Online education platform Coursera announced on Wednesday that it will acquire rival Udemy in an all-stock transaction, valuing the combined company at approximately $2.5 billion. The deal comes as the online learning sector continues to consolidate following a post-pandemic slowdown and increased investor scrutiny, Reuters reported.
Under the terms of the agreement, Udemy shareholders will receive 0.8 shares of Coursera for each Udemy share held, implying a valuation of about $930 million for Udemy. Following the announcement, Coursera shares rose around 4%, while Udemy shares surged nearly 22%.
The companies said the combined platform is expected to be better positioned to meet growing corporate demand for workforce training, particularly in areas such as artificial intelligence, data science and software development, as employers increase investment in reskilling initiatives.
Coursera primarily partners with universities and institutions to offer degree programs and professional certificates, while Udemy operates a marketplace where independent instructors sell individual courses and business subscriptions. The companies cited complementary offerings and potential cost synergies as key benefits of the transaction.
