Canada Pension Plan Investment Board acquired a new stake in Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:LOPE – Free Report) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm acquired 15,800 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,261,000. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board owned about 0.06% of Grand Canyon Education at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Legal & General Group Plc bought a new stake in Grand Canyon Education during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $5,481,000. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company bought a new position in shares of Grand Canyon Education during the second quarter valued at $2,644,000. Algert Global LLC raised its stake in shares of Grand Canyon Education by 46.7% during the second quarter. Algert Global LLC now owns 155,265 shares of the company’s stock valued at $22,220,000 after acquiring an additional 49,394 shares during the last quarter. Sanctuary Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Grand Canyon Education during the second quarter worth $482,000. Finally, Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. acquired a new position in shares of Grand Canyon Education during the second quarter worth $905,000. 94.17% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Grand Canyon Education Stock Performance Grand Canyon Education stock opened at $151.19 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $3.94 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.28, a PEG ratio of 0.98 and a beta of 0.57. Grand Canyon Education, Inc. has a 52-week low of $134.27 and a 52-week high of $223.04. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $146.78 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $156.31.
Grand Canyon Education (NASDAQ:LOPE – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $1.81 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.67 by $0.14. Grand Canyon Education had a net margin of 19.63% and a return on equity of 36.62%. The company had revenue of $264.05 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $261.87 million. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.53 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 6.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Grand Canyon Education, Inc. will post 10.24 EPS for the current fiscal year. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In LOPE has been the topic of several analyst reports. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Grand Canyon Education from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Thursday, June 25th. Barrington Research set a $200.00 target price on Grand Canyon Education in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Wall Street Zen downgraded Grand Canyon Education from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Sunday, August 9th. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price target on Grand Canyon Education from $198.00 to $185.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, July 6th. Finally, Truist Financial set a $100.00 price target on Grand Canyon Education in a research note on Tuesday, June 9th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Grand Canyon Education currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $161.67.
Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Grand Canyon Education
(Free Report)
Grand Canyon Education, Inc provides a suite of higher‐education services through a long-term agreement with Grand Canyon University (GCU), one of the nation’s largest private Christian universities. The company’s offerings encompass a full range of academic and operational support functions, including enrollment management, student recruitment, curriculum development, instructional delivery, and technology infrastructure. Through its online program management capabilities, Grand Canyon Education helps design, market and deliver undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs to meet the needs of both traditional and non‐traditional learners.
Core services include digital marketing, admissions support, student success coaching, learning management systems and faculty recruitment.
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Bank of Nova Scotia bought a new stake in shares of Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:LOPE – Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor bought 36,300 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,195,000. Bank of Nova Scotia owned about 0.14% of Grand Canyon Education as of its most recent filing with the SEC.
Other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new position in Grand Canyon Education in the 2nd quarter valued at about $397,654,000. William Blair Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Grand Canyon Education in the second quarter valued at approximately $148,667,000. Bank of Montreal Can lifted its stake in shares of Grand Canyon Education by 6,102.7% during the fourth quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 480,460 shares of the company’s stock valued at $79,905,000 after buying an additional 472,714 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of Grand Canyon Education during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $61,919,000. Finally, Reinhart Partners LLC. boosted its position in Grand Canyon Education by 135.3% during the fourth quarter. Reinhart Partners LLC. now owns 518,914 shares of the company’s stock worth $86,303,000 after acquiring an additional 298,409 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 94.17% of the company’s stock.
Analyst Ratings Changes Several analysts have commented on the stock. Barrington Research set a $200.00 target price on shares of Grand Canyon Education in a research note on Friday, July 31st. Truist Financial set a $100.00 price target on Grand Canyon Education in a research note on Tuesday, June 9th. Wall Street Zen cut Grand Canyon Education from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Sunday, August 9th. BMO Capital Markets dropped their target price on Grand Canyon Education from $198.00 to $185.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, July 6th. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded Grand Canyon Education from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Thursday, June 25th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $161.67.
Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on LOPE Grand Canyon Education Stock Up 1.0% Shares of LOPE opened at $149.08 on Wednesday. Grand Canyon Education, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $134.27 and a fifty-two week high of $223.04. The company’s fifty day moving average is $146.30 and its two-hundred day moving average is $156.70. The firm has a market cap of $3.89 billion, a PE ratio of 18.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.96 and a beta of 0.57.
Grand Canyon Education (NASDAQ:LOPE – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $1.81 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.67 by $0.14. The business had revenue of $264.05 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $261.87 million. Grand Canyon Education had a return on equity of 36.62% and a net margin of 19.63%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.53 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Grand Canyon Education, Inc. will post 10.24 earnings per share for the current year.
Grand Canyon Education Company Profile (Free Report)
Grand Canyon Education, Inc provides a suite of higher‐education services through a long-term agreement with Grand Canyon University (GCU), one of the nation’s largest private Christian universities. The company’s offerings encompass a full range of academic and operational support functions, including enrollment management, student recruitment, curriculum development, instructional delivery, and technology infrastructure. Through its online program management capabilities, Grand Canyon Education helps design, market and deliver undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs to meet the needs of both traditional and non‐traditional learners.
Core services include digital marketing, admissions support, student success coaching, learning management systems and faculty recruitment.
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Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec acquired a new stake in shares of Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:LOPE – Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund acquired 10,700 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,531,000.
Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. International Assets Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Grand Canyon Education during the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Larson Financial Group LLC lifted its position in Grand Canyon Education by 70.7% during the fourth quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 157 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 65 shares during the period. Toronto Dominion Bank purchased a new stake in Grand Canyon Education in the fourth quarter valued at $26,000. Financial Life Planners acquired a new stake in Grand Canyon Education during the 1st quarter worth about $33,000. Finally, Leonteq Securities AG grew its position in Grand Canyon Education by 48.9% during the 1st quarter. Leonteq Securities AG now owns 195 shares of the company’s stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 64 shares during the period. 94.17% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research firms have weighed in on LOPE. Barrington Research set a $200.00 price objective on Grand Canyon Education in a research note on Friday, July 31st. BMO Capital Markets dropped their target price on Grand Canyon Education from $198.00 to $185.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 6th. Weiss Ratings cut Grand Canyon Education from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Thursday, June 25th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Grand Canyon Education from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Sunday, August 9th. Finally, Truist Financial set a $100.00 price target on Grand Canyon Education in a report on Tuesday, June 9th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $161.67.
Read Our Latest Research Report on Grand Canyon Education Grand Canyon Education Stock Performance LOPE stock opened at $151.19 on Friday. Grand Canyon Education, Inc. has a one year low of $134.27 and a one year high of $223.04. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $146.78 and its 200 day moving average is $156.39. The firm has a market cap of $3.94 billion, a PE ratio of 18.28, a P/E/G ratio of 0.98 and a beta of 0.57.
Grand Canyon Education (NASDAQ:LOPE – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $1.81 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.67 by $0.14. Grand Canyon Education had a net margin of 19.63% and a return on equity of 36.62%. The business had revenue of $264.05 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $261.87 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.53 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 6.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts predict that Grand Canyon Education, Inc. will post 10.24 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
(Free Report)
Grand Canyon Education, Inc provides a suite of higher‐education services through a long-term agreement with Grand Canyon University (GCU), one of the nation’s largest private Christian universities. The company’s offerings encompass a full range of academic and operational support functions, including enrollment management, student recruitment, curriculum development, instructional delivery, and technology infrastructure. Through its online program management capabilities, Grand Canyon Education helps design, market and deliver undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs to meet the needs of both traditional and non‐traditional learners.
Core services include digital marketing, admissions support, student success coaching, learning management systems and faculty recruitment.
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Deutsche Bank AG purchased a new stake in shares of Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:LOPE – Free Report) during the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 53,374 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,638,000. Deutsche Bank AG owned approximately 0.20% of Grand Canyon Education at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in LOPE. International Assets Investment Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Grand Canyon Education during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Toronto Dominion Bank bought a new position in shares of Grand Canyon Education in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Larson Financial Group LLC grew its holdings in shares of Grand Canyon Education by 70.7% in the fourth quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 157 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Leonteq Securities AG increased its position in shares of Grand Canyon Education by 48.9% during the first quarter. Leonteq Securities AG now owns 195 shares of the company’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 64 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Financial Life Planners purchased a new stake in shares of Grand Canyon Education during the first quarter valued at approximately $33,000. 94.17% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Grand Canyon Education Price Performance Shares of LOPE stock opened at $147.46 on Monday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $146.11 and a 200-day moving average of $156.95. Grand Canyon Education, Inc. has a 12-month low of $134.27 and a 12-month high of $223.04. The firm has a market cap of $3.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.83, a PEG ratio of 0.96 and a beta of 0.57.
Grand Canyon Education (NASDAQ:LOPE – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $1.81 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.67 by $0.14. Grand Canyon Education had a net margin of 19.63% and a return on equity of 36.62%. The company had revenue of $264.05 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $261.87 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.53 EPS. Grand Canyon Education’s revenue was up 6.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts expect that Grand Canyon Education, Inc. will post 10.24 EPS for the current year. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of brokerages recently commented on LOPE. BMO Capital Markets dropped their price target on Grand Canyon Education from $198.00 to $185.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 6th. Weiss Ratings downgraded Grand Canyon Education from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Thursday, June 25th. Wall Street Zen lowered Grand Canyon Education from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday, August 9th. Truist Financial set a $100.00 target price on Grand Canyon Education in a research note on Tuesday, June 9th. Finally, Barrington Research set a $200.00 price target on shares of Grand Canyon Education in a report on Friday, July 31st. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Grand Canyon Education presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $161.67.
View Our Latest Analysis on LOPE
Grand Canyon Education Company Profile (Free Report)
Grand Canyon Education, Inc provides a suite of higher‐education services through a long-term agreement with Grand Canyon University (GCU), one of the nation’s largest private Christian universities. The company’s offerings encompass a full range of academic and operational support functions, including enrollment management, student recruitment, curriculum development, instructional delivery, and technology infrastructure. Through its online program management capabilities, Grand Canyon Education helps design, market and deliver undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs to meet the needs of both traditional and non‐traditional learners.
Core services include digital marketing, admissions support, student success coaching, learning management systems and faculty recruitment.
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Grand Canyon Education (LOPE - Free Report) closed the last trading session at $144.2, gaining 2.7% over the past four weeks, but there could be plenty of upside left in the stock if short-term price targets set by Wall Street analysts are any guide. The mean price target of $195 indicates a 35.2% upside potential.
The average comprises three short-term price targets ranging from a low of $185.00 to a high of $200.00, with a standard deviation of $8.66. While the lowest estimate indicates an increase of 28.3% from the current price level, the most optimistic estimate points to a 38.7% upside. More than the range, one should note the standard deviation here, as it helps understand the variability of the estimates. The smaller the standard deviation, the greater the agreement among analysts.
While the consensus price target is a much-coveted metric for investors, solely banking on this metric to make an investment decision may not be wise at all. That's because the ability and unbiasedness of analysts in setting price targets have long been questionable.
But, for LOPE, an impressive average price target is not the only indicator of a potential upside. Strong agreement among analysts about the company's ability to report better earnings than they predicted earlier strengthens this view. While a positive trend in earnings estimate revisions doesn't gauge how much a stock could gain, it has proven to be powerful in predicting an upside.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Here's What You Should Know About Analysts' Price TargetsAccording to researchers at several universities across the globe, a price target is one of many pieces of information about a stock that misleads investors far more often than it guides. In fact, empirical research shows that price targets set by several analysts, irrespective of the extent of agreement, rarely indicate where the price of a stock could actually be heading.
