CoreCivic Reports Strong Q1 Performance Driven by Federal Demand
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: May 17 2026
0mins
Source: Yahoo Finance
- Significant Revenue Growth: CoreCivic reported Q1 revenue of $614.7 million, exceeding analyst expectations of $603.4 million with a year-on-year growth of 25.8%, driven by strong demand from federal partners, particularly ICE, and new contracts.
- Increased Daily Population: The average daily population across managed facilities reached 57,243 individuals, up from the previous year, indicating heightened demand and the positive impact of new contracts, which further solidifies the company's market position.
- Improved Profitability: Adjusted EPS was $0.40, beating analyst estimates of $0.30 with a 35.6% increase, while adjusted EBITDA stood at $110.1 million, showcasing the company's success in operational efficiency and capital deployment strategies.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: Although a sequential dip in ICE populations is expected in Q2, management remains optimistic about recovery in the second half, emphasizing continued focus on the timing and scale of new state and federal contract awards to support future growth potential.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy CXW?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on CXW
Wall Street analysts forecast CXW stock price to rise
3 Analyst Rating
3 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 21.770
Low
28.00
Averages
30.00
High
32.00
Current: 21.770
Low
28.00
Averages
30.00
High
32.00
About CXW
CoreCivic, Inc. is engaged in operating partnership correctional, detention, and residential reentry facilities. Its segments include CoreCivic Safety, CoreCivic Community, and CoreCivic Properties. It provides a broad range of solutions to government partners that serve the public through corrections and detention management, a network of residential reentry centers to help address the recidivism crisis, and government real estate solutions. The CoreCivic Safety segment consists of approximately 44 correctional and detention facilities that are owned or controlled via a long-term lease. It also includes correctional and detention facilities owned by third parties. The CoreCivic Community segment consists of over 20 residential reentry centers that are owned or controlled via a long-term lease. The CoreCivic Properties segment consists of five correctional real estate properties owned and held for lease to government agencies.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Analysis of Risks and Opportunities in Small-Cap Stock Investments
- Impinj Stock Risks: Impinj (NASDAQ:PI), with a market cap of $4.52 billion, anticipates only 9.3% sales growth next year, indicating shaky demand, while historical operating margin losses reveal an inefficient cost structure and negative returns on capital, suggesting caution for investors.
- Gap's Stagnant Performance: Gap (NYSE:GAP), valued at $7.82 billion, has seen flat sales over the past three years, failing to expand its business, and its conservative store opening strategy reflects management's focus on improving existing locations, with a disappointing 7.6% return on capital indicating limited profitable growth opportunities.
- CoreCivic's Weak Growth: CoreCivic (NYSE:CXW), with a market cap of $1.94 billion, has muted annual revenue growth of 4.6% over the last five years, lagging behind peers, while its adjusted operating margin has fallen by 3.2 percentage points, and free cash flow margin has shrunk by 6.6 percentage points, suggesting increased capital consumption to remain competitive.
- Small-Cap Investment Warning: While small-cap stocks present investment opportunities due to limited Wall Street coverage, they also carry higher downside risks, necessitating careful selection to avoid stocks like Impinj, Gap, and CoreCivic to mitigate portfolio risk.
See More
CoreCivic Reports Strong Q1 Performance Driven by Federal Demand
- Significant Revenue Growth: CoreCivic reported Q1 revenue of $614.7 million, exceeding analyst expectations of $603.4 million with a year-on-year growth of 25.8%, driven by strong demand from federal partners, particularly ICE, and new contracts.
- Increased Daily Population: The average daily population across managed facilities reached 57,243 individuals, up from the previous year, indicating heightened demand and the positive impact of new contracts, which further solidifies the company's market position.
- Improved Profitability: Adjusted EPS was $0.40, beating analyst estimates of $0.30 with a 35.6% increase, while adjusted EBITDA stood at $110.1 million, showcasing the company's success in operational efficiency and capital deployment strategies.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: Although a sequential dip in ICE populations is expected in Q2, management remains optimistic about recovery in the second half, emphasizing continued focus on the timing and scale of new state and federal contract awards to support future growth potential.
See More
CoreCivic Q1 2026 Earnings Call Insights
- Significant Revenue Growth: CoreCivic's revenue from federal partners surged by 48% year-over-year in Q1 2026, accounting for 58% of total revenue, indicating strong performance in the federal market and expected to further enhance overall financial health.
- Earnings Guidance Raised: The company anticipates adjusted diluted EPS of $1.53 to $1.63 for 2026, up from previous guidance of $1.49 to $1.59, reflecting management's confidence in future performance despite potential short-term pressures from declining ICE populations.
- Acquisition of New Business: CoreCivic acquired Clinical Solutions Pharmacy in April 2026, expected to generate $215 million to $230 million in revenue for 2026, diversifying revenue streams and addressing the growing complex medical needs of correctional populations, enhancing long-term growth potential.
