The online educational platform Coursera will acquire its competitor Udemy. It will pay for the company exclusively with its own shares, with Udemy shareholders receiving 0.8 Coursera shares for each share. The companies announced this today, stating that the combined company will be valued at $2.5 billion. According to Reuters’ calculations, the stock payment values Udemy at approximately $930 million.
The merger of Coursera and Udemy
The transaction is still subject to regulatory and shareholder approval. The companies expect it to close in the second half of 2026. Reuters noted that the move comes at a time of industry consolidation following a slowdown caused by the global pandemic.
Coursera and Udemy are betting that the combined platform will be better positioned to meet corporate demand for employee training, particularly in the areas of artificial intelligence (AI), data science, and software development. Employers are investing in retraining workers in response to the rise of generative AI tools.
AI is changing the rules of the game
“We are at a pivotal moment where artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the skill requirements for every job in every industry. Organizations and individuals around the world need a platform that is as agile as the new and emerging skills that students need to learn,” said Coursera CEO Greg Hart.
“From an overall perspective, the deal seems to make sense both strategically and financially. We have long viewed the combination of these two companies as attractive given their complementary offerings,” said Stephen Sheldon, an analyst at William Blair.
Source: Reuters