While Wall Street analysts have deep knowledge of a company's fundamentals and the sensitivity of its business to economic and industry issues, many of them tend to set overly optimistic price targets. Are you wondering why?
They usually do that to drum up interest in shares of companies that their firms either have existing business relationships with or are looking to be associated with. In other words, business incentives of firms covering a stock often result in inflated price targets set by analysts.
However, a tight clustering of price targets, which is represented by a low standard deviation, indicates that analysts have a high degree of agreement about the direction and magnitude of a stock's price movement. While that doesn't necessarily mean the stock will hit the average price target, it could be a good starting point for further research aimed at identifying the potential fundamental driving forces.
That said, while investors should not entirely ignore price targets, making an investment decision solely based on them could lead to disappointing ROI. So, price targets should always be treated with a high degree of skepticism.
Why LOPE Could Witness a Solid UpsideAnalysts' growing optimism over the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by strong agreement among them in revising EPS estimates higher, could be a legitimate reason to expect an upside in the stock. That's because empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.
For the current year, two estimates have moved higher over the last 30 days compared to no negative revision. As a result, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased 1.9%.
Moreover, LOPE currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), which means it is in the top 20% of more than 4,000 stocks that we rank based on four factors related to earnings estimates. Given an impressive externally-audited track record, this is a more conclusive indication of the stock's potential upside in the near term. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .
Therefore, while the consensus price target may not be a reliable indicator of how much LOPE could gain, the direction of price movement it implies does appear to be a good guide.
Investors interested in Schools stocks are likely familiar with Perdoceo Education (PRDO) and Grand Canyon Education (LOPE). But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks?
Cetera Investment Advisers trimmed its stake in shares of Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:LOPE – Free Report) by 28.4% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 14,099 shares of the company’s stock after selling 5,586 shares during the quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers owned 0.05% of Grand Canyon Education worth $2,397,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. lifted its stake in Grand Canyon Education by 5.3% during the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 1,201 shares of the company’s stock worth $204,000 after purchasing an additional 60 shares during the last quarter. Leonteq Securities AG lifted its position in shares of Grand Canyon Education by 48.9% during the 1st quarter. Leonteq Securities AG now owns 195 shares of the company’s stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 64 shares during the last quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Grand Canyon Education by 70.7% in the 4th quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 157 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Orion Porfolio Solutions LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Grand Canyon Education by 1.0% in the 3rd quarter. Orion Porfolio Solutions LLC now owns 6,475 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,421,000 after buying an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Twin Capital Management Inc. grew its position in shares of Grand Canyon Education by 1.5% in the 1st quarter. Twin Capital Management Inc. now owns 4,632 shares of the company’s stock valued at $788,000 after buying an additional 67 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 94.17% of the company’s stock.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of analysts have recently commented on the company. Wall Street Zen cut Grand Canyon Education from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday. BMO Capital Markets cut their price target on Grand Canyon Education from $198.00 to $185.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, July 6th. Barrington Research set a $200.00 price objective on Grand Canyon Education in a report on Friday, July 31st. Truist Financial set a $100.00 target price on shares of Grand Canyon Education in a research report on Tuesday, June 9th. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Grand Canyon Education from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Thursday, June 25th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $161.67.
Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Grand Canyon Education
Grand Canyon Education Trading Up 2.5% Shares of Grand Canyon Education stock opened at $152.53 on Friday. The company has a 50-day moving average of $147.17 and a two-hundred day moving average of $159.27. Grand Canyon Education, Inc. has a 12-month low of $134.27 and a 12-month high of $223.04. The stock has a market cap of $3.98 billion, a PE ratio of 18.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.99 and a beta of 0.57.
Grand Canyon Education (NASDAQ:LOPE – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $1.81 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.67 by $0.14. Grand Canyon Education had a net margin of 19.63% and a return on equity of 36.62%. The business had revenue of $264.05 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $261.87 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.53 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.7% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Grand Canyon Education, Inc. will post 10.24 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Grand Canyon Education Profile (Free Report)
Grand Canyon Education, Inc provides a suite of higher‐education services through a long-term agreement with Grand Canyon University (GCU), one of the nation’s largest private Christian universities. The company’s offerings encompass a full range of academic and operational support functions, including enrollment management, student recruitment, curriculum development, instructional delivery, and technology infrastructure. Through its online program management capabilities, Grand Canyon Education helps design, market and deliver undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs to meet the needs of both traditional and non‐traditional learners.
Core services include digital marketing, admissions support, student success coaching, learning management systems and faculty recruitment.
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Grand Canyon Education (LOPE - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $1.81 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.69 per share. This compares to earnings of $1.53 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.
This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +7.10%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this for-profit education company would post earnings of $2.78 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.86, delivering a surprise of +2.88%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times.
Grand Canyon Education, which belongs to the Zacks Schools industry, posted revenues of $264.05 million for the quarter ended June 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.78%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $247.5 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates four times over the last four quarters.
The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.
Grand Canyon Education shares have lost about 4.2% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 6.9%.
What's Next for Grand Canyon Education?While Grand Canyon Education has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?
There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.
Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Grand Canyon Education was unfavorable. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to underperform the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $1.85 on $271 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $10.04 on $1.17 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.
Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Schools is currently in the top 36% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
Another stock from the same industry, Universal Technical Institute (UTI - Free Report) , has yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. The results are expected to be released on August 5.
This school for auto, motorcycle and marine technicians is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.01 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -94.7%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
Universal Technical Institute's revenues are expected to be $219.72 million, up 7.6% from the year-ago quarter.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (NASDAQ: LOPE), ("GCE" or the "Company"), is a publicly traded education services company that currently provides services to 20 university partners. GCE provides a full array of support services in the post-secondary education sector and has developed significant technological solutions, infrastructure and operational processes to provide superior services in these areas on a large scale. GCE today announced financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2026.
Grand Canyon Education, Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results
For the three months ended June 30, 2026:
Service revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2026 was $264.0 million, an increase of $16.5 million, or 6.7%, as compared to service revenue of $247.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025. The increase year over year in service revenue was primarily due to an increase in university partner enrollments of 7.6% to 126,231 at June 30, 2026 as compared to 117,283 at June 30, 2025. Revenue per student decreased slightly between years primarily due to contract modifications with one of our university partners in which our revenue share percentage was reduced in exchange for us no longer reimbursing this partner for certain faculty costs which had the effect of reducing revenue per student and a slight decline year over year in revenue per student for online students due to the continued mix shift to students that have a slightly lower net tuition rate and a slight decline year over year in Spring semester ground traditional students which generate a higher revenue per student than online students. In addition there was one less day of revenue for the ground campus due to the start date shifting one day of revenue from the second quarter to the first quarter in 2026 which had a $1.0 million impact. These decreases were partially offset by the service revenue per student for accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing ("ABSN") students at off-campus classroom and laboratory sites generating a significantly higher revenue per student than we earn under our agreement with GCU, as these agreements generally provide us with a higher revenue share percentage, the partners have higher tuition rates than GCU and the majority of our partners' students take more credits on average per semester. GCU enrollments increased to 121,921 at June 30, 2026, an increase of 7.5% over enrollments at June 30, 2025. University partner enrollments at our off-campus classroom and laboratory sites were 5,829, an increase of 16.8% over enrollments at June 30, 2025, which includes 1,519 and 1,142 GCU students at June 30, 2026 and 2025, respectively. Excluding sites that have been closed or are in teach out, total enrollments at our off-campus classroom and laboratory sites increased 18.5% between years. We opened one new GCU site in the six months ended June 30, 2026 and closed one site in which we stopped recruiting new students in 2025, thus the total number of sites remains at 47 at June 30, 2026. We plan to open one additional site in the Fall of 2026. Enrollments for GCU ground students were 8,910 at June 30, 2026, up 3.9% from 8,579 at June 30, 2025. GCU ground enrollment declines between March 31 and June 30 of each year as ground traditional enrollment at GCU at June 30 of each year only includes traditional-aged students taking summer school classes, which is a small percentage of GCU's traditional-aged student body. The Spring semester for GCU's traditional-aged student body ends near the end of April each year. GCU online enrollments were 113,011 at June 30, 2026, up from 104,856 at June 30, 2025, an increase of 7.8% between years. Operating income for the three months ended June 30, 2026 was $58.2 million, an increase of $6.4 million, or 12.3%, as compared to $51.8 million for the same period in 2025. The operating margin for the three months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025 was 22.0% and 20.9%, respectively. Income tax expense for the three months ended June 30, 2026 was $15.0 million, an increase of $1.5 million, or 11.4%, as compared to income tax expense of $13.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025. Our effective tax rate was 24.7% during the three months ended June 30, 2026 compared to 24.5% during the three months ended June 30, 2025. The effective tax rate increased year over year due to higher state income taxes. Net income for the three months ended June 30, 2026 was $45.9 million, an increase of $4.4 million, or 10.4% as compared to $41.5 million for the same period in 2025. As adjusted net income was $47.5 million and $43.2 million for the second quarters of 2026 and 2025, respectively. Diluted net income per share was $1.75 and $1.48 for the second quarters of 2026 and 2025, respectively. As adjusted diluted net income per share was $1.81 and $1.53 for the second quarters of 2026 and 2025, respectively. Adjusted EBITDA increased 8.9% to $73.4 million for the second quarter of 2026, compared to $67.4 million for the same period in 2025. For the six months ended June 30, 2026:
Service revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2026 was $572.8 million, an increase of $36.0 million, or 6.7%, as compared to service revenue of $536.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025. The increase year over year in service revenue was primarily due to an increase in university partner enrollments of 7.6% to 126,231 at June 30, 2026 as compared to 117,283 at June 30, 2025. Revenue per student decreased slightly between years primarily due to contract modifications with one of our university partners in which our revenue share percentage was reduced in exchange for us no longer reimbursing this partner for certain faculty costs which had the effect of reducing revenue per student and a slight decline year over year in revenue per student for online students due to the continued mix shift to students that have a slightly lower net tuition rate and a slight decline year over year in Spring semester ground traditional students which generate a higher revenue per student than online students. These decreases were partially offset by the service revenue per student for ABSN students at off-campus classroom and laboratory sites generating a significantly higher revenue per student than we earn under our agreement with GCU, as these agreements generally provide us with a higher revenue share percentage, the partners have higher tuition rates than GCU and the majority of our partners' students take more credits on average per semester. Operating income for the six months ended June 30, 2026 was $153.6 million, an increase of $13.8 million, or 9.9%, as compared to $139.8 million for the same period in 2025. The operating margin for the six months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025 was 26.8% and 26.0%, respectively. Income tax expense for the six months ended June 30, 2026 was $38.1 million, an increase of $4.8 million, or 14.7%, as compared to income tax expense of $33.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025. Our effective tax rate was 23.9% during the six months ended June 30, 2026 compared to 22.7% during the six months ended June 30, 2025. The effective tax rate increased year over year due to higher state income taxes and a decrease in excess tax benefits to $1.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026 due to the decline in our stock price as compared to $2.7 million in the six months ended June 30, 2025. The inclusion of excess tax benefits and deficiencies as a component of our income tax expense increases the volatility within our provision for income taxes as the amount of excess tax benefits or deficiencies from share-based compensation awards are dependent on our stock price at the date the restricted stock awards vest. Our restricted stock awards vest in March each year so any benefit or expense will primarily impact the first quarter each year. Net income for the six months ended June 30, 2026 was $121.2 million, an increase of $8.0 million, or 7.1% as compared to $113.2 million for the same period in 2025. As adjusted net income was $124.4 million and $116.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025, respectively. Diluted net income per share was $4.57 and $4.00 for the six months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025, respectively. As adjusted diluted net income per share was $4.69 and $4.12 for the six months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025, respectively. Adjusted EBITDA increased 8.7% to $184.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026, compared to $169.4 million for the same period in 2025. Liquidity and Capital Resources
Our liquidity position, as measured by cash and cash equivalents and investments decreased by $25.6 million between December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026, which was largely attributable to cash expended for share repurchases and capital expenditures exceeding our cash provided by operations during the six months ended June 30, 2026. Our unrestricted cash and cash equivalents and investments were $274.5 million and $300.1 million at June 30, 2026 and December 31, 2025, respectively.
