GRAND CANYON EDUCATION, INC. REPORTS SECOND QUARTER 2026 RESULTS
PHOENIX, July 30, 2026 /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:
For the six months ended June 30, 2026:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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]
SOURCE Grand Canyon Education, Inc.