US Stock Market Move | Agreement reached with Coursera (COUR.US) for final merger, Udemy (UDMY.US) surges over 26%

On Wednesday, as of the deadline, Udemy (UDMY.US) rose more than 26%, closing at $6.8; Coursera (COUR.US) rose more than 6%, closing at $8.45. In terms of news, online education platforms Coursera and Udemy previously announced that they have reached a final merger agreement. Coursera will merge with Udemy through an all-stock transaction to create a larger comprehensive online learning platform. Based on the closing prices of the two companies on December 16, the implied equity value of the merged company is approximately $2.5 billion. According to the terms of the deal, Udemy shareholders will exchange each Udemy share for 0.8 shares of Coursera common stock, at a premium of approximately 26% over Udemy's average closing price for the past 30 trading days. Coursera stated that after the completion of the transaction, the merged company plans to implement a significant stock buyback program to further optimize its capital structure and return value to shareholders. From a financial perspective, this merger will significantly enhance the overall strength of the company. Based on pro forma calculations after the merger, the new company's annualized revenue will exceed $1.5 billion, and is expected to achieve approximately $115 million in annual operating cost synergies within 24 months after the completion of the transaction. Udemy CEO Hugo Sarrazin stated in a declaration that as a unified platform, the company will accelerate its AI-driven product roadmap, expand its global coverage with stronger market expansion capabilities, and unlock substantial revenue and operational synergies to strengthen long-term financial performance. The deal has received unanimous approval from the boards of directors of both Coursera and Udemy, and is expected to be completed in the second half of 2026.