Grand Canyon Education, Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results and Full Year Outlook 2026
2026 Outlook
Q3 2026:
Service revenue of between $268.5 million and $270.5 million; Operating margin of between 19.5% and 20.0%; Effective tax rate of 20.8%; Diluted EPS of between $1.68 and $1.72; and 25.8 million diluted shares. The diluted EPS guidance includes non-cash amortization of intangible assets net of taxes of $1.7 million, which equates to a $0.06 impact on diluted EPS. Thus, as adjusted, non-GAAP diluted income per share of between $1.74 and $1.78.
Q4 2026:
Service revenue of between $324.0 million and $329.0 million; Operating margin of between 36.9% and 37.4%; Effective tax rate of 23.2%; Diluted EPS of between $3.69 and $3.79; and 25.4 million diluted shares. The diluted EPS guidance includes non-cash amortization of intangible assets net of taxes of $1.6 million, which equates to a $0.06 impact on diluted EPS. Thus, as adjusted, non-GAAP diluted income per share of between $3.75 and $3.85.
Full Year 2026:
Service revenue of between $1,165.3 million and $1,172.3 million; Operating margin of between 28.0% and 28.2%; Effective tax rate of 23.2%; Diluted EPS between $9.93 and $10.07; and 26.1 million diluted shares. The diluted EPS guidance includes non-cash amortization of intangible assets net of taxes of $6.5 million, which equates to a $0.25 impact on diluted EPS. Thus, as adjusted, non-GAAP diluted income per share of between $10.18 and $10.32.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of federal securities laws including information relating to future events, future financial performance, strategies, expectations, competitive environment, regulation, and availability of resources. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding: proposed new programs; whether regulatory, economic, or business developments or other matters may or may not have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, or liquidity; projections, predictions, expectations, estimates, and forecasts as to our business, financial and operating results, and future economic performance; and management's goals and objectives and other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Words such as "may," "should," "could," "would," "predicts," "potential," "continue," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar expressions, the negative of these expressions, as well as statements in future tense, identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time those statements are made or management's good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (i) legal and regulatory actions taken against us related to our services business, or against our university partners that impact their businesses and that directly or indirectly reduce the service revenue we can earn under our master services agreements; (ii) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of any of the key university partner agreements; (iii) our ability to properly manage risks and challenges associated with strategic initiatives, including potential acquisitions or divestitures of, or investments in, new businesses, acquisitions of new properties and new university partners, and expansion of services provided to our existing university partners; (iv) our ability to comply with the extensive regulatory framework applicable to us either directly as a third-party service provider or indirectly through our university partners; (v) our ability to manage risks associated with epidemics, pandemics, or public health crises; (vi) our ability to manage risks resulting from system disruptions, interruptions, or outages associated with our technology platforms or those of third-party service providers; (vii) the ability of our university partners' students to obtain federal Title IV funds, state financial aid, and private financing; (viii) potential damage to our reputation or other adverse effects as a result of negative publicity in the media, in the industry or in connection with governmental reports or investigations or otherwise; (ix) risks associated with changes in applicable federal and state laws and regulations and accrediting commission standards; (x) competition from other education service companies in our geographic region and market sector; (xi) our ability to hire and train new, and develop and train existing employees; (xii) the pace of growth of our university partners' enrollment and its effect on the pace of our own growth; (xiii) fluctuations in our revenues due to seasonality; (xiv) our ability to, on behalf of our university partners, convert prospective students to enrolled students and to retain active students to graduation; and (xv) other risks and uncertainties identified from time to time in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") by us, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, filed on February 18, 2026.
Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements are made. You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. We assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions, or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information, except to the extent required by applicable securities laws. If we do update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. This press release should be read in conjunction with the information included in our other press releases, reports and other filings with the SEC. Understanding the information contained in these filings is important in order to fully understand GCE's reported financial results and our business outlook for future periods.
Grand Canyon Education, Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results
Conference Call
Grand Canyon Education, Inc. will discuss its second quarter 2026 results and full year 2026 outlook during a conference call scheduled for today, July 30, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern time (ET).
Live Conference Dial-In:
Those interested in participating in the question-and-answer session should follow the conference dial-in instructions below. Participants may register for the call here to receive the dial-in numbers and unique PIN to access the call seamlessly. Please dial in at least ten minutes prior to the start of the call. Journalists are invited to listen only.
Webcast and Replay:
Investors, journalists and the general public may access a live webcast of this event at: Q2 2026 Grand Canyon Education Inc. Earnings Conference Call. A webcast replay will be available approximately two hours following the conclusion of the call at the same link.
About Grand Canyon Education, Inc.
Grand Canyon Education, Inc. ("GCE"), incorporated in 2008, is a publicly traded education services company that currently provides services to 20 university partners. GCE is uniquely positioned in the education services industry in that its leadership has over 30 years of proven expertise in providing a full array of support services in the post-secondary education sector and has developed significant technological solutions, infrastructure and operational processes to provide superior services in these areas on a large scale. GCE provides services that support students, faculty and staff of partner institutions such as marketing, strategic enrollment management, counseling services, financial services, technology, technical support, compliance, human resources, classroom operations, content development, faculty recruitment and training, among others. For more information about GCE visit the Company's website at www.gce.com.
Grand Canyon Education, Inc., 2600 W. Camelback Road, Phoenix, AZ 85017, www.gce.com.
Grand Canyon Education, Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results
GRAND CANYON EDUCATION, INC.
Consolidated Income Statements
(Unaudited)
Three Months Ended
Six Months Ended
June 30,
June 30,
2026
2025
2026
2025
(In thousands, except per share data)
Service revenue
$
264,045
$
247,499
$
572,805
$
536,809
Costs and expenses:
Technology and academic services
45,645
43,134
90,675
84,798
Counseling services and support
88,072
83,023
179,929
169,845
Marketing and communication
59,963
56,037
123,950
116,367
General and administrative
10,109
11,411
20,428
21,777
Amortization of intangible assets
2,105
2,105
4,210
4,210
Total costs and expenses
205,894
195,710
419,192
396,997
Operating income
58,151
51,789
153,613
139,812
Investment interest and other
2,702
3,226
5,723
6,607
Income before income taxes
60,853
55,015
159,336
146,419
Income tax expense
15,001
13,469
38,136
33,255
Net income
$
45,852
$
41,546
$
121,200
$
113,164
Earnings per share:
Basic income per share
$
1.75
$
1.48
$
4.58
$
4.02
Diluted income per share
$
1.75
$
1.48
$
4.57
$
4.00
Basic weighted average shares outstanding
26,162
27,996
26,451
28,136
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding
26,221
28,134
26,543
28,301
Grand Canyon Education, Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results
GRAND CANYON EDUCATION, INC.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
As of June 30,
As of December 31,
(In thousands, except par value)
2026
2025
ASSETS:
(Unaudited)
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents
$
171,060
$
111,762
Investments
103,466
188,317
Accounts receivable, net
34,237
84,278
Income taxes receivable
7,863
2,392
Other current assets
14,830
13,430
Total current assets
331,456
400,179
Property and equipment, net
181,051
178,957
Right-of-use assets
93,767
96,571
Amortizable intangible assets, net
147,333
151,543
Goodwill
160,766
160,766
Other assets
4,806
4,289
Total assets
$
919,179
$
992,305
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY:
Current liabilities
Accounts payable
$
16,781
$
24,347
Accrued compensation and benefits
35,332
35,199
Accrued liabilities
34,989
32,283
Income taxes payable
69
3,355
Deferred revenue
15,119
—
Current portion of lease liability
15,346
14,568
Total current liabilities
117,636
109,752
Deferred income taxes, noncurrent
41,840
41,426
Other long-term liabilities
1,328
1,439
Lease liability, less current portion
88,866
92,755
Total liabilities
249,670
245,372
Commitments and contingencies
Stockholders' equity
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, 10,000 shares authorized; 0 shares issued and outstanding at
June 30, 2026 and December 31, 2025
—
—
Common stock, $0.01 par value, 100,000 shares authorized; 54,265 and 54,178 shares issued
and 26,234 and 27,393 shares outstanding at June 30, 2026 and December 31, 2025,
respectively
543
542
Treasury stock, at cost, 28,031 and 26,785 shares of common stock at June 30, 2026 and
December 31, 2025, respectively
(2,496,632)
(2,291,610)
Additional paid-in capital
357,427
350,374
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) gain
(145)
511
Retained earnings
2,808,316
2,687,116
Total stockholders' equity
669,509
746,933
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity
$
919,179
$
992,305
Grand Canyon Education, Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results
GRAND CANYON EDUCATION, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Unaudited)
Six Months Ended
June 30,
(In thousands)
2026
2025
Cash flows provided by operating activities:
Net income
$
121,200
$
113,164
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Share-based compensation
7,054
7,117
Depreciation and amortization
17,028
15,260
Amortization of intangible assets
4,210
4,210
Deferred income taxes
618
1,657
Other, including fixed asset disposals
(307)
(602)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable
50,041
55,249
Other assets
(2,095)
(4,732)
Right-of-use assets and lease liabilities
(307)
379
Accounts payable
(7,841)
(2,605)
Accrued liabilities
892
3,014
Income taxes receivable/payable
(8,757)
(14,622)
Deferred revenue
15,119
14,150
Net cash provided by operating activities
196,855
191,639
Cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities:
Capital expenditures
(18,863)
(17,561)
Additions of amortizable content
(44)
(28)
Purchase of equity investment
—
(1,000)
Loss on equity investment
100
500
Purchases of investments
(36,672)
(191,666)
Proceeds from sale or maturity of investments
121,108
11,007
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities
65,629
(198,748)
Cash flows used in financing activities:
Repurchase of common shares and shares withheld in lieu of income taxes
(203,186)
(125,236)
Net cash used in financing activities
(203,186)
(125,236)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash
59,298
(132,345)
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period
111,762
324,623
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period
$
171,060
$
192,278
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information
Cash paid for interest
$
—
$
—
Cash paid for income taxes
$
43,728
$
44,476
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities
Purchases of property and equipment included in accounts payable
$
1,110
$
1,302
Excise tax on treasury stock repurchases
$
1,836
$
1,087
Grand Canyon Education, Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results
GRAND CANYON EDUCATION, INC.
