Alef Education revenue rises to AED 361.6 million in first half of 2026
ABU DHABI: Alef Education Holding reported revenue of AED361.6 million for the first half of 2026, an increase of 1.2 per cent compared with the same period last year. The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange-listed education technology company also recorded earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation, or EBITDA, of AED270.2 million. Its EBITDA margin stood at 74.7 per cent, which the company said was among the highest in the education technology sector.
Net profit increased by 1.8 per cent year on year to AED236.4 million, while the net profit margin improved to 65.4 per cent. Alef Education ended the six-month period with AED644.9 million in cash and cash equivalents and remained free of debt. The company said its strong financial position gives it room to expand into new markets, improve its products and digital platforms, and continue making payments to shareholders.
Geoffrey Alphonso, chief executive officer of Alef Education, said the first-half results showed the strength and stability of the company’s business model. He said regular income from long-term contracts and a debt-free balance sheet helped the company maintain steady financial performance while investing in future growth. During the period, Alef Education also moved forward with its product plans for the new school year, expanded key partnerships and explored more opportunities in the UAE and overseas.
The company’s board approved an interim cash dividend of AED212.8 million, equal to 3.04 fils per share. The payment represents 90 per cent of Alef Education’s net profit for the first half of 2026. This follows the company’s final dividend payment of AED224 million for the 2025 financial year.
Alef Education continued to expand its work across the Gulf and other international markets while strengthening its partnerships with UAE government bodies. In cooperation with Microsoft, the company delivered a large artificial intelligence training programme for 25,000 teachers. It also signed a memorandum of understanding with TMRW Edtech to study the development of AI-powered learning solutions across Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The programme supports the wider effort to strengthen the UAE’s position as a global leader in artificial intelligence.
The company also continued its international expansion through its work with AfricAI and by developing new projects in emerging markets. Alef Education said its digital learning platform now reaches about two million students, 85,000 teachers and 20,000 schools around the world. These figures show the growing use of its education tools in schools and learning centres.
Alef Education also completed large field tests for Miqyas Al Dhad, an Arabic-language assessment tool. Around 112,000 students in nine countries took part in the testing programme. The company plans to launch the product commercially during the second half of 2026.
The company kept its financial forecast for 2026 unchanged and expects full-year revenue to grow by 7 per cent. It also expects EBITDA to rise by 4 per cent, with a margin of more than 68 per cent, while net profit is forecast to grow by 4 per cent with a margin above 60 per cent.
Alef Education said its outlook is supported by regular revenue from its contract with the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge. Growth from government clients, private companies and international markets is also expected to support the company’s performance during the rest of the year.
More details about the company’s results, reports and dividend payments are available on Alef Education’s official financial information page.