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Grand Canyon Education, Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 30 July 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 6 raised, 14 lowered, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Service revenue rose 6.7%: Second quarter service revenue was $264.0 million, up from $247.5 million. Six-month service revenue was $572.8 million, also up 6.7%. Source
  • Operating income rose 12.3%: Operating income was $58.2 million, up from $51.8 million. The operating margin was 22.0% against 20.9% a year earlier. Source
  • Net income and diluted EPS rose: Net income was $45.9 million, up 10.4%. Diluted EPS was $1.75 against $1.48; as adjusted, diluted EPS was $1.81 against $1.53. Source
  • Cash and investments fell in first half: Cash and investments decreased $25.6 million to $274.5 million, largely from share repurchases and capital expenditures exceeding operating cash flow. Source
  • Partner enrollments rose 7.6%: University partner enrollments reached 126,231 at June 30, 2026, up from 117,283 a year earlier. Source
  • Third-quarter ranges lowered: Third-quarter service revenue, operating margin, tax rate, EPS and share count ranges were all set lower than in the first-quarter release. Source
  • Full-year revenue range lowered: Full-year service revenue range is $1,165.3 million to $1,172.3 million, against $1,169.3 million to $1,189.8 million previously. Source

“The increase year over year in service revenue was primarily due to an increase in university partner enrollments of 7.6% to 126,231 at June 30, 2026 as compared to 117,283 at June 30, 2025.”

Grand Canyon Education, Inc., press release

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Service revenue SourceQ3 2026$268.5 million to $270.5 millionLowered from $271.5 million to $278.5 million
Operating margin SourceQ3 202619.5% to 20.0%Lowered from 21.0% to 23.0%
Effective tax rate SourceQ3 202620.8%Lowered from 24.9%
Diluted EPS SourceQ3 2026$1.68 to $1.72Lowered from $1.72 to $1.91
Adjusted diluted EPS (non-GAAP) SourceQ3 2026$1.74 to $1.78Lowered from $1.78 to $1.97
Diluted shares SourceQ3 202625.8 millionLowered from 26.1 million
Amortization of intangibles, net of tax (EPS impact) SourceQ3 2026$1.7 million; $0.06 per diluted shareRaised from $1.6 million; $0.06 per diluted share
Service revenue SourceQ4 2026$324.0 million to $329.0 millionLowered from $329.0 million to $338.5 million
Operating margin SourceQ4 202636.9% to 37.4%Lowered from 36.4% to 38.2%
Effective tax rate SourceQ4 202623.2%Lowered from 24.3%
Diluted EPS SourceQ4 2026$3.69 to $3.79Raised from $3.59 to $3.87
Adjusted diluted EPS (non-GAAP) SourceQ4 2026$3.75 to $3.85Raised from $3.65 to $3.93
Diluted shares SourceQ4 202625.4 millionLowered from 25.8 million
Amortization of intangibles, net of tax (EPS impact) SourceQ4 2026$1.6 million; $0.06 per diluted shareKept
Service revenue SourceFull year 2026$1,165.3 million to $1,172.3 millionLowered from $1,169.3 million to $1,189.8 million
Operating margin SourceFull year 202628.0% to 28.2%Lowered from 27.8% to 29.0%
Effective tax rate SourceFull year 202623.2%Lowered from 24.3%
Diluted EPS SourceFull year 2026$9.93 to $10.07Raised from $9.69 to $10.26
Adjusted diluted EPS (non-GAAP) SourceFull year 2026$10.18 to $10.32Raised from $9.93 to $10.50
Diluted shares SourceFull year 202626.1 millionLowered from 26.2 million
Amortization of intangibles, net of tax (EPS impact) SourceFull year 2026$6.5 million; $0.25 per diluted shareRaised from $6.4 million; $0.24 per diluted share

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Third-quarter guidance ranges set lower for service revenue, operating margin, tax rate, diluted EPS, adjusted EPS and share count. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Fourth-quarter service revenue and operating margin ranges set lower; tax rate and share count also lower. Source
  • Guidance raised: Fourth-quarter diluted EPS range narrowed with a slightly higher midpoint. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year service revenue and operating margin ranges set lower. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year diluted and adjusted EPS ranges narrowed with higher midpoints. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Planned second-half off-campus site openings reduced to one additional site in the fall of 2026. Source

