John Wiley & Sons Management
Management criteria checks 4/4
John Wiley & Sons' CEO is Matt Kissner, appointed in Oct 2023, has a tenure of 2.92 years. total yearly compensation is $6.59M, comprised of 13.7% salary and 86.3% bonuses, including company stock and options. directly owns 0.15% of the company’s shares, worth $3.57M. The average tenure of the management team and the board of directors is 2.7 years and 7.1 years respectively.
Key information
Matt Kissner
Chief executive officer
US$6.6m
Total compensation
| CEO salary percentage | 13.66% |
| CEO tenure | 2.9yrs |
| CEO ownership | 0.1% |
| Management average tenure | 2.7yrs |
| Board average tenure | 7.1yrs |
Recent management updates
Recent updates
Narrative Update • Jun 22
WLY: AI Research Expansion And Emerald Deal Will Drive Future Upside
Analysts have raised their price target on John Wiley & Sons, increasing their estimate of fair value from $66 to $68 as they adjust assumptions around discount rates, revenue growth, profit margins, and future P/E expectations. What’s in the News for John Wiley & Sons John Wiley & Sons reported fiscal Q4 2026 adjusted EPS of $1.67 on revenue of $447.9 million, slightly above the Wall Street EPS estimate of $1.65, according to recent earnings coverage.Analysis Article • Jun 19
John Wiley & Sons (WLY) Stock Could Be 29.2% Undervalued After Earnings And Emerald Deal
John Wiley & Sons (WLY) drew investor attention after reporting fourth quarter and full year results that showed higher net income and earnings per share, alongside a recently announced Emerald Publishing acquisition. See our latest analysis for John Wiley & Sons. At a share price of $46.70, John Wiley & Sons has seen strong momentum recently, with a 29.11% 3 month share price return and a 58.31% year to date share price return, while the 5 year total shareholder return is slightly negative...Narrative Update • Jun 06
WLY: Emerald Acquisition And Research Expansion Will Support Future Upside
Analysts have kept their price target for John Wiley & Sons steady at $66.0. They attribute this to largely unchanged assumptions around fair value, discount rate, revenue growth, profit margins, and future P/E as the basis for this reaffirmed view. What's in the News John Wiley & Sons completed an all cash acquisition of Emerald Publishing Limited for approximately £337.5 million (about US$452 million) on June 1, 2026.Narrative Update • May 23
WLY: Share Repurchases And Content Licensing Partnership Will Support Future Upside
Analysts have adjusted their price target for John Wiley & Sons to $66.00, with the updated view reflecting slightly higher assumptions for the discount rate and future P/E, while keeping fair value and key operating assumptions broadly unchanged. What's in the News From November 1, 2025 to January 31, 2026, the company repurchased 396,875 shares, representing 0.75%, for US$12.7 million under the buyback announced on June 26, 2025, fully completing that authorization (company filing).Seeking Alpha • Apr 28
John Wiley & Sons: Strong Fundamentals, But Colleges Are In A Bad Way
Summary John Wiley & Sons is downgraded to a hold due to mounting headwinds in higher education and demographic shifts. WLY faces risks from declining U.S. college enrollment, rising textbook costs, and a potential demographic cliff impacting future demand. Despite a nearly 2% YoY revenue decline, WLY maintains attractive valuation metrics, with a GAAP P/E of 14.29 and strong margins. AI monetization and international sales offer upside, but sustained sector headwinds warrant caution before re-rating WLY as a buy. Read the full article on Seeking AlphaNarrative Update • Apr 21
WLY: Content Partnerships And Share Repurchases Will Support Future Upside Potential
Analysts are keeping their price target for John Wiley & Sons effectively unchanged at about $66. This reflects only minor refinements to assumptions on discount rate, revenue growth, profit margin, and future P/E.Narrative Update • Apr 06
WLY: Content Partnerships And Journal Expansion Will Support Future Upside Potential
Analysts have kept the price target for John Wiley & Sons steady at $66.00, with only marginal adjustments to inputs such as the discount rate, revenue growth, profit margin, and future P/E assumptions behind their valuation framework. What's in the News The company reported completing the repurchase of 5,117,122 shares, representing 9.44% of its shares, for $199.87 million under the buyback announced on March 20, 2020, including 697,660 shares, or 1.32%, repurchased for $22.33 million between November 1, 2025 and January 31, 2026 (Key Developments).Narrative Update • Mar 21
WLY: Content Licensing And Journal Expansion Will Support Future Upside Potential
Analysts have modestly reduced their price target for John Wiley & Sons to $66. This reflects slightly lower assumed future P/E multiples, while keeping fair value, revenue growth, profit margin, and discount rate inputs broadly unchanged.Narrative Update • Mar 07
WLY: Content Partnerships And Journal Expansion Will Support Future Upside Potential
Analysts have raised their fair value estimate for John Wiley & Sons from $60 to $66, citing updated assumptions for revenue growth, profit margins, discount rate, and future P/E as key drivers of the higher price target. What's in the News Wiley partnered with OpenEvidence to license a broad portfolio of scientific and medical content, including the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Clinical Answers, and more than 400 journals and books across major medical specialties, for use within OpenEvidence’s point of care platform (Key Developments).Analysis Article • Nov 21
A Look At The Intrinsic Value Of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (NYSE:WLY)
Key Insights Using the 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity, John Wiley & Sons fair value estimate is US$32.32 John Wiley...Analysis Article • Jul 16
When Should You Buy John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (NYSE:WLY)?
