Grand Canyon Education (NASDAQ:LOPE) Issues Quarterly Earnings Results

Grand Canyon Education (NASDAQ:LOPE) released its earnings results on Wednesday. The company reported $2.95 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.93 by $0.02, Zacks reports. Grand Canyon Education had a return on equity of 31.01% and a net margin of 22.09%.

Grand Canyon Education Trading Down 0.8 %

NASDAQ:LOPE traded down $1.50 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $184.02. 404,123 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 138,485. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.39 and a beta of 0.74. Grand Canyon Education has a one year low of $126.17 and a one year high of $185.66. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $170.10 and a 200 day simple moving average of $154.97.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Grand Canyon Education news, CTO Dilek Marsh sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $166.07, for a total transaction of $249,105.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief technology officer now directly owns 21,174 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,516,366.18. This trade represents a 6.62 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 2.00% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have recently commented on the company. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on Grand Canyon Education from $152.00 to $173.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 7th. Robert W. Baird increased their price target on Grand Canyon Education from $170.00 to $186.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 7th. Barrington Research reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $180.00 price target on shares of Grand Canyon Education in a research note on Monday, January 27th. Finally, StockNews.com cut Grand Canyon Education from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, November 15th.

About Grand Canyon Education

Grand Canyon Education, Inc provides education services to colleges and universities in the United States. It offers technology services, including learning management system, internal administration, infrastructure, and support services; academic services, such as program and curriculum, faculty and related training and development, class scheduling, and skills and simulation lab sites; and counseling services and support services comprising admission, financial aid, and field experience and other counseling services.