Stock fact sheet · data as of
Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. (BFAM): fair value, margin of safety and Wheel Score
Industrials · Specialty Business Services · United States · High Growth
Is BFAM undervalued?
Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. (BFAM) closed at 70.42 on 16 Oct 2026. The GLS average fair value - the simple average of the 8 valuation models that produced a positive number - is 107.32, which puts the price 34% below it. 5 of the 8 models value the shares above the current price. A gap this wide is rare in our universe of ~7,400 US stocks and is exactly what the Value part of the Wheel Score rewards; it is also where the question "why is it this cheap?" matters most.
The 8 models disagree widely: Graham Number gives 37.40 while GLS Growth gives 192.43. A spread that wide means the average is sensitive to which methods you trust; the model table below shows where each one lands, and the Quote page lets you switch any of them off.
The nightly engine files BFAM under High Growth: revenue and earnings growing fast enough that the growth-based models carry the valuation.
Nine valuation models for BFAM
Each model turns the latest filed numbers into a value per share; the GLS fair value is the simple average of the ones that produce a positive number. The last two rows are shown for reference and never enter the average. The Quote page lets you switch any model off and add your own margin of safety.
| Model | Value | vs price | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| DCF | 90.26 | +28% | Present value of the projected free cash flows, discounted at the cost of capital |
| Graham Number | 37.40 | -47% | The most a defensive investor pays for the earnings and book value per share |
| Graham Growth | 135.51 | +92% | Graham's growth formula: EPS × (8.5 + 2 × growth), adjusted for bond yields |
| Lynch | 54.86 | -22% | EPS × the earnings growth rate (PEG of 1), growth capped at 25% |
| GLS Growth | 192.43 | +173% | EPS compounded ten years at the blended growth rate, discounted back at 15% a year |
| 10 Cap | 135.36 | +92% | Owner's earnings (operating cash flow less maintenance capex) capitalised at 10% |
| Payback Time | 174.97 | +148% | Eight years of compounded free cash flow: the price at which the business pays for itself |
| DDM | - | - | Dividend discount model: next year's dividend ÷ (10% − 3% growth); needs a dividend; no value tonight |
| EPV | 37.74 | -46% | Earnings power value: current EPS capitalised at 9% with no growth |
| Zombie (liquidation) | -47.35 | -167% | Current assets less all liabilities, per share: the balance-sheet floor. Not in the average |
| Wall St target | 75.00 | +7% | Analysts' average 12-month price target. Not in the average |
Quality and financial health
Financial health is average - BFAM passes 6 of the nine Piotroski tests, which passes the Sunday Scan's "6 or more" rule. The Financials tab on the Quote page shows which tests fail. The GLS Moat score is 7.7 out of 10, built from ten years of revenue, earnings, margins, cash flow, share count and returns on capital scored for consistency - a high reading that points to a durable business.
Returns on capital are moderate - ROIC 6.2%, ROE 14.4%, ROA 4.7% - with debt at 1.31 times equity and a free-cash-flow yield of 6.8%.
Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. pays no dividend, so the DDM model does not apply and a covered-call holder earns only the premium and any price gain. Revenue comes mainly from Full Service Center Based Care 72%, Backup Dependent Care 25%, Educational Advisory And Other Services 4% (quarter Q2 FY2026).
Institutional ownership scores 10/10, insider activity 1/10 and Congressional trading 5/10 on the GLS smart-money scales.
| Piotroski F-score | 6 / 9 | ROIC | 6.2% |
|---|---|---|---|
| GLS Moat | 7.7 / 10 | ROE | 14.4% |
| Debt / equity | 1.31 | ROA | 4.7% |
| Free-cash-flow yield | 6.8% | Payout ratio | 0% |
| Institutions | 10 / 10 | Insiders · Congress | 1 · 5 / 10 |
Wheel Score 85: Prime
BFAM scores 85 out of 100 on the Wheel Score, in the Prime band (80 and above), which fewer than one stock in twenty reaches on any night. The score blends five things a wheel trader checks before selling a cash-secured put: the margin of safety (Value, 25/25), Piotroski health (13/20), the GLS moat (12/15), the option premium on offer (20/20) and how easily the stock trades (15/20).
