Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (LOPE) Soars to 52-Week High, Time to Cash Out?

Have you been paying attention to shares of Grand Canyon Education (LOPE)? Shares have been on the move with the stock up 19.7% over the past month. The stock hit a new 52-week high of $203.18 in the previous session. Grand Canyon Education has gained 23.9% since the start of the year compared to the 9.6% move for the Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector and the 6% return for the Zacks Schools industry.What's Driving the Outperformance?The stock has an impressive record of positive earnings surprises, having beaten the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the last four quarters. In its last earnings report on August 6, 2025, Grand Canyon Education reported EPS of $1.53 versus consensus estimate of $1.37.For the current fiscal year, Grand Canyon Education is expected to post earnings of $9.07 per share on $1.1 in revenues. This represents a 12.81% change in EPS on a 6.85% change in revenues. For the next fiscal year, the company is expected to earn $10.09 per share on $1.17 in revenues. This represents a year-over-year change of 11.25% and 6%, respectively.Valuation MetricsGrand Canyon Education may be at a 52-week high right now, but what might the future hold for the stock? A key aspect of this question is taking a look at valuation metrics in order to determine if the company is due for a pullback from this level.On this front, we can look at the Zacks Style Scores, as they provide investors with an additional way to sort through stocks (beyond looking at the Zacks Rank of a security). These styles are represented by grades running from A to F in the categories of Value, Growth, and Momentum, while there is a combined VGM Score as well. The idea behind the style scores is to help investors pick the most appropriate Zacks Rank stocks based on their individual investment style.Grand Canyon Education has a Value Score of D. The stock's Growth and Momentum Scores are A and D, respectively, giving the company a VGM Score of B.In terms of its value breakdown, the stock currently trades at 22.4X current fiscal year EPS estimates, which is a premium to the peer industry average of 15.2X. On a trailing cash flow basis, the stock currently trades at 21.8X versus its peer group's average of 12X. Additionally, the stock has a PEG ratio of 1.49. This isn't enough to put the company in the top echelon of all stocks we cover from a value perspective.Zacks RankWe also need to consider the stock's Zacks Rank, as this is even more important than the company's VGM Score. Fortunately, Grand Canyon Education currently has a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy) thanks to favorable earnings estimate revisions from covering analysts.Since we recommend that investors select stocks carrying Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) and Style Scores of A or B, it looks as if Grand Canyon Education meets the list of requirements. Thus, it seems as though Grand Canyon Education shares could have potential in the weeks and months to come.How Does LOPE Stack Up to the Competition?Shares of LOPE have been soaring, and the company still appears to be a decent choice, but what about the rest of the industry? One industry peer that looks good is Stride, Inc. (LRN). LRN has a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy) and a Value Score of B, a Growth Score of A, and a Momentum Score of D.Earnings were strong last quarter. Stride, Inc. beat our consensus estimate by 25.14%, and for the current fiscal year, LRN is expected to post earnings of $8.52 per share on revenue of $2.68 billion.Shares of Stride, Inc. have gained 26.1% over the past month, and currently trade at a forward P/E of 19.2X and a P/CF of 14.56X.The Schools industry is in the top 13% of all the industries we have in our universe, so it looks like there are some nice tailwinds for LOPE and LRN, even beyond their own solid fundamental situation.#1 Semiconductor Stock to Buy (Not NVDA)The incredible demand for data is fueling the market's next digital gold rush. As data centers continue to be built and constantly upgraded, the companies that provide the hardware for these behemoths will become the NVIDIAs of tomorrow.One under-the-radar chipmaker is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the next growth stage of this market. It specializes in semiconductor products that titans like NVIDIA don't build. It's just beginning to enter the spotlight, which is exactly where you want to be.See This Stock Now for Free >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (LOPE): Free Stock Analysis Report Stride, Inc. (LRN): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks