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CoreCivic, Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 8 raised, 2 lowered, 4 new, 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Activated facilities drove the per-share gain: Management attributed the increase in diluted and adjusted diluted EPS mainly to idle facilities activated under new contract awards, plus higher populations and acquisitions. Source
  • Federal revenue rose on ICE occupancy: Federal revenue increased $78.2 million, or 27.2%, mainly from higher occupancy at ICE-contracted facilities and per diem increases. Source
  • Residential margin fell to 22.4%: Residential operating margin was 22.4% against 26.1%, mainly from $8.2 million of prior-year ERCs excluding interest. Source
  • Four facilities sold for $2.2 billion: Four detention facilities were sold to the federal government partner for $2.2 billion gross, about $307,000 per bed, after quarter-end. Source
  • Gain of about $1.8 billion in Q3: Gain on sale is expected at about $1.8 billion and will be reported in the third quarter of 2026. Source
  • Sale proceeds repaid bank debt: About $1.1 billion of net sale proceeds paid down bank debt, including the full $270.0 million revolver balance and the $100.0 million incremental term loan. Source
  • ICE awarded Prairie Facility contract: ICE awarded a five-year contract for the Prairie Facility, idle since 2010, paying a fixed monthly amount plus a per diem based on detainee populations. Source

“the second quarter financial results exceeded our expectations, driven by lower operating costs and slightly higher populations from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).”

Patrick Swindle, CoreCivic’s President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net income Sourcefull year 2026$1.497 billion to $1.516 billionRaised from $147.8 million to $157.8 million
Adjusted Net Income Sourcefull year 2026$161.5 million to $169.5 millionRaised from $149.5 million to $159.5 million
Diluted EPS Sourcefull year 2026$15.00 to $15.20Raised from $1.51 to $1.61
Adjusted diluted EPS Sourcefull year 2026$1.62 to $1.70Raised from $1.53 to $1.63
FFO per diluted share Sourcefull year 2026$2.59 to $2.68Raised from $2.58 to $2.68
Normalized FFO per diluted share Sourcefull year 2026$2.61 to $2.70Raised from $2.60 to $2.70
EBITDA Sourcefull year 2026$2.222 billion to $2.242 billionRaised from $451.3 million to $459.3 million
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefull year 2026$440.5 million to $445.5 millionLowered from $453.8 million to $461.8 million
Gain on sale of four facilities Sourcethird quarter 2026approximately $1.8 billionNew
Net proceeds from facility sales Sourceafter taxes and transaction costsapproximately $1.6 billionNew
Prairie Facility annual revenue Sourceonce fully activatedapproximately $75 millionNew
Total debt outstanding Sourceafter debt repaymentsapproximately $739.1 millionNew
Maintenance capex, real estate assets Source2026$30.0 million to $35.0 millionKept
Maintenance capex, other assets and IT Source2026$35.0 million to $40.0 millionRaised from $30.0 million to $35.0 million
Other capital investments Source2026$15.0 millionKept
Capex for idled facility activations Source2026$35.0 million to $40.0 millionLowered from $40.0 million to $45.0 million

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Net income and diluted EPS guidance raised; management names the gain on sale as the most notable effect. Source
  • Guidance raised: Adjusted diluted EPS guidance moved to $1.62 to $1.70 from $1.53 to $1.63. Source
  • Guidance raised: Normalized FFO per diluted share guidance moved to $2.61 to $2.70 from $2.60 to $2.70. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Adjusted EBITDA guidance lowered to $440.5 million to $445.5 million from $453.8 million to $461.8 million. Source
  • Guidance raised: Maintenance capex on other assets and IT raised to $35.0 million to $40.0 million from $30.0 million to $35.0 million. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Capex for idled facility activations lowered to $35.0 million to $40.0 million from $40.0 million to $45.0 million. Source
  • Guidance kept: Maintenance capex on real estate assets remains $30.0 million to $35.0 million. Source
  • New: Four detention facilities sold to the federal government partner after quarter-end, with gross proceeds of $2.2 billion. Source
  • New: Board increased the share repurchase authorization by $500.0 million, to $1.2 billion in total. Source
  • New: New five-year management contract with ICE for the idle Prairie Facility, starting August 11, 2026. Source
  • New: Preliminary discussions begun with ICE about buying additional detention facilities; no sale assured. Source
  • New: Company called its 4.75% senior notes due 2027 for redemption on August 12, 2026. Source
  • New: Reporting segments redefined from the second quarter of 2026 into Residential, Services and Properties. Source
  • Ended: The Safety and Community segments reported in the first quarter are no longer used.

Results and growth drivers

  • Net income fell while diluted EPS rose: Net income was $37.1 million against $38.5 million a year earlier. Diluted EPS was $0.37 against $0.35, an increase of 5.7%. Source
  • Activated facilities drove the per-share gain: Management attributed the increase in diluted and adjusted diluted EPS mainly to idle facilities activated under new contract awards, plus higher populations and acquisitions. Source
  • Prior-year tax credit flatters comparison: The prior-year quarter included $11.6 million of Employee Retention Credits and interest. Management said growth would be larger without that benefit. Source
  • EBITDA rose on activations and acquisitions: Adjusted EBITDA was $109.4 million against $103.3 million. Five activated facilities and the Farmville and CSP acquisitions drove the rise, partly offset by higher G&A. Source

Segments and reporting changes

  • Reporting segments redefined from Q2: From the second quarter, reporting moved from the first-quarter segments to Residential, Services and Properties, aligned to how the businesses are managed. Source
  • Residential covers 64 managed facilities: Residential includes 64 correctional, detention and reentry facilities managed, 60 owned or leased long-term, with design capacity of 72,000 beds. Source
  • Services segment adds pharmacy and transport: Services covers CSP mail-order pharmacy, TransCor transportation and Recovery Monitoring Solutions electronic monitoring for the corrections industry. Source
  • Four activated sites earned operating income: Four recently activated facilities produced $21.1 million of operating income in the quarter. Several remain in various stages of activation. Source

“Subsequent to quarter-end, we sold four of our detention facilities to our federal government partner for total gross proceeds of $2.2 billion, or $307,000 per bed, demonstrating the value of our real estate portfolio.”

