Grand Canyon Education (NASDAQ:LOPE) Given New $155.00 Price Target at BMO Capital Markets

Grand Canyon Education (NASDAQ:LOPE) had its price objective upped by BMO Capital Markets from $150.00 to $155.00 in a report issued on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. They currently have an outperform rating on the stock.

A number of other equities research analysts have also weighed in on LOPE. Robert W. Baird lifted their price objective on Grand Canyon Education from $165.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday. Barrington Research reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $160.00 target price on shares of Grand Canyon Education in a research note on Thursday, April 18th.

Grand Canyon Education Trading Up 1.5 %

Shares of NASDAQ:LOPE traded up $2.18 on Wednesday, reaching $149.26. 276,848 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 202,621. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $133.28 and its 200 day simple moving average is $132.36. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.44 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.95, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.19 and a beta of 0.60. Grand Canyon Education has a 52 week low of $99.65 and a 52 week high of $156.56.

Grand Canyon Education (NASDAQ:LOPE) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 7th. The company reported $2.35 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.22 by $0.13. The business had revenue of $274.68 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $272.42 million. Grand Canyon Education had a net margin of 21.33% and a return on equity of 31.75%. The company’s revenue was up 9.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.00 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Grand Canyon Education will post 7.65 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In related news, CTO Dilek Marsh sold 1,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $132.65, for a total transaction of $198,975.00. Following the sale, the chief technology officer now owns 25,674 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,405,656.10. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Company insiders own 2.00% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Grand Canyon Education

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in LOPE. GAMMA Investing LLC bought a new stake in Grand Canyon Education in the 4th quarter worth about $54,000. Blue Trust Inc. lifted its position in Grand Canyon Education by 120.2% during the fourth quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 425 shares of the company’s stock valued at $56,000 after purchasing an additional 232 shares during the period. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Grand Canyon Education by 208.6% in the fourth quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 429 shares of the company’s stock worth $57,000 after purchasing an additional 290 shares during the last quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. grew its position in Grand Canyon Education by 41.2% in the 4th quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. now owns 497 shares of the company’s stock worth $66,000 after purchasing an additional 145 shares during the period. Finally, Headlands Technologies LLC purchased a new stake in Grand Canyon Education during the 4th quarter valued at $101,000. 94.17% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Grand Canyon Education Company Profile

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.