation
Non-GAAP operating income increased 42.8% to $202.9 million, and non-GAAP net income rose 34.3% to $152.2 million, reflecting strong margin expansion. The company reported a net cash outflow from operations of $7.5 million and capital expenditure of $68.8 million. New Oriental continues its shareholder return plan, with a second dividend installment of $0.06 per common share ($0.6 per ADS) and an ongoing share repurchase program, having repurchased approximately $184.3 million of ADS as of April 21, 2026.