Grand Canyon Education has had an impressive run over the past six months. While the S&P 500 has been flat, the stock has returned 20.6% and now trades at $173.35. This performance may have investors wondering how to approach the situation.
Is it too late to buy LOPE? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.
Why Does LOPE Stock Spark Debate?
Founded in 1949, Grand Canyon Education (NASDAQ: LOPE) is an educational services provider known for its operation at Grand Canyon University.
Two Things to Like:
1. Operating Margin Reveals a Well-Run Organization
Operating margin is an important measure of profitability as it shows the portion of revenue left after accounting for all core expenses – everything from the cost of goods sold to advertising and wages. It’s also useful for comparing profitability across companies with different levels of debt and tax rates because it excludes interest and taxes.
Grand Canyon Education’s operating margin might fluctuated slightly over the last 12 months but has generally stayed the same, averaging 26.3% over the last two years. This profitability was elite for a consumer discretionary business thanks to its efficient cost structure and economies of scale.
2. New Investments Bear Fruit as ROIC Jumps
A company’s ROIC, or return on invested capital, shows how much operating profit it makes compared to the money it has raised (debt and equity).
We like to invest in businesses with high returns, but the trend in a company’s ROIC is what often surprises the market and moves the stock price. Over the last few years, Grand Canyon Education’s ROIC has increased significantly. This is a great sign when paired with its already strong returns. It could suggest its competitive advantage or profitable growth opportunities are expanding.
One Reason to be Careful:
Weak Growth in Students Points to Soft Demand
Revenue growth can be broken down into changes in price and volume (for companies like Grand Canyon Education, our preferred volume metric is students). While both are important, the latter is the most critical to analyze because prices have a ceiling.
Grand Canyon Education’s students came in at 127,155 in the latest quarter, and over the last two years, averaged 5.3% year-on-year growth. This performance was underwhelming and suggests it might have to lower prices or invest in product improvements to accelerate growth, factors that can hinder near-term profitability. 
Final Judgment
Grand Canyon Education has huge potential even though it has some open questions, and with its shares outperforming the market lately, the stock trades at 19.8× forward price-to-earnings (or $173.35 per share). Is now the right time to buy? See for yourself in our in-depth research report, it’s free.
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