Education & Training Services
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Side-by-side financial analysisStock Comparison
LGCY vs LOPE
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Education & Training Services
LGCY vs LOPE — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Education & Training Services | Education & Training Services |
| Market Cap | $139M | $4.00B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $78M | $817M |
| Net Income (TTM) | $8M | $220M |
| Gross Margin | 46.7% | 51.6% |
| Operating Margin | 14.4% | 38.0% |
| Forward P/E | 16.4x | 14.6x |
| Total Debt | $18M | $200M |
| Cash & Equiv. | $20M | $112M |
LGCY vs LOPE — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | Sep 24 | Jun 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legacy Education In… (LGCY) | 100 | 239.3 | +139.3% |
| Grand Canyon Educat… (LOPE) | 100 | 104.0 | +4.0% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: LGCY vs LOPE
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
LGCY is the clearest fit if your priority is growth exposure.
- Rev growth 39.5%, EPS growth 34.1%, 3Y rev CAGR 27.9%
- 39.5% revenue growth vs LOPE's 7.1%
- +22.5% vs LOPE's -19.7%
LOPE carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and long-term compounding.
- Dividend streak 1 yrs, beta 0.23
- 256.6% 10Y total return vs LGCY's 173.9%
- Lower volatility, beta 0.23, Low D/E 26.8%, current ratio 3.65x
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 39.5% revenue growth vs LOPE's 7.1% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (14.6x vs 16.4x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 26.9% margin vs LGCY's 10.9% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.23 vs LGCY's 1.44, lower leverage | |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither stock pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | +22.5% vs LOPE's -19.7% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 21.9% ROA vs LGCY's 11.7%, ROIC 32.5% vs 27.1% |
LGCY vs LOPE — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
LGCY vs LOPE — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
LOPE leads this category, winning 4 of 4 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
LOPE is the larger business by revenue, generating $817M annually — 10.5x LGCY's $78M. LOPE is the more profitable business, keeping 26.9% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to LGCY's 10.9%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $78M | $817M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $12M | $341M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $8M | $220M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $5M | $260M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +46.7% | +51.6% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +14.4% | +38.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +10.9% | +26.9% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +6.1% | +31.8% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | -100.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +11.1% |
Valuation Metrics
Evenly matched — LGCY and LOPE each lead in 3 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 18.7x trailing earnings, LGCY trades at a 2% valuation discount to LOPE's 19.1x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, LOPE's 11.9x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than LGCY's 13.1x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $139M | $4.0B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $137M | $4.1B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 18.66x | 19.13x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 16.35x | 14.61x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 2.66x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 13.10x | 11.91x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.17x | 3.62x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 3.40x | 5.53x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 20.12x | 16.78x |
Profitability & Efficiency
LOPE leads this category, winning 5 of 7 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
LOPE delivers a 29.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $30 in annual profit, vs $19 for LGCY. LOPE carries lower financial leverage with a 0.27x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to LGCY's 0.43x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +18.8% | +29.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +11.7% | +21.9% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +27.1% | +32.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +24.9% | +33.9% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.43x | 0.27x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$3M | $88M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $20M | $112M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $18M | $200M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 136.29x | — |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
LGCY leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in LGCY five years ago would be worth $27,388 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $15,969 for LOPE. Over the past 12 months, LGCY leads with a +22.5% total return vs LOPE's -19.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors LGCY at 39.9% vs LOPE's 12.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +6.4% | -10.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +22.5% | -19.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +173.9% | +41.7% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +173.9% | +59.7% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +173.9% | +256.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +39.9% | +12.3% |
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — LGCY and LOPE each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
LOPE is the less volatile stock with a 0.23 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than LGCY's 1.44 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. LGCY currently trades 74.9% from its 52-week high vs LOPE's 66.1% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.44x | 0.23x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $14.70 | $223.04 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $7.94 | $145.00 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +74.9% | +66.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 44.0 | 42.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 58K | 253K |
Analyst Outlook
LOPE leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates LGCY as "Buy" and LOPE as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 31.7% upside for LGCY (target: $15) vs -32.2% for LOPE (target: $100).
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $14.50 | $100.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 3 | 18 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +6.6% |
LOPE leads in 3 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Profitability & Efficiency). LGCY leads in 1 (Total Returns). 2 tied.
LGCY vs LOPE: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is LGCY or LOPE a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Legacy Education Inc.
(LGCY) is the stronger pick with 39. 5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 7. 1% for Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (LOPE). Legacy Education Inc. (LGCY) offers the better valuation at 18. 7x trailing P/E (16. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Legacy Education Inc. (LGCY) a "Buy" — based on 3 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — LGCY or LOPE?
On trailing P/E, Legacy Education Inc.
(LGCY) is the cheapest at 18. 7x versus Grand Canyon Education, Inc. at 19. 1x. On forward P/E, Grand Canyon Education, Inc. is actually cheaper at 14. 6x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — LGCY or LOPE?
Over the past 5 years, Legacy Education Inc.
(LGCY) delivered a total return of +173. 9%, compared to +59. 7% for Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (LOPE). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: LOPE returned +256. 6% versus LGCY's +173. 9%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — LGCY or LOPE?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Grand Canyon Education, Inc.
(LOPE) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 23β versus Legacy Education Inc. 's 1. 44β — meaning LGCY is approximately 517% more volatile than LOPE relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (LOPE) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 27% versus 43% for Legacy Education Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — LGCY or LOPE?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Legacy Education Inc.
(LGCY) is pulling ahead at 39. 5% versus 7. 1% for Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (LOPE). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Legacy Education Inc. grew EPS 34. 1% year-over-year, compared to -0. 3% for Grand Canyon Education, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, LGCY leads at 27. 9% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.
06Which has better profit margins — LGCY or LOPE?
Grand Canyon Education, Inc.
(LOPE) is the more profitable company, earning 19. 5% net margin versus 11. 7% for Legacy Education Inc. — meaning it keeps 19. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: LOPE leads at 27. 5% versus 15. 6% for LGCY. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — LOPE leads at 52. 4%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
07Is LGCY or LOPE more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Grand Canyon Education, Inc.
(LOPE) trades at 14. 6x forward P/E versus 16. 4x for Legacy Education Inc. — 1. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for LGCY: 31. 7% to $14. 50.
08Which pays a better dividend — LGCY or LOPE?
None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.
All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.
09Is LGCY or LOPE better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Grand Canyon Education, Inc.
(LOPE) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 23), +256. 6% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (LOPE: +256. 6%, LGCY: +173. 9%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
10What are the main differences between LGCY and LOPE?
Both stocks operate in the Consumer Defensive sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.
In terms of investment character: LGCY is a small-cap high-growth stock; LOPE is a small-cap quality compounder stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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