Adjusted EBITDA (Non-GAAP Financial Measure)
Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income plus interest expense, less interest income and other gain (loss) recognized on investments, plus income tax expense, and plus depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), as adjusted for (i) contributions to private Arizona school tuition organizations in lieu of the payment of state income taxes; (ii) share-based compensation; and (iii) unusual charges or gains, such as litigation and regulatory costs, impairment charges and asset write-offs, severance costs, and exit or lease termination costs. We present Adjusted EBITDA because we consider it to be an important supplemental measure of our operating performance. We also make certain compensation decisions based, in part, on our operating performance, as measured by Adjusted EBITDA. All of the adjustments made in our calculation of Adjusted EBITDA are adjustments to items that management does not consider to be reflective of our core operating performance. Management considers our core operating performance to be that which can be affected by our managers in any particular period through their management of the resources that affect our underlying revenue and profit generating operations during that period and does not consider the items for which we make adjustments (as listed above) to be reflective of our core performance.
We believe Adjusted EBITDA allows us to compare our current operating results with corresponding historical periods and with the operational performance of other companies in our industry because it does not give effect to potential differences caused by variations in capital structures (affecting relative interest expense, including the impact of write-offs of deferred financing costs when companies refinance their indebtedness), tax positions (such as the impact on periods or companies of changes in effective tax rates or net operating losses), the book amortization of intangibles (affecting relative amortization expense), and other items that we do not consider reflective of underlying operating performance. We also present Adjusted EBITDA because we believe it is frequently used by securities analysts, investors, and other interested parties as a measure of performance.
In evaluating Adjusted EBITDA, investors should be aware that in the future we may incur expenses similar to the adjustments described above. Our presentation of Adjusted EBITDA should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by expenses that are unusual, non-routine, or non-recurring. Adjusted EBITDA has limitations as an analytical tool in that, among other things, it does not reflect:
cash expenditures for capital expenditures or contractual commitments; changes in, or cash requirements for, our working capital requirements; interest expense, or the cash required to replace assets that are being depreciated or amortized; and the impact on our reported results of earnings or charges resulting from the items for which we make adjustments to our EBITDA, as described above and set forth in the table below. In addition, other companies, including other companies in our industry, may calculate these measures differently than we do, limiting the usefulness of Adjusted EBITDA as a comparative measure. Because of these limitations, Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered as a substitute for net income, operating income, or any other performance measure derived in accordance with and reported under GAAP, or as an alternative to cash flow from operating activities or as a measure of our liquidity. We compensate for these limitations by relying primarily on our GAAP results and only use Adjusted EBITDA as a supplemental performance measure.
The following table provides a reconciliation of net income to Adjusted EBITDA, which is a non-GAAP measure for the periods indicated:
Three Months Ended
Six Months Ended
June 30,
June 30,
2026
2025
2026
2025
(Unaudited, in thousands)
(Unaudited, in thousands)
Net income
$
45,852
$
41,546
$
121,200
$
113,164
Less: investment interest and other
(2,702)
(3,226)
(5,723)
(6,607)
Plus: income tax expense
15,001
13,469
38,136
33,255
Plus: amortization of intangible assets
2,105
2,105
4,210
4,210
Plus: depreciation and amortization
8,685
7,809
17,028
15,260
EBITDA
68,941
61,703
174,851
159,282
Plus: share-based compensation
3,456
3,487
7,054
7,117
Plus: litigation and regulatory costs
975
2,159
2,142
2,902
Plus: loss on fixed asset disposal
23
62
34
78
Adjusted EBITDA
$
73,395
$
67,411
$
184,081
$
169,379
Non-GAAP Net Income and Non-GAAP Diluted Income Per Share
The Company believes the presentation of non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP diluted income per share information that excludes amortization of intangible assets and loss on disposal of fixed assets allows investors to develop a more meaningful understanding of the Company's performance over time. Accordingly, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025, the table below provides reconciliations of these non-GAAP items to GAAP net income and GAAP diluted income per share, respectively:
Three Months Ended
Six Months Ended
June 30,
June 30,
2026
2025
2026
2025
(Unaudited, in thousands except per share data)
GAAP Net income
$
45,852
$
41,546
$
121,200
$
113,164
Plus: Amortization of intangible assets
2,105
2,105
4,210
4,210
Plus: Loss on disposal of fixed assets
23
62
34
78
Less: Income tax effects of adjustments (1)
(525)
(531)
(1,016)
(974)
As Adjusted, Non-GAAP Net income
$
47,455
$
43,182
$
124,428
$
116,478
GAAP Diluted income per share
$
1.75
$
1.48
$
4.57
$
4.00
Plus: Amortization of intangible assets (2)
0.06
0.05
0.12
0.12
Plus: Loss on disposal of fixed assets (3)
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
As Adjusted, Non-GAAP Diluted income per share
$
1.81
$
1.53
$
4.69
$
4.12
(1)
The income tax effects of adjustments are based on the effective income tax rate applicable to adjusted (non-GAAP) results.
(2)
The amortization of acquired intangible assets per diluted share is net of an income tax benefit of $0.02 for both of the three months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025, and net of an income tax benefit of $0.04 and $0.03 for the six months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025, respectively.
(3)
The loss on disposal of fixed assets per diluted share is net of an income tax benefit of nil for both of the three months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025 and nil for both of the six months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025.
Investor Relations Contact:
Daniel E. Bachus
Chief Financial Officer
Grand Canyon Education, Inc.
602-639-6648
[email protected]
Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership lowered its holdings in Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:LOPE – Free Report) by 14.8% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 185,213 shares of the company’s stock after selling 32,282 shares during the period. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership owned approximately 0.70% of Grand Canyon Education worth $31,492,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. International Assets Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Grand Canyon Education in the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Larson Financial Group LLC lifted its holdings in Grand Canyon Education by 70.7% in the 4th quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 157 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank bought a new position in Grand Canyon Education during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Financial Life Planners purchased a new position in shares of Grand Canyon Education in the 1st quarter worth $33,000. Finally, Leonteq Securities AG lifted its position in Grand Canyon Education by 48.9% in the first quarter. Leonteq Securities AG now owns 195 shares of the company’s stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 64 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 94.17% of the company’s stock.
Grand Canyon Education Trading Up 3.9% NASDAQ:LOPE opened at $150.45 on Wednesday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $147.72 and a two-hundred day moving average of $160.60. The firm has a market cap of $3.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.81, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.96 and a beta of 0.57. Grand Canyon Education, Inc. has a 12 month low of $134.27 and a 12 month high of $223.04.
Grand Canyon Education (NASDAQ:LOPE – Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported $2.86 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.78 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $308.76 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $307.75 million. Grand Canyon Education had a net margin of 19.54% and a return on equity of 34.72%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.57 earnings per share. On average, research analysts forecast that Grand Canyon Education, Inc. will post 10.04 earnings per share for the current year.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on LOPE shares. Truist Financial set a $100.00 price objective on shares of Grand Canyon Education in a report on Tuesday, June 9th. Weiss Ratings lowered Grand Canyon Education from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Thursday, June 25th. BMO Capital Markets reduced their target price on Grand Canyon Education from $198.00 to $185.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, July 6th. Finally, Barrington Research reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $230.00 price objective on shares of Grand Canyon Education in a report on Thursday, April 16th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $171.67.
View Our Latest Analysis on Grand Canyon Education
Grand Canyon Education Company Profile (Free Report)
Grand Canyon Education, Inc provides a suite of higher‐education services through a long-term agreement with Grand Canyon University (GCU), one of the nation’s largest private Christian universities. The company’s offerings encompass a full range of academic and operational support functions, including enrollment management, student recruitment, curriculum development, instructional delivery, and technology infrastructure. Through its online program management capabilities, Grand Canyon Education helps design, market and deliver undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs to meet the needs of both traditional and non‐traditional learners.
Core services include digital marketing, admissions support, student success coaching, learning management systems and faculty recruitment.
Featured Articles Five stocks we like better than Grand Canyon Education These 3 Stocks Have Soared in 2026—Can They Keep Climbing? Hasbro’s Earnings Beat Shows Why This Is No Longer Just a Toy Story Rambus: Another AI Phoenix Ready to Rise From the Ashes of Correction Chips & Clips: Memory Tariffs Rewire Tech Supply Chains Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LOPE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:LOPE – Free Report).
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Dimensional Fund Advisors LP reduced its holdings in Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:LOPE – Free Report) by 0.7% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 621,449 shares of the company’s stock after selling 4,214 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP owned about 2.34% of Grand Canyon Education worth $105,661,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the business. NewEdge Advisors LLC lifted its position in Grand Canyon Education by 4,339.5% during the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 1,909 shares of the company’s stock valued at $330,000 after purchasing an additional 1,866 shares during the period. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. grew its position in Grand Canyon Education by 14.9% during the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 115,508 shares of the company’s stock worth $19,985,000 after purchasing an additional 15,019 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC grew its position in Grand Canyon Education by 2.1% during the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 7,925 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,371,000 after purchasing an additional 161 shares during the period. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC raised its stake in shares of Grand Canyon Education by 7.3% during the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 123,214 shares of the company’s stock valued at $21,318,000 after buying an additional 8,421 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Jane Street Group LLC raised its stake in shares of Grand Canyon Education by 156.9% during the 1st quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 37,350 shares of the company’s stock valued at $6,462,000 after buying an additional 22,812 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.17% of the company’s stock.
Analyst Ratings Changes A number of brokerages have recently commented on LOPE. BMO Capital Markets lowered their target price on Grand Canyon Education from $198.00 to $185.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, July 6th. Barrington Research reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $230.00 target price on shares of Grand Canyon Education in a report on Thursday, April 16th. Weiss Ratings cut Grand Canyon Education from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Thursday, June 25th. Finally, Truist Financial set a $100.00 price target on Grand Canyon Education in a report on Tuesday, June 9th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Grand Canyon Education currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $171.67.
Read Our Latest Research Report on Grand Canyon Education
Grand Canyon Education Stock Performance LOPE stock opened at $150.45 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $3.99 billion, a PE ratio of 18.81, a P/E/G ratio of 0.96 and a beta of 0.57. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $147.72 and its 200 day moving average is $160.60. Grand Canyon Education, Inc. has a one year low of $134.27 and a one year high of $223.04.
Grand Canyon Education (NASDAQ:LOPE – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported $2.86 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.78 by $0.08. Grand Canyon Education had a net margin of 19.54% and a return on equity of 34.72%. The company had revenue of $308.76 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $307.75 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $2.57 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.7% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts predict that Grand Canyon Education, Inc. will post 10.04 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Grand Canyon Education Company Profile (Free Report)
Grand Canyon Education, Inc provides a suite of higher‐education services through a long-term agreement with Grand Canyon University (GCU), one of the nation’s largest private Christian universities. The company’s offerings encompass a full range of academic and operational support functions, including enrollment management, student recruitment, curriculum development, instructional delivery, and technology infrastructure. Through its online program management capabilities, Grand Canyon Education helps design, market and deliver undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs to meet the needs of both traditional and non‐traditional learners.
Core services include digital marketing, admissions support, student success coaching, learning management systems and faculty recruitment.
