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Grand Canyon Education, Inc.
$4.1B
Market Cap
21.6
P/E
1.16
PEG
ROCE
ROE
D/E
24.0%
OPM
-32.5%
% from 52W High
22
α RS
🔍 LOPE is showing a sector-leadership setup because Sector RRG has Consumer Staples in the Leading quadrant with the trail still strengthening, an ECS of 60.9 last quarter, and it's hugging the 21 EMA. Net: Broad signal stack, not a recommendation. ? RRG ECS Technicals
Sources
Consumer Staples in Leading quadrant · ECS 60.9 · hugging 21 EMA
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📈 Price History
Ratio Health
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About

Grand Canyon Education, Inc. operates as an education services company in the United States.

Key Ratios Snapshot
📈 Growth Pattern
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⭐ Superinvestors Holding LOPE
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Manager Shares Value % of Fund Period
Jim Simons Renaissance Technologies LLC 215.1K $36.6M 0.06% Mar 2026
Steve Cohen Point72 Asset Management 123.5K $21.0M 0.03% Mar 2026

SEC Form 13F data. 45-day lag from quarter end.

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📊 MIXED Grand Canyon Education Q1 2026: Service revenue $308.8M, online enrollment up 8.8%.
Revenue & Profitability
First quarter 2026 service revenue was $308.8 million, up 6.7% year-over-year from $289.3 million. Operating income was $95.5 million (30.9% margin) versus $88.0 million (30.4%) in Q1 2025. GAAP net income was $75.3 million; adjusted non-GAAP diluted EPS was $2.86, $0.08 above consensus. The company repurchased 724,408 shares in Q1 for $120.4 million.
Outlook
Management believes AI will create winners and losers within higher education; institutions that are flexible, fast, and scalable will flourish. They see AI increasing demand for formal higher education in licensure-requiring fields (nursing, teaching, counseling) and making curriculum more targeted while supporting student outcomes. The lead generation environment is shifting due to AI-driven consumer behavior, but GCE's employer-direct channel and strong brands position it well.
Growth Drivers
Online enrollment grew 8.8% in Q1 2026, exceeding long-term objectives, driven by 20+ new programs annually, employer partnerships (30% of starts), strong retention, and competitive pricing. Hybrid enrollment (excluding closed/teach-out sites) grew 20.3% year-over-year, fueled by ABSN programs and online prerequisite courses (23,104 pre-req students enrolled). GCU's ground traditional campus saw fall 2026 registrations ahead of last year, supported by the Honors College expansion and a new state-of-the-art facility.
Balance Sheet & CapEx
Q1 2026 CapEx was $8.1 million (2.6% of service revenue), including spending for new off-campus classroom and laboratory sites. Full-year 2026 CapEx is guided between $30 million and $35 million. The company is investing in technology services, AI implementation, partner initiatives, and new hybrid site openings (1–2 more expected in H2 2026, with some delayed to early 2027).
Margins
Q1 2026 operating margin was 30.9%, up from 30.4% a year ago, driven by higher revenue and contract modifications. Management expects margin expansion in 2026, though pressure comes from the mix shift to lower-tuition licensure programs, increased technology and benefit costs, and upfront costs for new hybrid sites. Full-year margin guidance is reaffirmed, with revenue guidance slightly updated for the Q1 beat.
Key Risks
Management flagged several risks: the shift in lead generation due to AI reducing reliance on organizational websites; capacity constraints at 14 hybrid locations that are at or near capacity, limiting growth; and pressure on margins and revenue per student from the mix shift to lower-tuition programs. The effective tax rate is rising due to state tax exposure and declining excess tax benefits. Macro trends and tough year-over-year comps may challenge ground enrollment growth.
Generated by AI · Q1 2026 results · Not investment advice
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✓ 📞 Earnings Call Transcripts (5 quarters) submit a missing quarter
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📞 Earnings Call Transcripts (5)
Q2 2026 Q2 2026 2026-07-30
Q2 2026 saw strong financial results with service revenue up 6.7% and EPS beating consensus by $0.14. Online and hybrid enrollments grew, and new initiatives in honors, construction, and law are set to drive future growth. Amended MSA reduces revenue but has minimal impact on operating income.
Q1 2026 Q1 2026 2026-04-30
Q1 2026 saw strong online and hybrid enrollment growth, a 6.7% YoY revenue increase, and margin expansion. Adjusted EPS beat consensus, and guidance for 2026 was reaffirmed despite minor revenue headwinds from contract changes. Share repurchases and AI-driven strategies remain key priorities.
Q4 2025 Q4 2025 2026-02-18
Q4 2025 saw 8.7% online and 18.7% hybrid enrollment growth, with revenue up 5.3% year-over-year and EPS beating consensus. 2026 guidance projects continued enrollment and margin growth, with strong investments in AI, workforce programs, and share repurchases.
Q3 2025 Q3 2025 2025-11-05
Q3 2025 saw 9.6% online and 19.3% hybrid enrollment growth, with service revenue up 9.6% year-over-year. Adjusted EPS rose to $1.78, and guidance remains strong despite a $3M Q4 impact from the government shutdown on military tuition assistance.
Q2 2025 Q2 2025 2025-08-06
Q2 2025 saw strong enrollment and revenue growth, with online and hybrid segments outperforming expectations. Net income rose 19.1% and guidance for the full year was raised, supported by robust demand and new program launches.
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Financial Model
Projections are built from each company's audited annual financials (Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow) over the last 5 fiscal years. Forward assumptions — revenue growth %, EBITDA margin, D&A (USD millions), interest expense, tax rate, and capex — are AI-generated using historical context and refreshed twice a year: after the December results season and after the September/Q4 results season.

DCF Valuation
Fair Value = Σ(FCFt / (1+WACC)t) + Terminal Value. Terminal Value uses the Gordon Growth Model: FCF5 × (1+g) / (WACC−g). Default WACC: 10% (US risk-free ~4.5%, equity risk premium ~5.5%). Default terminal growth: 3% (long-run US nominal GDP proxy).

CAGR Tracker
Expected 5-year CAGR = (DCF Fair Value / Current Price)1/5 − 1. Assumes fair value is reached in exactly 5 years — a mechanical estimate only.

Data Sources & Limitations
Financial statements sourced from public filings. Prices updated daily. Forward assumptions are AI-generated. All monetary values in USD millions. Non-US ADR companies may have currency conversion inaccuracies. Models are point-in-time and do not update intra-quarter or account for M&A, macro shocks, or extraordinary items.

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