What happened Shares of online education company 2U (NASDAQ: TWOU) are looking magna cum laude this afternoon, up 10.4% as of 2 p.m. EST after the company reported earnings last night. Expected to lose $0.09 per share (pro forma) on $208.2 million in revenue in its fiscal fourth quarter of 2020, 2U instead reported a loss of only $0.06 per share (also pro forma), and sales of $215.3 million. Image source: Getty Images. So what The news wasn't all good. Although 2U beat on both sales (which were up 32% year over year) and earnings, the company still lost money -- and arguably a whole lot more than a $0.06 per share pro forma loss implies. When calculated according to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), 2U actually lost $0.52 per share. Still, that was less than the $0.70, GAAP, per share that it lost in last year's Q4. For the full year, meanwhile, 2U reported 35% sales growth and $3.22 per share in losses -- 16% less than last year. Now what Looking ahead to fiscal 2021, 2U predicted that this year, its revenue will grow in excess of 17% year over year, to a range of $910 million to $945 million. At the midpoint, that's significantly better than the $912 million Wall Street will be looking for. 2U said it will still lose money, however -- $165 million to $185 million worth, which works out to somewhere between $2.28 and $2.56 per share based on 2U's most recent share count of 72.4 million shares outstanding. This article represents the opinion of the writer(s), who may disagree with the "official" recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium advisory service. We're motley! Questioning an investing thesis -- even one of our own -- helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer. 10 stocks we like better than 2UWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the ten best stocks for investors to buy right now... and 2U wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of November 20, 2020 Rich Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends 2U. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.Source