Results and liquidity

  • Service revenue rose 6.7%: Second quarter service revenue was $264.0 million, up from $247.5 million. Six-month service revenue was $572.8 million, also up 6.7%. Source
  • Operating income rose 12.3%: Operating income was $58.2 million, up from $51.8 million. The operating margin was 22.0% against 20.9% a year earlier. Source
  • Net income and diluted EPS rose: Net income was $45.9 million, up 10.4%. Diluted EPS was $1.75 against $1.48; as adjusted, diluted EPS was $1.81 against $1.53. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 8.9%: Adjusted EBITDA was $73.4 million, up from $67.4 million. Six-month adjusted EBITDA rose 8.7% to $184.1 million. Source
  • Cash and investments fell in first half: Cash and investments decreased $25.6 million to $274.5 million, largely from share repurchases and capital expenditures exceeding operating cash flow. Source

University enrollment

  • Partner enrollments rose 7.6%: University partner enrollments reached 126,231 at June 30, 2026, up from 117,283 a year earlier. Source
  • GCU online enrollment up 7.8%: GCU online enrollments were 113,011, up from 104,856 a year earlier. Source
  • GCU ground enrollment up 3.9%: GCU ground enrollment was 8,910, up from 8,579. Ground counts fall between March 31 and June 30 each year, as June figures include only summer school students. Source

“The effective tax rate increased year over year due to higher state income taxes.”

Grand Canyon Education, Inc., press release

Revenue per student

  • Partner contract change cut per-student revenue: One partner's revenue share was reduced in exchange for no longer reimbursing certain faculty costs, which lowered revenue per student. Source
  • Off-campus nursing sites earn more per student: Accelerated nursing students at off-campus sites generate significantly higher revenue per student than under the GCU agreement, due to revenue share, tuition and credit load. Source
  • One ground revenue day moved to Q1: A start date shift moved one day of ground campus revenue, worth $1.0 million, from the second quarter into the first quarter of 2026. Source

Tax rate

  • Second-quarter tax expense rose 11.4%: Income tax expense was $15.0 million, up from $13.5 million a year earlier. Source
  • Second-quarter rate rose on state taxes: The effective tax rate was 24.7% against 24.5%, with higher state income taxes cited as the reason. Source
  • Six-month rate up on lower excess benefits: Six-month effective tax rate was 23.9% against 22.7%. Excess tax benefits fell to $1.4 million from $2.7 million as the stock price declined. Source

Guidance for 2026

  • Third-quarter ranges lowered: Third-quarter service revenue, operating margin, tax rate, EPS and share count ranges were all set lower than in the first-quarter release. Source
  • Fourth-quarter revenue range lowered: Fourth-quarter service revenue range is $324.0 million to $329.0 million, against $329.0 million to $338.5 million previously. Source
  • Full-year revenue range lowered: Full-year service revenue range is $1,165.3 million to $1,172.3 million, against $1,169.3 million to $1,189.8 million previously. Source
  • Full-year diluted EPS range narrowed: Full-year diluted EPS range is $9.93 to $10.07, narrowed from $9.69 to $10.26; adjusted range is $10.18 to $10.32. Source
  • Fourth-quarter EPS range narrowed: Fourth-quarter diluted EPS range is $3.69 to $3.79, narrowed from $3.59 to $3.87 in the first-quarter release. Source

Off-campus sites

  • Off-campus enrollment up 16.8%: Off-campus classroom and laboratory enrollments were 5,829, up 16.8%, including 1,519 GCU students; up 18.5% excluding closed or teach-out sites. Source
  • Site count held at 47: One new GCU site opened in the first half and one site closed after stopping new recruiting in 2025, leaving the total unchanged. Source
  • One more site planned for fall: Management plans one additional site in the fall of 2026. Source

Coming up, as management said on 30 July 2026

  • Fall 2026 site opening: Management plans one additional off-campus site to open in the fall of 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
University partner enrollments Source126,231 at June 30, 2026, up 7.6%
GCU enrollments Source121,921 at June 30, 2026, up 7.5%
GCU online enrollments Source113,011 at June 30, 2026, up 7.8%
GCU ground enrollments Source8,910 at June 30, 2026, up 3.9%
Off-campus classroom and laboratory site enrollments Source5,829, up 16.8%
Off-campus classroom and laboratory sites Source47

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Excess tax benefits and deficiencies from share awards make the tax provision more volatile, since they depend on the stock price when awards vest in March. Source
  • Demand: Online revenue per student is declining slightly as enrollment mix moves toward students with lower net tuition. 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.