Recommended Stories Five stocks we like better than Grand Canyon Education These 3 Stocks Have Soared in 2026—Can They Keep Climbing? Hasbro’s Earnings Beat Shows Why This Is No Longer Just a Toy Story Rambus: Another AI Phoenix Ready to Rise From the Ashes of Correction Chips & Clips: Memory Tariffs Rewire Tech Supply Chains Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LOPE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:LOPE – Free Report).
Receive News & Ratings for Grand Canyon Education Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Grand Canyon Education and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
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Entropy Technologies LP purchased a new stake in Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:LOPE – Free Report) during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 9,221 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,568,000.
Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the business. International Assets Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Grand Canyon Education during the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. Toronto Dominion Bank purchased a new position in Grand Canyon Education in the fourth quarter valued at about $26,000. Larson Financial Group LLC lifted its position in shares of Grand Canyon Education by 70.7% during the fourth quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 157 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Leonteq Securities AG lifted its stake in shares of Grand Canyon Education by 48.9% in the first quarter. Leonteq Securities AG now owns 195 shares of the company’s stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 64 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Financial Life Planners bought a new position in Grand Canyon Education during the 1st quarter valued at $33,000. 94.17% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Grand Canyon Education Trading Up 3.5% Shares of NASDAQ LOPE opened at $144.86 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.84 billion, a PE ratio of 18.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.93 and a beta of 0.57. Grand Canyon Education, Inc. has a 1 year low of $134.27 and a 1 year high of $223.04. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $147.90 and its 200-day moving average is $160.73.
Grand Canyon Education (NASDAQ:LOPE – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported $2.86 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.78 by $0.08. The company had revenue of $308.76 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $307.75 million. Grand Canyon Education had a return on equity of 34.72% and a net margin of 19.54%.Grand Canyon Education’s revenue was up 6.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $2.57 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Grand Canyon Education, Inc. will post 10.04 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In LOPE has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Truist Financial set a $100.00 price objective on Grand Canyon Education in a research note on Tuesday, June 9th. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Grand Canyon Education from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Thursday, June 25th. BMO Capital Markets lowered their target price on Grand Canyon Education from $198.00 to $185.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, July 6th. Finally, Barrington Research reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $230.00 price target on shares of Grand Canyon Education in a research note on Thursday, April 16th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Grand Canyon Education currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $171.67.
Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on LOPE
Grand Canyon Education Profile (Free Report)
Grand Canyon Education, Inc provides a suite of higher‐education services through a long-term agreement with Grand Canyon University (GCU), one of the nation’s largest private Christian universities. The company’s offerings encompass a full range of academic and operational support functions, including enrollment management, student recruitment, curriculum development, instructional delivery, and technology infrastructure. Through its online program management capabilities, Grand Canyon Education helps design, market and deliver undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs to meet the needs of both traditional and non‐traditional learners.
Core services include digital marketing, admissions support, student success coaching, learning management systems and faculty recruitment.
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Bank of Nova Scotia lifted its holdings in Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:LOPE – Free Report) by 21.8% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 36,300 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 6,500 shares during the period. Bank of Nova Scotia owned about 0.14% of Grand Canyon Education worth $6,172,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.
A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of LOPE. International Assets Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Grand Canyon Education during the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. Larson Financial Group LLC lifted its holdings in Grand Canyon Education by 70.7% in the 4th quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 157 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank acquired a new stake in Grand Canyon Education during the 4th quarter worth $26,000. Financial Life Planners acquired a new stake in Grand Canyon Education during the 1st quarter worth $33,000. Finally, Leonteq Securities AG grew its holdings in shares of Grand Canyon Education by 48.9% during the first quarter. Leonteq Securities AG now owns 195 shares of the company’s stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 64 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.17% of the company’s stock.
Grand Canyon Education Trading Up 3.5% Grand Canyon Education stock opened at $144.86 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.11, a P/E/G ratio of 0.93 and a beta of 0.57. Grand Canyon Education, Inc. has a twelve month low of $134.27 and a twelve month high of $223.04. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $147.90 and its 200-day simple moving average is $160.73.
Grand Canyon Education (NASDAQ:LOPE – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported $2.86 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.78 by $0.08. The firm had revenue of $308.76 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $307.75 million. Grand Canyon Education had a return on equity of 34.72% and a net margin of 19.54%.Grand Canyon Education’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.57 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that Grand Canyon Education, Inc. will post 10.04 earnings per share for the current year.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In LOPE has been the topic of a number of research reports. Barrington Research reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $230.00 target price on shares of Grand Canyon Education in a research note on Thursday, April 16th. BMO Capital Markets cut their price target on Grand Canyon Education from $198.00 to $185.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, July 6th. Weiss Ratings downgraded Grand Canyon Education from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Thursday, June 25th. Finally, Truist Financial set a $100.00 price objective on Grand Canyon Education in a research note on Tuesday, June 9th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Grand Canyon Education presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $171.67.
Read Our Latest Analysis on LOPE
Grand Canyon Education Company Profile (Free Report)
Grand Canyon Education, Inc provides a suite of higher‐education services through a long-term agreement with Grand Canyon University (GCU), one of the nation’s largest private Christian universities. The company’s offerings encompass a full range of academic and operational support functions, including enrollment management, student recruitment, curriculum development, instructional delivery, and technology infrastructure. Through its online program management capabilities, Grand Canyon Education helps design, market and deliver undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs to meet the needs of both traditional and non‐traditional learners.
Core services include digital marketing, admissions support, student success coaching, learning management systems and faculty recruitment.
Read More Five stocks we like better than Grand Canyon Education AirJoule’s Kubota Deal Is a Major Validation—But the Hard Part Comes Next Dividend Stocks May Be the Quiet Rotation Trade Investors Are Missing Now Refiner Stocks Are Near Record Highs—Can Iran-Driven Margins Keep Them There? Verizon May Be an AI Infrastructure Stock Hiding in Plain Sight
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Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (Nasdaq:LOPE) announced today that it will report its 2026 second quarter results and full year outlook for 2026 after market close on Thursday, July 30, 2026. The Company will host a conference call to discuss the results in more detail at 1:30 P.M. (4:30 P.M. ET) the same day.
Live Conference Dial-In:
Those interested in participating in the question-and-answer session should follow the conference dial-in instructions below.
Participants may register for the call here to receive the dial-in numbers and unique PIN to access the call seamlessly.
Please dial in at least ten minutes prior to the start of the call. Journalists are invited to listen only.
Webcast and Replay:
Investors, journalists and the general public may access a live webcast of this event at: Q2 2026 Grand Canyon Education Inc. Earnings Conference Call. A webcast replay will be available approximately two hours following the conclusion of the call at the same link.
About Grand Canyon Education, Inc.
Grand Canyon Education (GCE), incorporated in 2008, is a publicly traded education services company that currently provides services to 20 university partners. GCE is uniquely positioned in the education services industry in that its leadership has greater than 30 years of proven expertise in providing a full array of support services in the post-secondary education sector and has developed significant technological solutions, infrastructure and operational processes to provide superior service in these areas on a large scale. GCE provides services that support students, faculty and staff of partner institutions such as marketing, strategic enrollment management, counseling services, financial services, technology, technical support, compliance, human resources, classroom operations, curriculum development, faculty recruitment and training, among others. For more information about Grand Canyon Education, Inc. visit the Company's website at www.gce.com.
Contact:
Daniel E. Bachus
Chief Financial Officer
Grand Canyon Education, Inc.
602-639-6648
[email protected]
Investors interested in stocks from the Schools sector have probably already heard of TAL Education (TAL) and Grand Canyon Education (LOPE). But which of these two stocks is more attractive to value investors?
Algert Global LLC lifted its position in Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (NASDAQ: LOPE) by 27.9% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 144,985 shares of the company's stock after buying an additional 31,614 shares during the period.
Investors interested in stocks from the Schools sector have probably already heard of Afya (AFYA - Free Report) and Grand Canyon Education (LOPE - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks offers value investors a better bang for their buck right now? We'll need to take a closer look.
The best way to find great value stocks is to pair a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system. The proven Zacks Rank emphasizes companies with positive estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight stocks with specific traits.
Afya and Grand Canyon Education are sporting Zacks Ranks of #1 (Strong Buy) and #3 (Hold), respectively, right now. The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that AFYA has an improving earnings outlook. But this is just one piece of the puzzle for value investors.
Value investors also try to analyze a wide range of traditional figures and metrics to help determine whether a company is undervalued at its current share price levels.
Our Value category highlights undervalued companies by looking at a variety of key metrics, including the popular P/E ratio, as well as the P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a variety of other fundamentals that have been used by value investors for years.
AFYA currently has a forward P/E ratio of 7.71, while LOPE has a forward P/E of 16.24. We also note that AFYA has a PEG ratio of 0.57. This figure is similar to the commonly-used P/E ratio, with the PEG ratio also factoring in a company's expected earnings growth rate. LOPE currently has a PEG ratio of 1.08.
Another notable valuation metric for AFYA is its P/B ratio of 1.47. The P/B is a method of comparing a stock's market value to its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. By comparison, LOPE has a P/B of 6.14.
These are just a few of the metrics contributing to AFYA's Value grade of A and LOPE's Value grade of C.
AFYA sticks out from LOPE in both our Zacks Rank and Style Scores models, so value investors will likely feel that AFYA is the better option right now.
JIADE (NASDAQ: JDZG - Get Free Report) and Grand Canyon Education (NASDAQ: LOPE - Get Free Report) are both consumer discretionary companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, dividends, risk, institutional ownership, earnings, analyst recommendations and profitability. Valuation and Earnings This table compares JIADE
Assenagon Asset Management S.A. lessened its position in Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:LOPE – Free Report) by 87.2% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 25,741 shares of the company’s stock after selling 175,189 shares during the period. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. owned approximately 0.09% of Grand Canyon Education worth $4,281,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Mather Group LLC. acquired a new position in Grand Canyon Education during the third quarter worth about $29,000. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Grand Canyon Education in the 3rd quarter valued at about $32,000. True Wealth Design LLC lifted its holdings in Grand Canyon Education by 46.0% in the 3rd quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 203 shares of the company’s stock valued at $45,000 after acquiring an additional 64 shares during the last quarter. Employees Retirement System of Texas bought a new position in shares of Grand Canyon Education during the 3rd quarter valued at about $48,000. Finally, Financial Life Planners acquired a new position in shares of Grand Canyon Education in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $49,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.17% of the company’s stock.
Analyst Ratings Changes LOPE has been the subject of several recent research reports. Barrington Research reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $230.00 target price on shares of Grand Canyon Education in a research note on Thursday, February 19th. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Grand Canyon Education from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Grand Canyon Education currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $220.00.
Read Our Latest Report on Grand Canyon Education
Grand Canyon Education Stock Performance NASDAQ LOPE opened at $166.58 on Monday. Grand Canyon Education, Inc. has a 1 year low of $149.37 and a 1 year high of $223.04. The company has a market cap of $4.52 billion, a PE ratio of 21.58, a PEG ratio of 1.10 and a beta of 0.72. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $166.37 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $177.93.
Grand Canyon Education (NASDAQ:LOPE – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 18th. The company reported $3.21 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.19 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $308.12 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $307.92 million. Grand Canyon Education had a net margin of 19.54% and a return on equity of 33.28%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $2.95 earnings per share. Research analysts forecast that Grand Canyon Education, Inc. will post 8.81 EPS for the current fiscal year.
