Advtech hits historic financial milestone

Private education giant Advtech has reached an historic financial landmark, reporting more than R2 billion in operating profit for the first time for its financial year ended 31 December 2025.

The group’s latest results reflect a period of high growth and structural refinement, as a 10% rise in revenue to R9.3 billion resulted in a 17% surge in normalised earnings per share to 236.1 cents.

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Advtech CEO Geoff Whyte attributed the performance to a combination of healthy enrolment growth, disciplined debtor control, and moderate fee increases.

The education division remained the group’s primary engine, with its operating margin climbing to 24.7%. This profitability was achieved despite significant investments in artificial intelligence tools for personalised learning and global benchmarking measures.

A pivotal shift in Advtech’s strategy has been the “simplification” of its brand structures. The most visible manifestation of this is the launch of Emeris, a unified higher education brand that consolidates Varsity College, Vega, MSA, and HSM.

In February 2026, the group opened a R420 million state-of-the-art Emeris mega-campus in Sandton, featuring IT labs, podcast studios, and a sports centre capable of hosting international events.

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Advtech’s “rest of Africa” schools segment delivered a standout performance, with revenue jumping 28% to R574 million. This was bolstered by the acquisition of the Regis Runda school in Nairobi for R171 million in August 2025, where enrolments have already increased by 17% since the takeover.

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Looking ahead, Advtech is positioned to apply for formal university status for both Rosebank College and Emeris once government regulations are finalised.

Whyte noted that this recognition would afford private higher education students the same status as their public institution peers.

KwaZulu-Natal expansion

In a move to capture rising demand in the coastal region, Advtech is advancing plans for a massive 10-hectare Emeris campus in KwaZulu-Natal.

Located in the rapidly developing Durban/Umhlanga corridor, the group has opted to develop the site in Cornubia, shifting away from the Sibaya area which was originally considered nearly a decade ago.

In an interview with Moneyweb, Whyte explained that the group opted for Cornubia over Sibaya because it believed “it is much better” location for the new campus.

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“We can do a regional consolidation of various campuses and brands and we also have the opportunity for significant sports facilities. It will also accommodate a higher number of students,” he noted.

Whyte further clarified that while the full project costs have not yet been disclosed, the group will likely provide those details during the release of their interim results later this year.

The first phase, scheduled to open in 2029, will accommodate 8 000 students and include specialised engineering laboratories, robotics facilities, and a 500-bed student residence.

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Advtech’s board declared a final gross dividend of 73 cents per share, bringing the total full-year payout to 118 cents, a notable increase from the 101 cents declared for FY2024.

The group’s shares fell over 5% on the JSE, in line with the market’s overall volatility and weakness since the Middle East conflict broke out.

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