- Share Repurchase Program: In Q1, the company repurchased 2.3 million shares at a cost of $44.7 million, demonstrating management's confidence in the company's future, while still having $255.8 million available under the board's authorization as of March 31.
See More
Organon & Co Options Volume Surges Significantly
- Surge in Options Volume: Organon & Co's options trading volume reached 70,867 contracts today, representing approximately 7.1 million shares, which constitutes 93.4% of its average daily trading volume of 7.6 million shares over the past month, indicating strong market interest in its future performance.
- High Liquidity Options: Notably, the $11 strike call option expiring on May 15, 2026, saw a trading volume of 10,996 contracts today, equating to about 1.1 million shares, suggesting bullish sentiment among investors at this price level.
- CS Disco Inc Options Activity: In parallel, CS Disco Inc recorded an options trading volume of 1,695 contracts, representing approximately 169,500 shares, which is about 89% of its average daily trading volume of 190,370 shares over the past month, indicating market interest in this company as well.
- Market Trend Analysis: The high trading volumes of these options contracts reflect investor optimism regarding the future trajectories of Organon and CS Disco Inc, which could influence their stock price volatility and overall market sentiment.
See More
Business Services Sector Faces Challenges Amid AI Disruption
- Sector Performance Decline: The business services sector has collectively dropped 7.6% over the past six months, significantly underperforming the S&P 500's 2.8% decline, indicating investor concerns over AI disruptors and tightening budgets.
- Getty Images Underperformance: Despite boasting over 562 million visual assets, Getty Images has only achieved a 3.5% annual growth rate over the past two years, which is below industry standards, while its free cash flow margin has shrunk by 14.8 percentage points over five years, suggesting declining competitiveness.
- CoreCivic's Growth Challenges: CoreCivic has reported a mere 3% annual revenue growth over the last five years, with a 7.3 percentage point drop in free cash flow margin, indicating increased capital intensity amid rising competition, and a return on invested capital (ROIC) of only 5.9% reflects management's struggles in finding attractive investment opportunities.
- IonQ's Strong Performance: IonQ has demonstrated an impressive 143% annual revenue growth over the past two years, with expected revenue growth of 81.7% over the next 12 months, indicating significant market share gains, although its stock trades at $27.98 per share with a price-to-sales ratio of 45 times.
See More
Supreme Court to Hear Landmark Birthright Citizenship Case
- Legal Challenge Intensifies: The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on President Trump's executive order to end birthright citizenship this Wednesday, marking one of the most significant constitutional challenges of the 2026 term that could affect millions of children born in the U.S.
- Core Constitutional Dispute: The case centers on the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment, which states that 'all persons born or naturalized in the United States are citizens,' while the Trump administration seeks to adopt a narrower 'jurisdictional' theory that would exclude children of those without legal status.
- Market and Policy Implications: A ruling in favor of Trump's policy could create immediate administrative and economic ripple effects, impacting areas such as healthcare eligibility and future labor force projections, potentially leading to significant adjustments in social service systems.
- Political and Judicial Independence: The timing of the case is sensitive, as Trump has escalated his criticism of the judiciary, and legal analysts suggest this case could serve as a political tool for him, potentially resulting in a landmark victory for his immigration agenda or framing the conservative-led court as an obstacle to his domestic security goals.
See More
Analysis of Risks and Opportunities in Small-Cap Stock Investments
- Impinj Stock Risks: Impinj (NASDAQ:PI), with a market cap of $4.52 billion, anticipates only 9.3% sales growth next year, indicating shaky demand, while historical operating margin losses reveal an inefficient cost structure and negative returns on capital, suggesting caution for investors.
- Gap's Stagnant Performance: Gap (NYSE:GAP), valued at $7.82 billion, has seen flat sales over the past three years, failing to expand its business, and its conservative store opening strategy reflects management's focus on improving existing locations, with a disappointing 7.6% return on capital indicating limited profitable growth opportunities.
- CoreCivic's Weak Growth: CoreCivic (NYSE:CXW), with a market cap of $1.94 billion, has muted annual revenue growth of 4.6% over the last five years, lagging behind peers, while its adjusted operating margin has fallen by 3.2 percentage points, and free cash flow margin has shrunk by 6.6 percentage points, suggesting increased capital consumption to remain competitive.
- Small-Cap Investment Warning: While small-cap stocks present investment opportunities due to limited Wall Street coverage, they also carry higher downside risks, necessitating careful selection to avoid stocks like Impinj, Gap, and CoreCivic to mitigate portfolio risk.
See More
CoreCivic Reports Strong Q1 Performance Driven by Federal Demand
- Significant Revenue Growth: CoreCivic reported Q1 revenue of $614.7 million, exceeding analyst expectations of $603.4 million with a year-on-year growth of 25.8%, driven by strong demand from federal partners, particularly ICE, and new contracts.
