PRDO
Perdoceo Education Corporation Consumer Discretionary - Education Services Investor Relations →
Perdoceo Education Corporation (PRDO) closed at $34.56 as of 2026-03-20, trading 68.4% above its 200-week moving average of $20.53. The stock is currently moving closer to the line, down from 75.3% last week. With a 14-week RSI of 74, PRDO is in overbought territory.
A big spike in selling this week — 2.8x the usual volume, and the price dropped. Sometimes this kind of heavy selling marks the end of a decline. The idea is that the last reluctant holders have finally sold, leaving fewer sellers left to push the price lower.
Over the past 1420 weeks of data, PRDO has crossed below its 200-week moving average 20 times. On average, these episodes lasted 32 weeks. Historically, investors who bought PRDO at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +10.5%.
With a market cap of $2.2 billion, PRDO is a mid-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 7.5%, which is healthy. Return on equity stands at 16.6%, a solid level. The stock trades at 2.2x book value.
The company has been aggressively buying back shares, reducing its share count by 7.0% over the past three years. PRDO passes our Buffett quality screen: high return on equity, low debt, and positive free cash flow.
Over the past 27.2 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in PRDO would have grown to $1002, compared to $817 for the S&P 500. That represents an annualized return of 8.8% vs 8.0% for the index — confirming PRDO as a market-beating investment and the kind of quality company where buying during 200-week moving average touches has historically been rewarded.
Free cash flow has been growing at a 16.9% compound annual rate, with 4 consecutive years of positive cash generation.
Business Health
Annual financials — how the underlying business has performed over the past several years.
Cash Flow Free cash flow & net income ($M)
Revenue Annual revenue ($M) — business growth proxy
Total Debt Balance sheet debt ($M)
ROIC Return on invested capital (%)
FCF Yield Free cash flow / market cap (%) — Yartseva signal
Gross Margin Pricing power & competitive moat (%)
Shares Outstanding Buybacks vs dilution (millions)
Growth of $100: PRDO vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After PRDO Crosses Below the Line?
Across 20 historical episodes, buying PRDO when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +10.3% after 12 months (median +0.0%), compared to +18.9% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 45% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +19.9% vs +28.9% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment PRDO crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
PRDO has crossed below its 200-week MA 20 times with an average 1-year return of +10.5% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1999 | Nov 1999 | 10 | 17.9% | +160.3% | +1021.8% |
| Apr 2000 | Apr 2000 | 1 | 1.8% | +241.1% | +946.7% |
| Oct 2004 | Oct 2004 | 3 | 4.7% | +28.4% | +37.0% |
| Apr 2005 | May 2005 | 2 | 2.7% | +17.3% | +16.5% |
| Oct 2005 | Oct 2005 | 1 | 0.7% | -30.7% | +7.9% |
| Oct 2005 | Nov 2005 | 1 | 1.9% | -35.9% | +8.4% |
| Dec 2005 | Mar 2006 | 15 | 13.4% | -25.8% | +5.8% |
| May 2006 | Oct 2009 | 180 | 62.0% | +11.5% | +15.0% |
| Oct 2009 | Nov 2009 | 2 | 15.7% | -15.8% | +75.8% |
| Dec 2009 | Feb 2010 | 9 | 12.9% | -12.4% | +64.3% |
| Jun 2010 | Jul 2010 | 1 | 9.9% | +0.2% | +69.7% |
| Aug 2010 | Feb 2011 | 27 | 28.7% | -13.8% | +78.3% |
| Mar 2011 | Mar 2011 | 3 | 9.0% | -63.2% | +66.8% |
| Apr 2011 | Jul 2011 | 12 | 10.3% | -67.9% | +68.4% |
| Aug 2011 | Mar 2016 | 240 | 86.6% | -82.6% | +106.9% |
| Mar 2020 | May 2020 | 8 | 32.5% | +15.1% | +232.1% |
| Aug 2020 | Nov 2022 | 114 | 29.2% | -20.0% | +170.0% |
| Dec 2022 | Dec 2022 | 1 | 1.9% | +27.2% | +171.8% |
| Feb 2023 | Apr 2023 | 7 | 3.8% | +29.9% | +169.6% |
| Apr 2023 | Jul 2023 | 12 | 11.3% | +48.1% | +182.2% |
| Average | 32 | — | +10.5% | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PRDO below its 200-week moving average?
No. Perdoceo Education Corporation (PRDO) is currently 68.4% above its 200-week moving average of $20.53. It would need to fall to $20.53 to cross below the line.
What is PRDO's 200-week moving average price?
Perdoceo Education Corporation's 200-week moving average is $20.53 as of 2026-03-20. This is the average weekly closing price over roughly the last 4 years, and it acts as a long-term trend line. When a stock drops below this level, it can signal that the price has fallen far enough from the long-term trend to attract value-oriented investors.
What happens when PRDO drops below its 200-week moving average?
PRDO has crossed below its 200-week moving average 20 times in our data. On average, buying at that moment produced a one-year return of +10.5%. These dips have historically been decent entry points. These episodes lasted 32 weeks on average.
Is PRDO a good value right now?
Here's what our data says about PRDO as of 2026-03-20: The stock is above its 200-week moving average, so it doesn't currently meet our primary signal. The 14-week RSI is 74 (overbought). Free cash flow yield is 7.5%. Return on equity is 16.6%. Price-to-book is 2.2x. This is not a buy or sell recommendation — always do your own research.
How does PRDO compare to the S&P 500?
Over the past 27.2 years, $100 invested in PRDO would have grown to $1002, compared to $817 for the S&P 500. That's 8.8% annualized vs 8.0% for the index. PRDO has outperformed the broader market over this period.
Does PRDO pay a dividend?
Yes. Perdoceo Education Corporation currently pays a dividend yield of 174.00%.
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of week of 2026-03-20