About Grand Canyon Education (Free Report)
Grand Canyon Education, Inc provides a suite of higher‐education services through a long-term agreement with Grand Canyon University (GCU), one of the nation’s largest private Christian universities. The company’s offerings encompass a full range of academic and operational support functions, including enrollment management, student recruitment, curriculum development, instructional delivery, and technology infrastructure. Through its online program management capabilities, Grand Canyon Education helps design, market and deliver undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs to meet the needs of both traditional and non‐traditional learners.
Core services include digital marketing, admissions support, student success coaching, learning management systems and faculty recruitment.
Featured Articles Five stocks we like better than Grand Canyon Education
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Investors looking for stocks in the Schools sector might want to consider either Afya (AFYA) or Grand Canyon Education (LOPE). But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now?
, /PRNewswire/ -- Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (Nasdaq:LOPE) announced today that it will report its 2026 first quarter results and full year outlook for 2026 after market close on Thursday, April 30, 2026. The Company will host a conference call to discuss the results in more detail at 1:30 P.M. (4:30 P.M. ET) the same day.
Live Conference Dial-In:
Those interested in participating in the question-and-answer session should follow the conference dial-in instructions below.
Participants may register for the call here to receive the dial-in numbers and unique PIN to access the call seamlessly.
Please dial in at least ten minutes prior to the start of the call. Journalists are invited to listen only.
Webcast and Replay:
Investors, journalists and the general public may access a live webcast of this event at: Q1 2026 Grand Canyon Education Inc. Earnings Conference Call. A webcast replay will be available approximately two hours following the conclusion of the call at the same link.
About Grand Canyon Education, Inc.
Grand Canyon Education (GCE), incorporated in 2008, is a publicly traded education services company that currently provides services to 20 university partners. GCE is uniquely positioned in the education services industry in that its leadership has greater than 30 years of proven expertise in providing a full array of support services in the post-secondary education sector and has developed significant technological solutions, infrastructure and operational processes to provide superior service in these areas on a large scale. GCE provides services that support students, faculty and staff of partner institutions such as marketing, strategic enrollment management, counseling services, financial services, technology, technical support, compliance, human resources, classroom operations, curriculum development, faculty recruitment and training, among others. For more information about Grand Canyon Education, Inc. visit the Company's website at www.gce.com.
Contact:
Daniel E. Bachus
Chief Financial Officer
Grand Canyon Education, Inc.
602-639-6648
[email protected]
Exchange Traded Concepts LLC grew its holdings in Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:LOPE – Free Report) by 1,113.0% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 6,247 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 5,732 shares during the period. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC’s holdings in Grand Canyon Education were worth $1,039,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. True Wealth Design LLC raised its holdings in shares of Grand Canyon Education by 46.0% in the third quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 203 shares of the company’s stock valued at $45,000 after buying an additional 64 shares during the last quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. grew its holdings in Grand Canyon Education by 6.7% during the 3rd quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 1,019 shares of the company’s stock worth $224,000 after acquiring an additional 64 shares during the last quarter. Orion Porfolio Solutions LLC increased its position in Grand Canyon Education by 1.0% in the 3rd quarter. Orion Porfolio Solutions LLC now owns 6,475 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,421,000 after acquiring an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC increased its position in Grand Canyon Education by 2.5% in the 3rd quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 3,069 shares of the company’s stock valued at $674,000 after acquiring an additional 76 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC raised its stake in shares of Grand Canyon Education by 2.6% in the third quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 3,086 shares of the company’s stock worth $646,000 after acquiring an additional 77 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.17% of the company’s stock.
Grand Canyon Education Price Performance Shares of NASDAQ LOPE opened at $171.36 on Friday. Grand Canyon Education, Inc. has a twelve month low of $149.37 and a twelve month high of $223.04. The stock has a market cap of $4.65 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.20, a P/E/G ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 0.67. The company’s fifty day moving average is $165.52 and its 200-day moving average is $177.03.
Grand Canyon Education (NASDAQ:LOPE – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 18th. The company reported $3.21 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.19 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $308.12 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $307.92 million. Grand Canyon Education had a net margin of 19.54% and a return on equity of 33.28%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 5.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.95 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that Grand Canyon Education, Inc. will post 8.81 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several analysts have recently commented on the stock. Barrington Research reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $230.00 price target on shares of Grand Canyon Education in a research note on Thursday, February 19th. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Grand Canyon Education from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $220.00.
Check Out Our Latest Research Report on LOPE
Grand Canyon Education Company Profile (Free Report)
Grand Canyon Education, Inc provides a suite of higher‐education services through a long-term agreement with Grand Canyon University (GCU), one of the nation’s largest private Christian universities. The company’s offerings encompass a full range of academic and operational support functions, including enrollment management, student recruitment, curriculum development, instructional delivery, and technology infrastructure. Through its online program management capabilities, Grand Canyon Education helps design, market and deliver undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs to meet the needs of both traditional and non‐traditional learners.
Core services include digital marketing, admissions support, student success coaching, learning management systems and faculty recruitment.
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Grand Canyon Education remains a 'Buy,' with a projected 20–25% upside and strong buyback support despite near-term growth slowdown. LOPE continues to outperform the S&P 500, delivering consistent EPS beats and maintaining premium valuation multiples versus peers. FY 2026 growth is expected to moderate, but margin expansion, B2B enrollment, and buybacks should drive EPS and FCF yield near 6%.
Investors interested in Schools stocks are likely familiar with Afya (AFYA - Free Report) and Grand Canyon Education (LOPE - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks is more attractive to value investors? We'll need to take a closer look to find out.
There are plenty of strategies for discovering value stocks, but we have found that pairing a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system produces the best returns. The Zacks Rank is a proven strategy that targets companies with positive earnings estimate revision trends, while our Style Scores work to grade companies based on specific traits.
Afya has a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy), while Grand Canyon Education has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now. The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that AFYA has an improving earnings outlook. But this is just one factor that value investors are interested in.
Value investors also try to analyze a wide range of traditional figures and metrics to help determine whether a company is undervalued at its current share price levels.
Our Value category highlights undervalued companies by looking at a variety of key metrics, including the popular P/E ratio, as well as the P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a variety of other fundamentals that have been used by value investors for years.
AFYA currently has a forward P/E ratio of 8.82, while LOPE has a forward P/E of 17.02. We also note that AFYA has a PEG ratio of 0.66. This figure is similar to the commonly-used P/E ratio, with the PEG ratio also factoring in a company's expected earnings growth rate. LOPE currently has a PEG ratio of 1.13.
Another notable valuation metric for AFYA is its P/B ratio of 1.69. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. For comparison, LOPE has a P/B of 6.44.
These metrics, and several others, help AFYA earn a Value grade of B, while LOPE has been given a Value grade of C.
AFYA has seen stronger estimate revision activity and sports more attractive valuation metrics than LOPE, so it seems like value investors will conclude that AFYA is the superior option right now.
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Cwm LLC boosted its holdings in Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:LOPE – Free Report) by 128.8% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 7,213 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 4,060 shares during the quarter. Cwm LLC’s holdings in Grand Canyon Education were worth $1,200,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Several other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of LOPE. NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its position in Grand Canyon Education by 4,339.5% in the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 1,909 shares of the company’s stock valued at $330,000 after purchasing an additional 1,866 shares during the period. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. boosted its stake in Grand Canyon Education by 14.9% during the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 115,508 shares of the company’s stock valued at $19,985,000 after purchasing an additional 15,019 shares during the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC boosted its stake in Grand Canyon Education by 2.1% during the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 7,925 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,371,000 after purchasing an additional 161 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC boosted its stake in Grand Canyon Education by 7.3% during the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 123,214 shares of the company’s stock valued at $21,318,000 after purchasing an additional 8,421 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Jane Street Group LLC boosted its stake in Grand Canyon Education by 156.9% during the 1st quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 37,350 shares of the company’s stock valued at $6,462,000 after purchasing an additional 22,812 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.17% of the company’s stock.
Grand Canyon Education Price Performance Shares of NASDAQ LOPE opened at $163.49 on Monday. Grand Canyon Education, Inc. has a twelve month low of $149.37 and a twelve month high of $223.04. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $165.92 and its 200-day moving average price is $171.93. The company has a market capitalization of $4.44 billion, a PE ratio of 21.18, a PEG ratio of 1.08 and a beta of 0.67.
Grand Canyon Education (NASDAQ:LOPE – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 18th. The company reported $3.21 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.19 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $308.12 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $307.92 million. Grand Canyon Education had a net margin of 19.54% and a return on equity of 33.28%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 5.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.95 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that Grand Canyon Education, Inc. will post 10.1 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research firms have issued reports on LOPE. Barrington Research reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $230.00 price objective on shares of Grand Canyon Education in a report on Thursday, April 16th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Grand Canyon Education in a report on Friday, April 10th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $220.00.
Check Out Our Latest Research Report on LOPE
Grand Canyon Education Company Profile (Free Report)
Grand Canyon Education, Inc provides a suite of higher‐education services through a long-term agreement with Grand Canyon University (GCU), one of the nation’s largest private Christian universities. The company’s offerings encompass a full range of academic and operational support functions, including enrollment management, student recruitment, curriculum development, instructional delivery, and technology infrastructure. Through its online program management capabilities, Grand Canyon Education helps design, market and deliver undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs to meet the needs of both traditional and non‐traditional learners.
Core services include digital marketing, admissions support, student success coaching, learning management systems and faculty recruitment.
Recommended Stories Five stocks we like better than Grand Canyon Education Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LOPE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:LOPE – Free Report).
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, /PRNewswire/ -- Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (NASDAQ: LOPE), ("GCE" or the "Company"), is a publicly traded education services company that currently provides services to 20 university partners. GCE provides a full array of support services in the post-secondary education sector and has developed significant technological solutions, infrastructure and operational processes to provide superior services in these areas on a large scale. GCE today announced financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2026.
