Company Description
51Talk Online Education Group (NYSE American: COE) is a global online education platform with core expertise in English education. The company focuses on making quality education accessible and affordable through online and mobile platforms that enable students to take live, interactive English lessons on demand. Its American Depositary Shares (ADSs), each representing sixty Class A ordinary shares, trade under the symbol COE.
According to the company, its platforms connect students with highly qualified teachers using a shared economy approach. Lessons are delivered in real time, and 51Talk employs student and teacher feedback and data analytics to deliver a personalized learning experience. This model is designed to help learners build practical speaking skills and confidence through one-on-one instruction and structured curricula.
Business focus and educational model
51Talk describes itself as a global one-on-one online English education platform for children aged 3 to 15. It offers live interactive English lessons that can be accessed online or via mobile, with scheduling on demand. The company emphasizes long-term 1-on-1 instruction, interactive speaking practice, and a curriculum designed to build expression step by step, supporting progression from everyday conversation to structured storytelling and public speaking.
The company highlights the use of a shared economy approach to connect students with teachers and the use of feedback and data analytics to tailor learning. It also notes that its applications of artificial intelligence span across many aspects of its operations, with the objective of embedding AI across products and processes to enhance learning experience and operational efficiency.
Global reach and learner community
51Talk states that it has served learners across multiple countries and regions. In the Polygon description, the group is described as operating in principal geographical areas including China, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Saudi Arabia. In more recent company materials, 51Talk refers to a worldwide learner community and participation from children in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Türkiye, Thailand and Vietnam in its GreenTalk: Speak for Future program.
In its own description, 51Talk notes that it is a global online 1-on-1 English education platform for children and that it has served tens of millions of learners across dozens of countries and regions. These statements underline the company’s focus on international markets and cross-border education delivery.
Programs and educational initiatives
Beyond regular lessons, 51Talk has described initiatives that connect language learning with global issues. One example is the GreenTalk: Speak for Future program, a youth public speaking initiative aligned with United Nations climate events such as COP30. Through this program, students from countries including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Türkiye, Thailand and Vietnam have delivered speeches in English on topics related to climate and environmental protection on an international stage.
The company presents this initiative as an extension of its belief that language is not only a learning outcome but also a bridge to global participation. By combining long-term one-on-one instruction with opportunities to speak in public forums, 51Talk aims to help learners connect local observations with global challenges and to build confidence, empathy and communication skills.
Technology and AI in education delivery
51Talk has publicly discussed the role of artificial intelligence in its operations. The company indicates that AI is integral to its strategy and is applied across many aspects of its business. It refers to developing infrastructures and systems to embed AI across products and processes, with the stated objective of delivering an exceptional learning experience at scale. This includes using data analytics and feedback from students and teachers to refine and personalize instruction.
In addition, the company has highlighted its use of technology to support localized education services across multiple markets while maintaining a single global platform. It has discussed combining local expertise with technology to support personalized learning and to address regional educational needs.
Corporate structure and regulatory context
51Talk Online Education Group is categorized in the Professional and Management Development Training industry within the Educational Services sector. It files reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as a foreign private issuer, using Form 20-F and furnishing current reports on Form 6-K. Recent 6-K filings have included press releases on quarterly financial results, share repurchase programs and changes in the company’s independent registered public accounting firm.
The company’s principal executive office for SEC reporting purposes is in Singapore. It has reported that its audit committee and board of directors approved the dismissal of Marcum Asia CPAs LLP as its independent registered public accounting firm and the engagement of Ernst & Young LLP (EY Singapore) to audit its consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025. The company’s filings state that there were no disagreements or reportable events with the predecessor auditor as defined in SEC rules.
Share repurchase program and capital management
In a recent press release furnished on Form 6-K, 51Talk announced that its board of directors authorized a share repurchase program under which the company may repurchase up to a specified dollar amount of its shares, including ADSs, over a defined period. The company indicated that repurchases may be conducted on the open market, in privately negotiated transactions, in block trades or through other legally permissible means, subject to market conditions and applicable regulations, and that it expects to fund repurchases from existing cash balances.
This type of program is one of the ways the company manages its capital structure. Details of the size and duration of the program, as well as the funding source, are set out in the corresponding press release and 6-K filing.
Financial reporting and key operating data
51Talk regularly reports financial and operating data in its quarterly results, which are furnished to the SEC on Form 6-K. Among the metrics it highlights are net revenues, gross billings, gross margin, operating expenses, operating income or loss, net income or loss attributable to ordinary shareholders, and cash, cash equivalents and time deposits. The company also reports the number of quarterly active students with attended lesson consumption, defined as students who attended at least one paid lesson, excluding those who only attended paid live broadcasting lessons or trial lessons.
The company defines gross billings for a specific period as the total amount of cash received and receivable from third-party payment platforms for the sale of course packages and services in that period, net of refunds. It notes that gross billings are a key operating data point and that the data are derived from its business systems. 51Talk also reports advances from students, defined as obligations to transfer goods or services for which consideration has been received in advance, including deposits from students.
In addition to GAAP measures, 51Talk discloses a number of non-GAAP financial measures, such as non-GAAP operating expenses, non-GAAP operating income or loss and non-GAAP net income or loss, which exclude share-based compensation expenses. The company explains that it uses these non-GAAP measures as supplemental metrics to review and assess operating performance and to facilitate internal comparisons over time.
Investor communications and market engagement
51Talk communicates with investors through press releases, earnings conference calls, webcasts and investor conference presentations. It has announced participation in events such as virtual investor conferences and interviews on NYSE TV, where company representatives have discussed topics including global expansion, localized services, AI-driven education innovation and growth opportunities across operational regions.
For investors and analysts, these communications, together with SEC filings, provide context on the company’s operational focus, financial performance, capital allocation decisions and strategic priorities, including its emphasis on global markets, technology-enabled instruction and personalized learning experiences.