Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (LOPE) AI Stock Analysis

NASDAQ: LOPEAI research summary: business, growth, valuation, analysts, bull and bear case.

LOPE AI stock analysis summary

AI Research

Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (LOPE) provides comprehensive educational, technological, counseling, and back-office support services to colleges and universities. In FY2025, the company delivered $1.11B in revenue alongside a 27.4% operating margin and generated $238.6M in free cash flow. It maintains a healthy financial position with $170.3M in net cash as of June 30, 2026.

Market cap
$4.21B
Revenue (TTM)
$1.14B
P/E
19.6x
fwd 13.3x
1Y return
-22.5%
S&P 500 16.8%
Avg. target
$194.00
20.1% vs last close

Bull case

  • Operating cash generation is robust, yielding $238.6M in free cash flow in FY2025.
  • Earnings momentum continues with quarterly earnings growth of 18.2% in the latest quarter ended June 30, 2026.
  • The company holds a net cash position of $170.3M and a low debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16.

Bear case

  • The stock has lagged the broader market with a 1-year return of -22.5% compared to 16.8% for the S&P 500.
  • Net income dropped from $226.2M in FY2024 to $216.2M in FY2025.
  • The stock carries a short interest equal to 9.0% of its float.

What Grand Canyon Education does

Grand Canyon Education, Inc. is a provider of comprehensive education services tailored for colleges and universities across the United States. Its offerings include learning management systems, administrative tools, curriculum development, faculty training, class scheduling, and simulation labs. In addition, the company provides student counseling for admissions and financial aid, marketing and communication strategies such as lead acquisition and data science, and back-office functions covering finance, human resources, and procurement. Through its Orbis Education Services, LLC subsidiary, the company supports healthcare education programs across 27 universities.

Growth and profitability

Revenue expanded from $896.6M in FY2021 to $1.11B in FY2025, posting a 5-year compound annual growth rate of 5.6%. Operating margin sat at 27.4% in FY2025, improving from 26.7% in FY2024 and 25.9% in FY2023. While net income slipped from $226.2M in FY2024 to $216.2M in FY2025, diluted earnings per share grew from $8.05 to $9.09 over the same period. For the trailing twelve months ended June 30, 2026, revenue stood at $1.14B with a profit margin of 19.6%. In the latest quarter, quarterly revenue grew 6.7% year-over-year, while quarterly earnings expanded 18.2%.

LOPE income statement →

Balance sheet and cash flow

As of June 30, 2026, Grand Canyon Education held $274.5M in cash and short-term investments against $104.2M in total debt, yielding net cash of $170.3M. The company shows a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16 and a current ratio of 2.82. During FY2025, it generated $273.5M in operating cash flow and deployed $34.9M toward capital expenditures, leaving $238.6M in free cash flow. Capital allocation focused heavily on share repurchases, totaling $264.8M in FY2025, which contributed to a 33.9% reduction in share count over 5 years.

LOPE balance sheet →

Valuation and performance

Grand Canyon Education trades at a trailing price-to-earnings multiple of 19.6x and a forward multiple of 13.3x, compared to medians of 18.6x and 14.3x for its US-listed Consumer Defensive peer group. Its enterprise value to EBITDA ratio is 10.5x, below the peer group median of 11.7x. The company's price-to-sales ratio is 3.7x, compared to the peer median of 0.7x. Over the past year, the stock fell 22.5%, underperforming the S&P 500 benchmark return of 16.8%, while its 5-year return of 79.7% closely tracked the index return of 83.0%.

LOPE key metrics →

What analysts expect

Wall Street coverage includes 2 Strong Buy ratings and 1 Buy rating from 3 analysts. The mean price target is $194.00, representing a 20.1% upside compared to the last close of $161.58. For the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026, consensus estimates project $1.17B in revenue and an EPS of $10.21, implying 12.5% earnings growth. For the subsequent year, estimates call for $1.24B in revenue and $11.31 in EPS. The company beat EPS estimates in 3 of the last 4 quarters, and its next earnings date is November 4, 2026.

LOPE forecast and price target →

Key risks and what to watch

  • Operating margin has contracted over the long term, moving from 31.5% in FY2021 to 22.0% on a trailing-twelve-month basis.
  • Top-line growth has been moderate, demonstrated by a 5-year revenue compound annual growth rate of 5.6%.
  • Short interest of 9.0% indicates that a noticeable portion of market participants anticipate downward price movement.

AI-generated research summary. Written with AI from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 and checked so every figure matches that data. For information only, not investment advice. Disclaimer

About this LOPE AI stock analysis

This page is an AI-written research summary of Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (LOPE). The text was generated on October 30, 2026 from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 (company profile, annual results, latest balance sheet, valuation, price performance and analyst estimates). An automatic check rejects any draft that contains a figure not found in that data. It is not investment advice; verify figures on the linked tabs before making decisions.

Related: LOPE income statement, LOPE balance sheet, LOPE key metrics, LOPE analyst forecast, LOPE chart. See the LOPE stock overview for the latest quote and news.

LOPE AI stock analysis FAQ

What is Grand Canyon Education's net cash position?

As of June 30, 2026, Grand Canyon Education held $274.5M in cash and short-term investments against $104.2M in total debt, resulting in a net cash position of $170.3M.

Does Grand Canyon Education pay a dividend?

Grand Canyon Education does not pay a dividend, directing its excess capital toward initiatives such as share buybacks, which totaled $264.8M in FY2025.

What are analysts forecasting for LOPE earnings?

Analysts estimate full-year FY2026 earnings per share of $10.21, representing 12.5% growth, and project FY2027 earnings per share to reach $11.31.

When is Grand Canyon Education's next earnings report?

Grand Canyon Education's next earnings report is scheduled for November 4, 2026.

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