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ( NYSE:WLY ), might not be a large cap stock, but it saw a double-digit share price rise of...Analysis Article • Jun 24
We Think John Wiley & Sons' (NYSE:WLY) Solid Earnings Are Understated
Investors signalled that they were pleased with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.'s ( NYSE:WLY ) most recent earnings report...Analysis Article • Jun 17
John Wiley & Sons (NYSE:WLY) Is Doing The Right Things To Multiply Its Share Price
Finding a business that has the potential to grow substantially is not easy, but it is possible if we look at a few key...New Narrative • May 27
Global R&D And Digital Transformation Will Unlock New Markets
Expansion in global R&D, digital initiatives, and emerging market access agreements are driving robust recurring revenue growth and margin improvement.Analysis Article • May 26
Is John Wiley & Sons (NYSE:WLY) Using Too Much Debt?
Howard Marks put it nicely when he said that, rather than worrying about share price volatility, 'The possibility of...Analysis Article • May 08
Getting In Cheap On John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (NYSE:WLY) Is Unlikely
When close to half the companies in the Media industry in the United States have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") below...Analysis Article • Apr 04
Is It Too Late To Consider Buying John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (NYSE:WLY)?
While John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ( NYSE:WLY ) might not have the largest market cap around , it saw a double-digit share...Seeking Alpha • Mar 27
John Wiley & Sons: Publisher Tries To Rise Above Book Congestion, Thanks To AI
Summary John Wiley & Sons gets a hold rating today, as upside and downside factors considered did not make a strong buy or sell case. The firm could see growth upside from its work with AI learning models, as well as business growth in Asia and Latin America, across a diversified portfolio that includes learning. A weak net income margin, poor cashflow growth, and unremarkable dividend growth could be a challenge. The high debt/equity ratio vs similar publishing peers could pose greater leverage risk. With an abundance of self-published authors and books online, this puts into question the traditional role of publishers and the value proposal. Read the full article on Seeking AlphaAnalysis Article • Mar 13
John Wiley & Sons (NYSE:WLY) Shareholders Will Want The ROCE Trajectory To Continue
Finding a business that has the potential to grow substantially is not easy, but it is possible if we look at a few key...Analysis Article • Feb 23
We Think John Wiley & Sons (NYSE:WLY) Is Taking Some Risk With Its Debt
Warren Buffett famously said, 'Volatility is far from synonymous with risk.' So it might be obvious that you need to...Analysis Article • Jan 28
Investor Optimism Abounds John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (NYSE:WLY) But Growth Is Lacking
It's not a stretch to say that John Wiley & Sons, Inc.'s ( NYSE:WLY ) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 1.3x right now...Seeking Alpha • Jan 06
John Wiley & Sons: Potential Growth In The Learning Segment
Summary WLY is restructuring to divest non-core assets from the Learning segment. The company has a significant presence in the growing online learning market. Revenue from the Learning segment is growing faster than the Research segment. Management sees potential growth in the underinvested Learning segment. Investors should hold and observe if restructuring and AI improvements benefit financial results. Read the full article on Seeking AlphaAnalysis Article • Dec 15
John Wiley & Sons (NYSE:WLY) Has Affirmed Its Dividend Of $0.3525
The board of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ( NYSE:WLY ) has announced that it will pay a dividend of $0.3525 per share on the...Analysis Article • Dec 08
