GRAND CANYON EDUCATION, INC. REPORTS SECOND QUARTER 2023 RESULTS

PHOENIX, Aug. 3, 2023

For the three months ended June 30, 2023:

• Service revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2023 was $210.6 million, an increase of $10.8 million, or 5.4%, as compared to service revenue of $199.8 million for the three months ended June 30, 2022. The increase year over year in service revenue was primarily due to an increase in GCU enrollments of 4.1% over enrollments at June 30, 2022 and an increase in revenue per student year over year. The increase in revenue per student between years is primarily due to the service revenue impact of the increased room, board and other ancillary revenues at GCU in the second quarter of 2023 as compared to the prior year period. In addition, service revenue per student for Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing ("ABSN") students at off-campus classroom and laboratory sites generates a significantly higher revenue per student than we earn under our agreement with GCU, as these agreements generally provide us with a higher revenue share percentage, the partners have higher tuition rates than GCU and the majority of their students take more credits on average per semester. The increase in revenue per student in the three months ended June 30, 2023 was also positively impacted by the timing of the Spring semester for the ground traditional campus. The Spring semester started two days later in 2023 and extended four more days into April, which had the effect of shifting $4.5 million in service revenue from the first quarter of 2023 to the second quarter of 2023.
• Partner enrollments totaled 99,526 at June 30, 2023 as compared to 96,029 at June 30, 2022. University partner enrollments at our off-campus classroom and laboratory sites were 3,904, a decrease of 5.2% over enrollments at June 30, 2022, which includes 350 and 324 GCU students at June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. We did open six new off-campus classroom and laboratory sites in the year ended December 31, 2022 and one site in the six months ended June 30, 2023 increasing the total number of these sites to 36 at June 30, 2023 and we anticipate opening three to four more in 2023. Enrollments at GCU increased to 95,972 at June 30, 2023, an increase of 4.1% over enrollments at June 30, 2022. Enrollments for GCU ground students were 7,327 at June 30, 2023 up from 7,101 at June 30, 2022 primarily due to a 3.7% increase in traditional ground students between years. GCU online enrollments were 88,645 at June 30, 2023, up from 85,132 at June 30, 2022. GCU enrollment declines between March 31 and June 30 of each year as ground enrollment at GCU at June 30 of each year only includes traditional-aged students taking summer school classes, which is a small percentage of GCU's traditional-aged student body. The Spring semester for GCU's traditional-aged student body ends near the end of April each year.
• Operating income for the three months ended June 30, 2023 was $35.4 million, an increase of $1.6 million as compared to $33.8 million for the same period in 2022. The operating margin for the three months ended June 30, 2023 was 16.8%, compared to 16.9% for the same period in 2022.
• Income tax expense for the three months ended June 30, 2023 was $9.1 million, an increase of $0.5 million, as compared to income tax expense of $8.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2022. This increase was the result of an increase in our taxable income, partially offset by a decrease in our effective tax rate between periods. Our effective tax rate was 23.8% during the second quarter of 2023 compared to 25.2% during the second quarter of 2022. In the second quarter of 2023 the effective tax rate was favorably impacted by income tax audits, while in the second quarter of 2022 the effective tax rate was unfavorably impacted by an increase in the state income tax rate.
• Net income increased 13.3% to $29.0 million for the second quarter of 2023, compared to $25.6 million for the same period in 2022. As adjusted net income was $30.4 million and $27.1 million for the second quarters of 2023 and 2022, respectively.
• Diluted net income per share was $0.96 and $0.80 for the second quarters of 2023 and 2022, respectively. As adjusted diluted net income per share was $1.01 and $0.85 for the second quarters of 2023 and 2022, respectively.
• Adjusted EBITDA increased 4.7% to $47.7 million for the second quarter of 2023, compared to $45.6 million for the same period in 2022.

For the six months ended June 30, 2023:

• Service revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2023 was $460.7 million, an increase of $16.8 million, or 3.8%, as compared to service revenue of $443.9 million for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The increase year over year in service revenue was primarily due to an increase in GCU enrollments of 4.1% over enrollments at June 30, 2022 and an increase in revenue per student year over year. The increase in revenue per student between years is primarily due to the service revenue impact of the increased room, board and other ancillary revenues at GCU's ground traditional campus between years primarily due to increased enrollment. In addition, service revenue per student for Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing ("ABSN") students at off-campus classroom and laboratory sites generates a significantly higher revenue per student than we earn under our agreement with GCU, as these agreements generally provide us with a higher revenue share percentage, the partners have higher tuition rates than GCU and the majority of their students take more credits on average per semester.
• Operating income for the six months ended June 30, 2023 was $109.9 million, a decrease of $1.4 million as compared to $111.3 million for the same period in 2022. The operating margin for the six months ended June 30, 2023 was 23.9%, compared to 25.1% for the same period in 2022.
• Income tax expense for the six months ended June 30, 2023 was $26.1 million, a decrease of $2.1 million, or 7.5%, as compared to income tax expense of $28.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2022. This decrease was the result of a decrease in our effective tax rate between periods, partially offset by an increase in our taxable income. Our effective tax rate was 22.8% during the six months ended June 30, 2023 compared to 25.2% during the six months ended June 30, 2022. In the six months ended June 30, 2023, the effective tax rate was impacted by excess tax benefits of $0.9 million as compared to only $0.1 million in the six months ended June 30, 2022. In the six months ended June 30, 2023 the effective tax rate was favorably impacted by state income tax refunds and audits, while in the six months ended June 30, 2022 the effective tax rate was unfavorably impacted by an increase in the state income tax rate.
• Net income increased 5.9% to $88.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023, compared to $83.6 million for the same period in 2022. As adjusted net income was $91.9 million and $87.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
• Diluted net income per share was $2.91 and $2.51 for the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. As adjusted diluted net income per share was $3.02 and $2.61 for the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
• Adjusted EBITDA decreased 1.2% to $134.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023, compared to $136.0 million for the same period in 2022.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Our liquidity position, as measured by cash and cash equivalents and investments increased by $51.7 million between December 31, 2022 and June 30, 2023, which was largely attributable to cash flows from operations exceeding share repurchases and capital expenditures during the six months ended June 30, 2023.  Our unrestricted cash and cash equivalents and investments were $233.4 million and $181.7 million at June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively.

2023 Outlook