- Increased Daily Population: The average daily population across managed facilities reached 57,243 individuals, up from the previous year, indicating heightened demand and the positive impact of new contracts, which further solidifies the company's market position.
- Improved Profitability: Adjusted EPS was $0.40, beating analyst estimates of $0.30 with a 35.6% increase, while adjusted EBITDA stood at $110.1 million, showcasing the company's success in operational efficiency and capital deployment strategies.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: Although a sequential dip in ICE populations is expected in Q2, management remains optimistic about recovery in the second half, emphasizing continued focus on the timing and scale of new state and federal contract awards to support future growth potential.
See More
CoreCivic Q1 2026 Earnings Call Insights
- Significant Revenue Growth: CoreCivic's revenue from federal partners surged by 48% year-over-year in Q1 2026, accounting for 58% of total revenue, indicating strong performance in the federal market and expected to further enhance overall financial health.
- Earnings Guidance Raised: The company anticipates adjusted diluted EPS of $1.53 to $1.63 for 2026, up from previous guidance of $1.49 to $1.59, reflecting management's confidence in future performance despite potential short-term pressures from declining ICE populations.
- Acquisition of New Business: CoreCivic acquired Clinical Solutions Pharmacy in April 2026, expected to generate $215 million to $230 million in revenue for 2026, diversifying revenue streams and addressing the growing complex medical needs of correctional populations, enhancing long-term growth potential.
- Share Repurchase Program: In Q1, the company repurchased 2.3 million shares at a cost of $44.7 million, demonstrating management's confidence in the company's future, while still having $255.8 million available under the board's authorization as of March 31.
See More
Organon & Co Options Volume Surges Significantly
- Surge in Options Volume: Organon & Co's options trading volume reached 70,867 contracts today, representing approximately 7.1 million shares, which constitutes 93.4% of its average daily trading volume of 7.6 million shares over the past month, indicating strong market interest in its future performance.
- High Liquidity Options: Notably, the $11 strike call option expiring on May 15, 2026, saw a trading volume of 10,996 contracts today, equating to about 1.1 million shares, suggesting bullish sentiment among investors at this price level.
- CS Disco Inc Options Activity: In parallel, CS Disco Inc recorded an options trading volume of 1,695 contracts, representing approximately 169,500 shares, which is about 89% of its average daily trading volume of 190,370 shares over the past month, indicating market interest in this company as well.
- Market Trend Analysis: The high trading volumes of these options contracts reflect investor optimism regarding the future trajectories of Organon and CS Disco Inc, which could influence their stock price volatility and overall market sentiment.
See More
Business Services Sector Faces Challenges Amid AI Disruption
- Sector Performance Decline: The business services sector has collectively dropped 7.6% over the past six months, significantly underperforming the S&P 500's 2.8% decline, indicating investor concerns over AI disruptors and tightening budgets.
- Getty Images Underperformance: Despite boasting over 562 million visual assets, Getty Images has only achieved a 3.5% annual growth rate over the past two years, which is below industry standards, while its free cash flow margin has shrunk by 14.8 percentage points over five years, suggesting declining competitiveness.
- CoreCivic's Growth Challenges: CoreCivic has reported a mere 3% annual revenue growth over the last five years, with a 7.3 percentage point drop in free cash flow margin, indicating increased capital intensity amid rising competition, and a return on invested capital (ROIC) of only 5.9% reflects management's struggles in finding attractive investment opportunities.
- IonQ's Strong Performance: IonQ has demonstrated an impressive 143% annual revenue growth over the past two years, with expected revenue growth of 81.7% over the next 12 months, indicating significant market share gains, although its stock trades at $27.98 per share with a price-to-sales ratio of 45 times.
See More
Supreme Court to Hear Landmark Birthright Citizenship Case
- Legal Challenge Intensifies: The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on President Trump's executive order to end birthright citizenship this Wednesday, marking one of the most significant constitutional challenges of the 2026 term that could affect millions of children born in the U.S.
- Core Constitutional Dispute: The case centers on the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment, which states that 'all persons born or naturalized in the United States are citizens,' while the Trump administration seeks to adopt a narrower 'jurisdictional' theory that would exclude children of those without legal status.
- Market and Policy Implications: A ruling in favor of Trump's policy could create immediate administrative and economic ripple effects, impacting areas such as healthcare eligibility and future labor force projections, potentially leading to significant adjustments in social service systems.
- Political and Judicial Independence: The timing of the case is sensitive, as Trump has escalated his criticism of the judiciary, and legal analysts suggest this case could serve as a political tool for him, potentially resulting in a landmark victory for his immigration agenda or framing the conservative-led court as an obstacle to his domestic security goals.
See More