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (NYSE:WLY) Analysts Are Pretty Bullish On The Stock After Recent Results
There's been a notable change in appetite for John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ( NYSE:WLY ) shares in the week since its...Analysis Article • Nov 18
The Return Trends At John Wiley & Sons (NYSE:WLY) Look Promising
If you're looking for a multi-bagger, there's a few things to keep an eye out for. Firstly, we'll want to see a proven...Analysis Article • Oct 24
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.'s (NYSE:WLY) Share Price Not Quite Adding Up
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.'s ( NYSE:WLY ) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 1.5x may not look like an appealing...Analysis Article • Oct 02
John Wiley & Sons (NYSE:WLY) Is Due To Pay A Dividend Of $0.3525
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.'s ( NYSE:WLY ) investors are due to receive a payment of $0.3525 per share on 24th of October...Seeking Alpha • Sep 15
Wiley: Mild Headwinds, But Heavy Insider Selling Activity
Summary Wiley reported a 10% YoY revenue decline in Q1 FY 2025, mainly due to three divestitures in 2024 that resulted in pretax losses. Despite improved margins, the learning segment's revenue was flat, with AI content licensing deals adding $21 million of non recurring revenue. Insider selling by key executives and low insider ownership reduces my confidence in the stock's near term performance, despite a 50% share price increase since December 2023. I maintain a Hold rating for Wiley due to unpredictable revenue in the next quarters, driven by non recurring deals in AI content licensing, and the recent insider selling activity. Read the full article on Seeking AlphaAnalysis Article • Aug 19
Here's Why John Wiley & Sons (NYSE:WLY) Can Manage Its Debt Responsibly
David Iben put it well when he said, 'Volatility is not a risk we care about. What we care about is avoiding the...Analysis Article • Jul 25
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.'s (NYSE:WLY) Share Price Could Signal Some Risk
It's not a stretch to say that John Wiley & Sons, Inc.'s ( NYSE:WLY ) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 1.4x right now...Analysis Article • Jun 30
John Wiley & Sons' (NYSE:WLY) Dividend Will Be Increased To $0.3525
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ( NYSE:WLY ) will increase its dividend on the 25th of July to $0.3525, which is 0.7% higher...CEO Compensation Analysis
| Date | Total Compensation | Salary | Company Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 31 2026 | n/a | n/a | US$198m |
| Apr 30 2026 | US$7m | US$900k | US$222m |
| Jan 31 2026 | n/a | n/a | US$154m |
| Oct 31 2025 | n/a | n/a | US$102m |
| Jul 31 2025 | n/a | n/a | US$97m |
| Apr 30 2025 | US$6m | US$900k | US$84m |
| Jan 31 2025 | n/a | n/a | US$41m |
| Oct 31 2024 | n/a | n/a | -US$50m |
| Jul 31 2024 | n/a | n/a | -US$109m |
| Apr 30 2024 | US$4m | US$488k | -US$200m |
| Jan 31 2024 | n/a | n/a | -US$157m |
| Oct 31 2023 | n/a | n/a | -US$115m |
| Jul 31 2023 | n/a | n/a | -US$57m |
| Apr 30 2023 | n/a | n/a | US$17m |
| Jan 31 2023 | n/a | n/a | -US$8m |
| Oct 31 2022 | n/a | n/a | US$99m |
| Jul 31 2022 | n/a | n/a | US$117m |
| Apr 30 2022 | n/a | n/a | US$148m |
| Jan 31 2022 | n/a | n/a | US$146m |
| Oct 31 2021 | n/a | n/a | US$133m |
| Jul 31 2021 | n/a | n/a | US$146m |
| Apr 30 2021 | US$2m | US$555k | US$148m |
| Jan 31 2021 | n/a | n/a | -US$51m |
| Oct 31 2020 | n/a | n/a | -US$38m |
| Jul 31 2020 | n/a | n/a | -US$62m |
| Apr 30 2020 | US$2m | US$600k | -US$74m |
Compensation vs Market: Matt's total compensation ($USD6.59M) is about average for companies of similar size in the US market ($USD7.02M).
Compensation vs Earnings: Matt's compensation has been consistent with company performance over the past year.