Implied volatility is 58% on the near-the-money contracts 20-60 days out - inside the 35-60% range the Wheel Score pays full marks for: enough premium to be worth selling, not so much that the risk is unpaid. Chain open interest is thin - 657 contracts across every expiry - so fills at a fair price are not guaranteed; a 30-45-day put may not exist at a usable strike.
Volume runs at 534k shares a day on a market cap of $3.4B, with a beta of 1.18; the Stability part of the Wheel Score gives that 15 of 20.
| Part | Points | From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value | 25 / 25 | 34% margin of safety | |
| Health | 13 / 20 | Piotroski 6/9 | |
| Moat | 12 / 15 | moat 7.7/10 | |
| Premium | 20 / 20 | implied volatility 58% | |
| Stability | 15 / 20 | 534k shares/day, $3.4B cap, beta 1.18 |
The Wheel Score ranks ~7,400 US stocks for selling cash-secured puts and covered calls; it is updated nightly and is not a recommendation. The walkthrough lesson shows how the score fits into a trade, start to finish.
Upcoming events
Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. reports earnings on 29 Oct 2026 (after the close) - inside the 14-day window the Sunday Scan avoids, because a put sold now would carry the report's gap risk.
Earnings, dividend, IPO, split and economic calendars for the whole market, filterable to your watchlists.
Similar stocks in Specialty Business Services
The 12 companies below are the closest to Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. by market cap within the Specialty Business Services industry, each with its own fact sheet; the Compare page puts up to eight of them side by side.
| Stock | Close | Fair value | MoS | Wheel | Mkt cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FA First Advantage Corporation | 20.08 | 17.04 | -18% | 60Fair | $3.4B |
| MMS Maximus, Inc. | 60.24 | 137.06 | +56% | 86Prime | $3.2B |
| CBZ CBIZ, Inc. | 54.73 | 66.87 | +18% | 78Good | $3.0B |
| PAGS PagSeguro Digital Ltd. | 10.83 | 46.36 | +77% | 84Prime | $3.0B |
| ABM ABM Industries Inc. | 50.76 | 82.96 | +39% | 77Good | $3.0B |
| UNF UniFirst Corporation | 258.08 | 110.82 | -133% | 54Fair | $4.7B |
| FLYW Flywire Corp | 19.35 | 15.27 | -27% | 60Fair | $2.4B |
| EVTC EVERTEC, Inc. | 31.40 | 39.37 | +20% | 73Good | $1.9B |
| TIC TIC Solutions, Inc. | 8.68 | 12.57 | +31% | 45Weak | $1.9B |
| CMPR Cimpress plc | 76.72 | 166.98 | +54% | 75Good | $1.9B |
| TH Target Hospitality Corp. | 17.26 | 14.81 | -17% | 45Weak | $1.7B |
| RTO Rentokil Initial plc | 20.24 | 29.85 | +32% | 84Prime | $10.2B |
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Start free See the Sunday ScanQuestions about BFAM
Is BFAM undervalued right now?
By the GLS models, yes: at 70.42 the stock is 34% below the average fair value of 107.32 (data as of 16 Oct 2026). Whether the discount is deserved is the question to research next.
What is the Wheel Score of BFAM and what does it mean?
BFAM scores 85 out of 100 (Prime). The Wheel Score blends the margin of safety (25 points), Piotroski health (20), the GLS moat (15), the option premium on offer (20) and trading stability (20) into one number that ranks stocks for the wheel strategy - selling cash-secured puts, then covered calls if assigned. 80 and above is Prime, 65-79 Good, 50-64 Fair, under 50 Weak.
What is the GLS fair value for BFAM?
107.32 per share as of 16 Oct 2026 - the simple average of the 8 valuation models (out of nine: DCF, Graham Number, Graham Growth, Lynch, GLS Growth, 10 Cap, Payback Time, DDM and EPV) that produced a positive value. The models run every night on the latest filings; the Quote page lets you switch any of them off and add a margin of safety of your own.
When does Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. report earnings next?
The next earnings report is due on 29 Oct 2026 (after the close), 13 days from the data date of 16 Oct 2026. The Calendars page lists every upcoming report with its time of day.
Does BFAM have listed options, and how liquid are they?
Yes. The nightly snapshot found 160 listed contracts with 657 open interest across all expiries and implied volatility of 58% on the near-the-money contracts. The Options scanner lists the cash-secured put and covered call set-ups with premium and annualised yield worked out.