Grand Canyon Education, Inc. Reports First Quarter 2026 Results
For the three months ended March 31, 2026:
Service revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2026 was $308.8 million, an increase of $19.5 million, or 6.7%, as compared to service revenue of $289.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025. The increase year over year in service revenue was primarily due to an increase in university partner enrollments of 7.1% to 136,884 at March 31, 2026 as compared to 127,779 at March 31, 2025. Revenue per student decreased slightly between years primarily due to contract modifications with some of our university partners in which our revenue share percentage was reduced in exchange for us no longer reimbursing these partners for certain faculty costs which had the effect of reducing revenue per student and a slight decline year over year in revenue per student for online students due to the continued mix shift to students that have a slightly lower net tuition rate and a slight decline year over year in ground students which generate a higher revenue per student than online students. These decreases were partially offset by an additional day of revenue for the ground campus due to the start date shifting one day of revenue from the second quarter to the first quarter in 2026 which had a $1.0 million impact and the service revenue per student for accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing ("ABSN") students at off-campus classroom and laboratory sites generating a significantly higher revenue per student than we earn under our agreement with GCU, as these agreements generally provide us with a higher revenue share percentage, the partners have higher tuition rates than GCU and the majority of our partners' students take more credits on average per semester. GCU enrollments increased to 132,354 at March 31, 2026, an increase of 6.9% over enrollments at March 31, 2025. University partner enrollments at our off-campus classroom and laboratory sites were 5,961, an increase of 18.6% over enrollments at March 31, 2025, which includes 1,431 and 1,021 GCU students at March 31, 2026 and 2025, respectively. Excluding sites that have been closed or are in teach out, total enrollments at our off-campus classroom and laboratory sites increased 20.3% between years. We opened five new sites in the year ended December 31, 2025 closed two sites in which we stopped recruiting new students in 2024 and merged two sites that were located in the same market bringing the total number of these sites to 47 at December 31, 2025, which has also positively impacted the enrollment growth. We plan to open one to two additional sites in the second half of 2026 while mutually agreeing with one partner to stop the recruiting of new students and begin teach outs at its three sites during the first quarter of 2026. Enrollments for GCU ground students were 21,948 at March 31, 2026, down slightly from 22,330 at March 31, 2025. The number of ground students has historically declined between the Fall and Spring semesters due to graduations significantly exceeding Spring new enrollments. GCU online enrollments were 110,406 at March 31, 2026, up from 101,443 at March 31, 2025, an increase of 8.8% between years. Operating income for the three months ended March 31, 2026 was $95.5 million, an increase of $7.5 million, or 8.5%, as compared to $88.0 million for the same period in 2025. The operating margin for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025 was 30.9% and 30.4%, respectively. Income tax expense for the three months ended March 31, 2026 was $23.1 million, an increase of $3.3 million, or 16.9%, as compared to income tax expense of $19.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025. Our effective tax rate was 23.5% during the three months ended March 31, 2026 compared to 21.6% during the three months ended March 31, 2025. The effective tax rate increased year over year due to higher state income taxes and a decrease in excess tax benefits to $1.4 million as compared to $2.7 million in the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, respectively. The inclusion of excess tax benefits and deficiencies as a component of our income tax expense increases the volatility within our provision for income taxes as the amount of excess tax benefits or deficiencies from share-based compensation awards are dependent on our stock price at the date the restricted stock awards vest. Our restricted stock awards vest in March each year so any benefit or expense will primarily impact the first quarter each year. Net income for the three months ended March 31, 2026 was $75.3 million, an increase of $3.7 million, or 5.2% as compared to $71.6 million for the same period in 2025. As adjusted net income was $77.0 million and $73.3 million for the first quarters of 2026 and 2025, respectively. Diluted net income per share was $2.80 and $2.52 for the first quarters of 2026 and 2025, respectively. As adjusted diluted net income per share was $2.86 and $2.57 for the first quarters of 2026 and 2025, respectively. Adjusted EBITDA increased 8.5% to $110.7 million for the first quarter of 2026, compared to $102.0 million for the same period in 2025. Liquidity and Capital Resources
Our liquidity position, as measured by cash and cash equivalents and investments decreased by $48.4 million between December 31, 2025 and March 31, 2026, which was largely attributable to cash expended for share repurchases and capital expenditures exceeding our cash provided by operations during the three months ended March 31, 2026. Our unrestricted cash and cash equivalents and investments were $251.7 million and $300.1 million at March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, respectively.
Grand Canyon Education, Inc. Reports First Quarter 2026 Results and Full Year Outlook 2026
2026 Outlook
Q2 2026:
Service revenue of between $260.0 million and $264.0 million; Operating margin of between 20.1% and 21.3%; Effective tax rate of 24.9%; Diluted EPS of between $1.57 and $1.68; and 26.3 million diluted shares. The diluted EPS guidance includes non-cash amortization of intangible assets net of taxes of $1.6 million, which equates to a $0.06 impact on diluted EPS. Thus, as adjusted, non-GAAP diluted income per share of between $1.63 and $1.74.
Q3 2026:
Service revenue of between $271.5 million and $278.5 million; Operating margin of between 21.0% and 23.0%; Effective tax rate of 24.9%; Diluted EPS of between $1.72 and $1.91; and 26.1 million diluted shares. The diluted EPS guidance includes non-cash amortization of intangible assets net of taxes of $1.6 million, which equates to a $0.06 impact on diluted EPS. Thus, as adjusted, non-GAAP diluted income per share of between $1.78 and $1.97.
Q4 2026:
Service revenue of between $329.0 million and $338.5 million; Operating margin of between 36.4% and 38.2%; Effective tax rate of 24.3%; Diluted EPS of between $3.59 and $3.87; and 25.8 million diluted shares. The diluted EPS guidance includes non-cash amortization of intangible assets net of taxes of $1.6 million, which equates to a $0.06 impact on diluted EPS. Thus, as adjusted, non-GAAP diluted income per share of between $3.65 and $3.93.
Full Year 2026:
Service revenue of between $1,169.3 million and $1,189.8 million; Operating margin of between 27.8% and 29.0%; Effective tax rate of 24.3%; Diluted EPS between $9.69 and $10.26; and 26.2 million diluted shares. The diluted EPS guidance includes non-cash amortization of intangible assets net of taxes of $6.4 million, which equates to a $0.24 impact on diluted EPS. Thus, as adjusted, non-GAAP diluted income per share of between $9.93 and $10.50.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of federal securities laws including information relating to future events, future financial performance, strategies, expectations, competitive environment, regulation, and availability of resources. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding: proposed new programs; whether regulatory, economic, or business developments or other matters may or may not have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, or liquidity; projections, predictions, expectations, estimates, and forecasts as to our business, financial and operating results, and future economic performance; and management's goals and objectives and other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Words such as "may," "should," "could," "would," "predicts," "potential," "continue," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar expressions, the negative of these expressions, as well as statements in future tense, identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time those statements are made or management's good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (i) legal and regulatory actions taken against us related to our services business, or against our university partners that impact their businesses and that directly or indirectly reduce the service revenue we can earn under our master services agreements; (ii) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of any of the key university partner agreements; (iii) our ability to properly manage risks and challenges associated with strategic initiatives, including potential acquisitions or divestitures of, or investments in, new businesses, acquisitions of new properties and new university partners, and expansion of services provided to our existing university partners; (iv) our ability to comply with the extensive regulatory framework applicable to us either directly as a third-party service provider or indirectly through our university partners; (v) our ability to manage risks associated with epidemics, pandemics, or public health crises; (vi) our ability to manage risks resulting from system disruptions, interruptions, or outages associated with our technology platforms or those of third-party service providers; (vii) the ability of our university partners' students to obtain federal Title IV funds, state financial aid, and private financing; (viii) potential damage to our reputation or other adverse effects as a result of negative publicity in the media, in the industry or in connection with governmental reports or investigations or otherwise; (ix) risks associated with changes in applicable federal and state laws and regulations and accrediting commission standards; (x) competition from other education service companies in our geographic region and market sector; (xi) our ability to hire and train new, and develop and train existing employees; (xii) the pace of growth of our university partners' enrollment and its effect on the pace of our own growth; (xiii) fluctuations in our revenues due to seasonality; (xiv) our ability to, on behalf of our university partners, convert prospective students to enrolled students and to retain active students to graduation; and (xv) other risks and uncertainties identified from time to time in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") by us, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, filed on February 18, 2026.
Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements are made. You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. We assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions, or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information, except to the extent required by applicable securities laws. If we do update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. This press release should be read in conjunction with the information included in our other press releases, reports and other filings with the SEC. Understanding the information contained in these filings is important in order to fully understand GCE's reported financial results and our business outlook for future periods.
Grand Canyon Education, Inc. Reports First Quarter 2026 Results
Conference Call
Grand Canyon Education, Inc. will discuss its first quarter 2026 results and full year 2026 outlook during a conference call scheduled for today, April 30, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern time (ET).
Live Conference Dial-In:
Those interested in participating in the question-and-answer session should follow the conference dial-in instructions below. Participants may register for the call here to receive the dial-in numbers and unique PIN to access the call seamlessly. Please dial in at least ten minutes prior to the start of the call. Journalists are invited to listen only.
Webcast and Replay:
Investors, journalists and the general public may access a live webcast of this event at: Q1 2026 Grand Canyon Education Inc. Earnings Conference Call. A webcast replay will be available approximately two hours following the conclusion of the call at the same link.
About Grand Canyon Education, Inc.
Grand Canyon Education, Inc. ("GCE"), incorporated in 2008, is a publicly traded education services company that currently provides services to 20 university partners. GCE is uniquely positioned in the education services industry in that its leadership has over 30 years of proven expertise in providing a full array of support services in the post-secondary education sector and has developed significant technological solutions, infrastructure and operational processes to provide superior services in these areas on a large scale. GCE provides services that support students, faculty and staff of partner institutions such as marketing, strategic enrollment management, counseling services, financial services, technology, technical support, compliance, human resources, classroom operations, content development, faculty recruitment and training, among others. For more information about GCE visit the Company's website at www.gce.com.
Grand Canyon Education, Inc., 2600 W. Camelback Road, Phoenix, AZ 85017, www.gce.com.
Grand Canyon Education, Inc. Reports First Quarter 2026 Results
GRAND CANYON EDUCATION, INC.
Consolidated Income Statements
(Unaudited)
Three Months Ended
March 31,
2026
2025
(In thousands, except per share data)
Service revenue
$
308,760
$
289,310
Costs and expenses:
Technology and academic services
45,030
41,664
Counseling services and support
91,857
86,822
Marketing and communication
63,987
60,330
General and administrative
10,319
10,366
Amortization of intangible assets
2,105
2,105
Total costs and expenses
213,298
201,287
Operating income
95,462
88,023
Investment interest and other
3,021
3,381
Income before income taxes
98,483
91,404
Income tax expense
23,135
19,786
Net income
$
75,348
$
71,618
Earnings per share:
Basic income per share
$
2.82
$
2.53
Diluted income per share
$
2.80
$
2.52
Basic weighted average shares outstanding
26,744
28,277
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding
26,869
28,469
Grand Canyon Education, Inc. Reports First Quarter 2026 Results
GRAND CANYON EDUCATION, INC.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
As of March 31,
As of December 31,
(In thousands, except par value)
2026
2025
ASSETS:
(Unaudited)
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents
$
96,145
$
111,762
Investments
155,555
188,317
Accounts receivable, net
113,251
84,278
Income taxes receivable
231
2,392
Other current assets
14,793
13,430
Total current assets
379,975
400,179
Property and equipment, net
179,656
178,957
Right-of-use assets
93,495
96,571
Amortizable intangible assets, net
149,438
151,543
Goodwill
160,766
160,766
Other assets
4,564
4,289
Total assets
$
967,894
$
992,305
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY:
Current liabilities
Accounts payable
$
29,258
$
24,347
Accrued compensation and benefits
25,574
35,199
Accrued liabilities
37,873
32,283
Income taxes payable
20,792
3,355
Deferred revenue
9,868
—
Current portion of lease liability
15,054
14,568
Total current liabilities
138,419
109,752
Deferred income taxes, noncurrent
42,775
41,426
Other long-term liabilities
1,384
1,439
Lease liability, less current portion
89,126
92,755
Total liabilities
271,704
245,372
Commitments and contingencies
Stockholders' equity
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, 10,000 shares authorized; 0 shares issued and outstanding
at March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025
—
—
Common stock, $0.01 par value, 100,000 shares authorized; 54,263 and 54,178 shares issued
and 26,705 and 27,393 shares outstanding at March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025,
respectively
543
542
Treasury stock, at cost, 27,558 and 26,785 shares of common stock at March 31, 2026 and
December 31, 2025, respectively
(2,420,603)
(2,291,610)
Additional paid-in capital
353,971
350,374
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) gain
(185)
511
Retained earnings
2,762,464
2,687,116
Total stockholders' equity
696,190
746,933
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity
$
967,894
$
992,305
Grand Canyon Education, Inc. Reports First Quarter 2026 Results
GRAND CANYON EDUCATION, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Unaudited)
Three Months Ended
March 31,
(In thousands)
2026
2025
Cash flows provided by operating activities:
Net income
$
75,348
$
71,618
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Share-based compensation
3,598
3,630
Depreciation and amortization
8,343
7,451
Amortization of intangible assets
2,105
2,105
Deferred income taxes
1,566
2,446
Other, including fixed asset disposals
(232)
(207)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable
(28,973)
(32,748)
Other assets
(1,791)
(4,449)
Right-of-use assets and lease liabilities
(67)
278
Accounts payable
4,022
(2,023)
Accrued liabilities
(5,177)
(5,558)
Income taxes receivable/payable
19,598
16,007
Deferred revenue
9,868
9,081
Net cash provided by operating activities
88,208
67,631
Cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities:
Capital expenditures
(8,129)
(8,948)
Additions of amortizable content
(15)
(20)
Purchase of equity investment
—
(1,000)
Loss on equity investment
100
—
Purchases of investments
(23,512)
(159,920)
Proceeds from sale or maturity of investments
55,637
—
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities
24,081
(169,888)
Cash flows used in financing activities:
Repurchase of common shares and shares withheld in lieu of income taxes
(127,906)
(77,857)
Net cash used in financing activities
(127,906)
(77,857)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash
(15,617)
(180,114)
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period
111,762
324,623
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period
$
96,145
$
144,509
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information
Cash paid for interest
$
—
$
—
Cash paid for income taxes
$
370
$
333
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities
Purchases of property and equipment included in accounts payable
$
1,724
$
444
Excise tax on treasury stock repurchases
$
1,087
$
533
Grand Canyon Education, Inc. Reports First Quarter 2026 Results
GRAND CANYON EDUCATION, INC.
