TL;DRCoursera has approved a $500 million share repurchase programme, its first buyback, one week after completing its $2.5 billion all-stock merger with Udemy. The combined company claims 290 million learners and over $1.5 billion in 2025 revenue.
Coursera has announced a $500 million share repurchase programme, its first buyback since going public in 2021 and one that arrives exactly one week after the online learning company completed its merger with Udemy. The board approved the programme on Sunday 18 May 2026, funding it from existing cash balances and cash flow from operations, with no fixed expiration date.
The timing is not subtle. By launching a buyback days after absorbing a competitor in a $2.5 billion all-stock deal, Coursera is signalling to shareholders that it believes the combined company’s stock is undervalued and that it has enough cash to return capital while integrating a major acquisition. COUR shares have been trading around $5.90, well below the 52-week high of $13.56 and near the bottom of its range since listing.
The Udemy merger in context
Coursera closed its combination with Udemy on 11 May 2026, creating what it describes as the world’s most comprehensive skills platform. Udemy stockholders received 0.800 shares of Coursera common stock for each Udemy share, a structure that left former Coursera shareholders holding approximately 59 per cent of the combined entity and former Udemy shareholders holding roughly 41 per cent. The merger was valued at approximately $2.5 billion.
