Grand Canyon Education (NASDAQ:LOPE) Releases Q3 2026 Earnings Guidance

Grand Canyon Education (NASDAQ:LOPE) issued an update on its third quarter 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided EPS guidance of 1.740-1.780 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 1.830. The company issued revenue guidance of $268.5 million-$270.5 million, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $270.3 million. Grand Canyon Education also updated its FY 2026 guidance to 10.180-10.320 EPS.

Grand Canyon Education Stock Performance

Shares of Grand Canyon Education stock traded down $9.18 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $150.13. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 499,224 shares, compared to its average volume of 350,610. The company has a market capitalization of $3.98 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.77, a P/E/G ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 0.57. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $147.60 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $160.31. Grand Canyon Education has a one year low of $134.27 and a one year high of $223.04.

Grand Canyon Education (NASDAQ:LOPE) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $1.81 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.69 by $0.12. Grand Canyon Education had a net margin of 19.54% and a return on equity of 34.72%. The company had revenue of $264.05 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $261.80 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.53 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts forecast that Grand Canyon Education will post 10.04 earnings per share for the current year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

LOPE has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Truist Financial set a $100.00 price objective on Grand Canyon Education in a report on Tuesday, June 9th. BMO Capital Markets decreased 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 lowered Grand Canyon Education from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Thursday, June 25th. Finally, 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. Three 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, Grand Canyon Education has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $171.67.

Key Stories Impacting Grand Canyon Education

Here are the key news stories impacting Grand Canyon Education this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Grand Canyon Education reported second-quarter EPS of $1.81, exceeding the $1.69 analyst consensus and rising from $1.53 a year earlier. Revenue increased 6.7% year over year to $264.05 million, also surpassing the $261.80 million estimate. Grand Canyon Education Surpasses Q2 Earnings and Revenue Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Management raised its full-year 2026 EPS outlook to $10.18-$10.32, above the $10.07 consensus estimate. The update supports the view that enrollment-related growth and operating efficiency remain on track. Grand Canyon Education Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: The company continued to generate substantial cash, with reported quarterly operating cash flow of approximately $108.6 million, while maintaining strong profitability metrics, including a 19.54% net margin and 34.72% return on equity.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst sentiment remains favorable, with recent coverage including a Buy rating and a reported median price target of $200, although institutional ownership activity was mixed, with some funds adding shares and others reducing positions.
• Negative Sentiment: Third-quarter EPS guidance of $1.74-$1.78 was below the $1.83 analyst consensus. Revenue guidance of $268.5-$270.5 million was broadly in line with expectations, suggesting the near-term pressure is more related to profitability than sales growth. Grand Canyon Education Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Grand Canyon Education

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of LOPE. NewEdge Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of 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 acquiring an additional 1,866 shares during the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of 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 raised its stake in shares of 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 boosted its holdings in shares of Grand Canyon Education by 7.3% in 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 worth $21,318,000 after buying an additional 8,421 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Jane Street Group LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Grand Canyon Education by 156.9% in the 1st quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 37,350 shares of the company’s stock worth $6,462,000 after buying an additional 22,812 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 94.17% of the company’s stock.

About Grand Canyon Education

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.