What Is Lumen Learning Worth? A Comparables Analysis

Finance
easy40 min0 submissions
Bain
Scenario

Lumen Learning (edtech, India) is preparing for a sale process. You have been asked to establish a valuation range using trading comparables.

The company. Revenue of ₹163 Cr, EBITDA margin of 14% (EBITDA of ₹23 Cr), revenue growth of 5%, and net debt of ₹126 Cr.

Trading comparables.

PeerEV/EBITDARevenue growthEBITDA margin
Peer A — same sector, 3× larger7.5×12%20%
Peer B — adjacent sector, high growth13.2×21%14%
Peer C — same sector, declining9.4×-1%13%

The banker running the process has proposed simply averaging the three multiples.

Supporting data

target

ebitda cr
23
revenue cr
163
net debt cr
126
ebitda margin pct
14
revenue growth pct
5

comparables

peerev ebitdagrowth pctmargin pct
A7.51220
B13.22114
C9.4-113
Your task

Produce a valuation range. Provide:

  1. Analysis — which comparables you would use and why, and the resulting enterprise and equity values.
  2. Risks — where this methodology could mislead.
  3. Recommendation — your valuation range and the number you would take to the seller.

Critique the banker's proposed approach.

Ready to move forward? Up next: Halcyon Bank: Can We Raise Prices 16%?Next question
How you'll be graded

100 points, 60% to pass.

  • adjustments20
  • peer selection25
  • recommendation30
  • multiple analysis25
Hint
Reveal suggested structure
  1. Screen the peers on growth, margin and risk — not sector label alone.
  2. Apply the defensible multiple range to EBITDA to get enterprise value.
  3. Bridge to equity value: EV − net debt.
  4. Adjust for size, growth differential and marketability.
  5. Cross-check with EV/Revenue.
  6. Present a range, and say where in it you would settle.