Patrick Swindle, CoreCivic’s President and Chief Executive Officer

Federal and state demand

  • Federal customers held near 53% of revenue: Federal customers in the Residential segment made up about 53% of total revenue in both the 2026 and 2025 quarters. Source
  • Federal revenue rose on ICE occupancy: Federal revenue increased $78.2 million, or 27.2%, mainly from higher occupancy at ICE-contracted facilities and per diem increases. Source
  • ICE populations fell at other sites: Margins were also reduced by a drop in ICE populations at facilities other than the recently activated ones. Source

Margins and costs

  • Residential margin fell to 22.4%: Residential operating margin was 22.4% against 26.1%, mainly from $8.2 million of prior-year ERCs excluding interest. Source
  • Activated sites expected to lift margins: Management expects margins at the activated facilities to keep rising in later quarters as occupancy at those facilities increases. Source
  • Incentive pay lifts G&A: Updated guidance includes higher general and administrative expense from incentive compensation tied to the facility sales. Source

“The sale of these facilities substantially strengthens our balance sheet and provides us significant flexibility with our capital allocation strategy and growth plans.”

Patrick Swindle, CoreCivic’s President and Chief Executive Officer

Facility sales and gain

  • Four facilities sold for $2.2 billion: Four detention facilities were sold to the federal government partner for $2.2 billion gross, about $307,000 per bed, after quarter-end. Source
  • Gain of about $1.8 billion in Q3: Gain on sale is expected at about $1.8 billion and will be reported in the third quarter of 2026. Source
  • Net proceeds near $1.6 billion after taxes: After about $0.5 billion of federal and state income taxes and transaction costs, net proceeds from the sales are expected near $1.6 billion. Source
  • Two sales closed July 2 and August 4: California City and Otay Mesa sales closed July 2, 2026. Prairie and Midwest sales closed August 4, 2026. Source

Debt, notes and buybacks

  • Sale proceeds repaid bank debt: About $1.1 billion of net sale proceeds paid down bank debt, including the full $270.0 million revolver balance and the $100.0 million incremental term loan. Source
  • 2027 Notes called for August 12: Remaining 2027 Notes, with $238.5 million principal outstanding, will be redeemed at 100% plus a make-whole premium and accrued interest. Source
  • Buyback authorization raised by $500 million: Board added $500.0 million to the repurchase program, lifting total authorization to $1.2 billion, with $755.8 million remaining. Source
  • No shares repurchased in second quarter: The company bought no shares in the second quarter. Since May 2022 it has repurchased 28.1 million shares for $444.2 million in total. Source

Acquisitions and strategy

  • CSP earn-out remeasured each period: Clinical Solutions Pharmacy earn-out is remeasured at fair value each period until cash settlement, expected in the first half of 2027. Source
  • ICE awarded Prairie Facility contract: ICE awarded a five-year contract for the Prairie Facility, idle since 2010, paying a fixed monthly amount plus a per diem based on detainee populations. Source
  • Further ICE facility sales in talks: Talks with ICE on possible further facility purchases are preliminary, and management gives no assurance that any sale will occur. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 August 2026

  • Prairie detainee intake starts Q4: Prairie contract started August 11, 2026. First detainees expected in Q4 2026, with full activation estimated in Q2 2027. Source
  • 2027 Notes redemption on August 12: Redemption of the 2027 Notes that remain outstanding is scheduled for August 12, 2026. Source
  • Investor materials posted around August 24: Written materials for investor presentations are to be posted on the website beginning on or about August 24, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
FFO per diluted share Source$0.63 (second quarter 2025: $0.58)
Normalized FFO per diluted share Source$0.64 (second quarter 2025: $0.59)
Occupancy, Residential segment Source78.4% (second quarter 2025: 76.8%)
Leverage, net debt to Adjusted EBITDA Source2.9x, trailing twelve months
Dispositions, gross proceeds Source$2.2 billion, four facilities
Acquisitions, purchase price Source$199.8 million, Clinical Solutions Pharmacy

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: ICE contracts can be terminated for non-appropriation of funds or for convenience, which management says gives ICE the ability to end them. Source
  • Regulatory: Management gives no assurance it will keep managing the four sold facilities, or that current contract terms will stay the same. Source
  • Operational: Prairie start-up costs, including hiring and preparing the facility, are expected to reduce margins in the second half of 2026. Source
  • Financial: Guidance excludes any buybacks in the second half, which would reduce interest income on cash used and could lower net income and FFO. Source
  • External: Management says the talks with ICE about additional sales are preliminary and no additional sale is assured. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management restated that operating margins at the activated facilities are expected to rise in later quarters as occupancy increases. Source
  • Met: Management states the CSP acquisition, disclosed in the prior quarter, was completed on April 1, 2026. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.