CEO
Matt Kissner (72 yo)
2.9yrs
Tenure
US$6,589,200
Compensation
Mr. Matthew S. Kissner, also known as Matt, serves as Chief Executive Officer at John Wiley & Sons, Inc. since December 2023, served as its Interim Chief Executive Officer since October 10, 2023 until Dece...
Leadership Team
| Name | Position | Tenure | Compensation | Ownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Executive Chairman | 14yrs | US$365.00k | 0.048% $ 1.2m | |
| President | 2.9yrs | US$6.59m | 0.15% $ 3.6m | |
| Executive VP & CFO | 1.3yrs | US$2.19m | 0.0029% $ 70.6k | |
| Executive Vice President of Technology & Operations | 3.7yrs | US$1.75m | 0.027% $ 656.1k | |
| Executive VP & Chief People Officer | 6.8yrs | US$1.78m | 0.051% $ 1.2m | |
| Senior Vice President of Business Transformation | less than a year | US$1.04m | 0.021% $ 502.1k | |
| Corporate VP & Chief Accounting Officer | less than a year | no data | 0.0039% $ 95.1k | |
| Vice President of Investor Relations | 18.7yrs | no data | no data | |
| Executive VP | 6.6yrs | US$1.82m | 0.032% $ 776.6k | |
| Senior VP & Chief Marketing Officer | 2.7yrs | no data | no data | |
| Chief Strategy Officer | 1.6yrs | no data | no data | |
| Chief AI & Data Services Officer | less than a year | no data | no data |
2.7yrs
Average Tenure
57yo
Average Age
Experienced Management: WLY's management team is considered experienced (2.7 years average tenure).
Board Members
| Name | Position | Tenure | Compensation | Ownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Executive Chairman | 14yrs | US$365.00k | 0.048% $ 1.2m | |
| President | 2.9yrs | US$6.59m | 0.15% $ 3.6m | |
| Independent Director | 28.3yrs | US$248.22k | 0.18% $ 4.4m | |
| Independent Director | 21yrs | US$326.11k | 0.00099% $ 24.0k | |
| Independent Director | 15yrs | US$300.59k | no data | |
| Independent Director | 4.8yrs | US$265.34k | no data | |
| Independent Director | 1.5yrs | US$237.25k | no data | |
| Independent Director | 9.5yrs | US$276.11k | no data | |
| Independent Director | 1.3yrs | US$248.45k | no data | |
| Independent Director | 4.3yrs | US$251.16k | no data |
7.1yrs
Average Tenure
62yo
Average Age
Experienced Board: WLY's board of directors are considered experienced (7.1 years average tenure).
Company Analysis and Financial Data Status
| Data | Last Updated (UTC time) |
|---|---|
| Company Analysis | 2026/09/21 21:25 |
| End of Day Share Price | 2026/09/21 00:00 |
| Earnings | 2026/07/31 |
| Annual Earnings | 2026/04/30 |
Data Sources
The data used in our company analysis is from S&P Global Market Intelligence LLC. The following data is used in our analysis model to generate this report. Data is normalised which can introduce a delay from the source being available.
| Package | Data | Timeframe | Example US Source * |
|---|---|---|---|
| Company Financials | 10 years |
| |
| Analyst Consensus Estimates | +3 years |
|
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| Market Prices | 30 years |
| |
| Ownership | 10 years |
| |
| Management | 10 years |
| |
| Key Developments | 10 years |
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* Example for US securities, for non-US equivalent regulatory forms and sources are used.
Unless specified all financial data is based on a yearly period but updated quarterly. This is known as Trailing Twelve Month (TTM) or Last Twelve Month (LTM) Data. Learn more.
Analysis Model and Snowflake
Details of the analysis model used to generate this report is available on our Github page, we also have guides on how to use our reports and tutorials on Youtube.
Learn about the who designed and built the Simply Wall St analysis model.
Industry and Sector Metrics
Our industry and section metrics are calculated every 6 hours by Simply Wall St, details of our process are available on Github.
Analyst Sources
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is covered by 7 analysts. 1 of those analysts submitted the estimates of revenue or earnings used as inputs to our report. Analysts submissions are updated throughout the day.
| Analyst | Institution |
|---|---|
| Michael Hartnett | BofA Global Research |
| Daniel Moore | CJS Securities, Inc. |
| David Lewis | J.P. Morgan |