Adjusted EBITDA (Non-GAAP Financial Measure)
Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income plus interest expense, less interest income and other gain (loss) recognized on investments, plus income tax expense, and plus depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), as adjusted for (i) contributions to private Arizona school tuition organizations in lieu of the payment of state income taxes; (ii) share-based compensation; and (iii) unusual charges or gains, such as litigation and regulatory costs, impairment charges and asset write-offs, severance costs, and exit or lease termination costs. We present Adjusted EBITDA because we consider it to be an important supplemental measure of our operating performance. We also make certain compensation decisions based, in part, on our operating performance, as measured by Adjusted EBITDA. All of the adjustments made in our calculation of Adjusted EBITDA are adjustments to items that management does not consider to be reflective of our core operating performance. Management considers our core operating performance to be that which can be affected by our managers in any particular period through their management of the resources that affect our underlying revenue and profit generating operations during that period and does not consider the items for which we make adjustments (as listed above) to be reflective of our core performance.
We believe Adjusted EBITDA allows us to compare our current operating results with corresponding historical periods and with the operational performance of other companies in our industry because it does not give effect to potential differences caused by variations in capital structures (affecting relative interest expense, including the impact of write-offs of deferred financing costs when companies refinance their indebtedness), tax positions (such as the impact on periods or companies of changes in effective tax rates or net operating losses), the book amortization of intangibles (affecting relative amortization expense), and other items that we do not consider reflective of underlying operating performance. We also present Adjusted EBITDA because we believe it is frequently used by securities analysts, investors, and other interested parties as a measure of performance.
In evaluating Adjusted EBITDA, investors should be aware that in the future we may incur expenses similar to the adjustments described above. Our presentation of Adjusted EBITDA should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by expenses that are unusual, non-routine, or non-recurring. Adjusted EBITDA has limitations as an analytical tool in that, among other things, it does not reflect:
cash expenditures for capital expenditures or contractual commitments; changes in, or cash requirements for, our working capital requirements; interest expense, or the cash required to replace assets that are being depreciated or amortized; and the impact on our reported results of earnings or charges resulting from the items for which we make adjustments to our EBITDA, as described above and set forth in the table below. In addition, other companies, including other companies in our industry, may calculate these measures differently than we do, limiting the usefulness of Adjusted EBITDA as a comparative measure. Because of these limitations, Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered as a substitute for net income, operating income, or any other performance measure derived in accordance with and reported under GAAP, or as an alternative to cash flow from operating activities or as a measure of our liquidity. We compensate for these limitations by relying primarily on our GAAP results and only use Adjusted EBITDA as a supplemental performance measure.
The following table provides a reconciliation of net income to Adjusted EBITDA, which is a non-GAAP measure for the periods indicated:
Three Months Ended
March 31,
2026
2025
(Unaudited, in thousands)
Net income
$
75,348
$
71,618
Less: investment interest and other
(3,021)
(3,381)
Plus: income tax expense
23,135
19,786
Plus: amortization of intangible assets
2,105
2,105
Plus: depreciation and amortization
8,343
7,451
EBITDA
105,910
97,579
Plus: share-based compensation
3,598
3,630
Plus: litigation and regulatory costs
1,167
743
Plus: loss on fixed asset disposal
11
16
Adjusted EBITDA
$
110,686
$
101,968
Non-GAAP Net Income and Non-GAAP Diluted Income Per Share
The Company believes the presentation of non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP diluted income per share information that excludes amortization of intangible assets and loss on disposal of fixed assets allows investors to develop a more meaningful understanding of the Company's performance over time. Accordingly, for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, the table below provides reconciliations of these non-GAAP items to GAAP net income and GAAP diluted income per share, respectively:
Three Months Ended
March 31,
2026
2025
(Unaudited, in thousands except per share data)
GAAP Net income
$
75,348
$
71,618
Plus: Amortization of intangible assets
2,105
2,105
Plus: Loss on disposal of fixed assets
11
16
Less: Income tax effects of adjustments (1)
(497)
(459)
As Adjusted, Non-GAAP Net income
$
76,967
$
73,280
GAAP Diluted income per share
$
2.80
$
2.52
Plus: Amortization of intangible assets (2)
0.06
0.05
Plus: Loss on disposal of fixed assets (3)
0.00
0.00
As Adjusted, Non-GAAP Diluted income per share
$
2.86
$
2.57
(1)
The income tax effects of adjustments are based on the effective income tax rate applicable to adjusted (non-GAAP) results.
(2)
The amortization of acquired intangible assets per diluted share is net of an income tax benefit of $0.02 for both of the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025.
(3)
The loss on disposal of fixed assets per diluted share is net of an income tax benefit of nil for both of the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025.
Investor Relations Contact:
Daniel E. Bachus
Chief Financial Officer
Grand Canyon Education, Inc.
602-639-6648
[email protected]
Grand Canyon Education (LOPE - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $2.86 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.78 per share. This compares to earnings of $2.57 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.
This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +2.88%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this for-profit education company would post earnings of $3.19 per share when it actually produced earnings of $3.21, delivering a surprise of +0.63%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times.
Grand Canyon Education, which belongs to the Zacks Schools industry, posted revenues of $308.76 million for the quarter ended March 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.41%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $289.31 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates four times over the last four quarters.
The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.
Grand Canyon Education shares have added about 1.8% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 4.2%.
What's Next for Grand Canyon Education?While Grand Canyon Education has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?
There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.
Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Grand Canyon Education was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $1.68 on $262 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $10.10 on $1.18 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.
Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Schools is currently in the top 11% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
Perdoceo Education (PRDO - Free Report) , another stock in the same industry, has yet to report results for the quarter ended March 2026. The results are expected to be released on May 7.
This for-profit education company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.84 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +20%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
Perdoceo Education's revenues are expected to be $218.43 million, up 2.6% from the year-ago quarter.
Investors interested in Schools stocks are likely familiar with New Oriental Education (EDU - Free Report) and Grand Canyon Education (LOPE - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks is more attractive to value investors? We'll need to take a closer look to find out.
We have found that the best way to discover great value opportunities is to pair a strong Zacks Rank with a great grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system. The proven Zacks Rank emphasizes companies with positive estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight stocks with specific traits.
New Oriental Education and Grand Canyon Education are both sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) right now. Investors should feel comfortable knowing that both of these stocks have an improving earnings outlook since the Zacks Rank favors companies that have witnessed positive analyst estimate revisions. But this is just one factor that value investors are interested in.
Value investors also try to analyze a wide range of traditional figures and metrics to help determine whether a company is undervalued at its current share price levels.
Our Value category highlights undervalued companies by looking at a variety of key metrics, including the popular P/E ratio, as well as the P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a variety of other fundamentals that have been used by value investors for years.
EDU currently has a forward P/E ratio of 14.36, while LOPE has a forward P/E of 16.25. We also note that EDU has a PEG ratio of 0.77. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. LOPE currently has a PEG ratio of 1.08.
Another notable valuation metric for EDU is its P/B ratio of 1.92. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. For comparison, LOPE has a P/B of 6.33.
These metrics, and several others, help EDU earn a Value grade of B, while LOPE has been given a Value grade of C.
Both EDU and LOPE are impressive stocks with solid earnings outlooks, but based on these valuation figures, we feel that EDU is the superior value option right now.
Investors interested in stocks from the Schools sector have probably already heard of TAL Education (TAL) and Grand Canyon Education (LOPE). But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now?
A downtrend has been apparent in Grand Canyon Education (LOPE - Free Report) lately with too much selling pressure. The stock has declined 10.3% over the past four weeks. However, given the fact that it is now in oversold territory and Wall Street analysts are majorly in agreement about the company's ability to report better earnings than they predicted earlier, the stock could be due for a turnaround.
We use Relative Strength Index (RSI), one of the most commonly used technical indicators, for spotting whether a stock is oversold. This is a momentum oscillator that measures the speed and change of price movements.
RSI oscillates between zero and 100. Usually, a stock is considered oversold when its RSI reading falls below 30.
Technically, every stock oscillates between being overbought and oversold irrespective of the quality of their fundamentals. And the beauty of RSI is that it helps you quickly and easily check if a stock's price is reaching a point of reversal.
So, by this measure, if a stock has gotten too far below its fair value just because of unwarranted selling pressure, investors may start looking for entry opportunities in the stock for benefiting from the inevitable rebound.
However, like every investing tool, RSI has its limitations, and should not be used alone for making an investment decision.
Why a Trend Reversal is Due for LOPEThe heavy selling of LOPE shares appears to be in the process of exhausting itself, as indicated by its RSI reading of 29.81. So, the trend for the stock could reverse soon for reaching the old equilibrium of supply and demand.
The RSI value is not the only factor that indicates a potential turnaround for the stock in the near term. On the fundamental side, there has been strong agreement among the sell-side analysts covering the stock in raising earnings estimates for the current year. Over the last 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for LOPE has increased 1.2%. And an upward trend in earnings estimate revisions usually translates into price appreciation in the near term.
Moreover, LOPE currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), which means it is in the top 20% of more than 4,000 stocks that we rank based on trends in earnings estimate revisions and EPS surprises. This is a more conclusive indication of the stock's potential turnaround in the near term. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .
Top Wall Street analysts changed their outlook on these top names. For a complete view of all analyst rating changes, including upgrades, downgrades and initiations, please see our analyst ratings page.
Considering buying LOPE stock? Here’s what analysts think:
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