CoreCivic (NYSE:CXW) Sets New 1-Year High – Still a Buy?

06 Aug 2026, 16:41 by Kim Johansen · The Markets Daily

Shares of CoreCivic, Inc. (NYSE:CXW – Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high on Thursday . The company traded as high as $32.88 and last traded at $32.5150, with a volume of 466356 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $31.23.

More CoreCivic News

Here are the key news stories impacting CoreCivic this week:

Positive Sentiment: Quarterly earnings substantially exceeded expectations. CoreCivic reported second-quarter EPS of $0.64, versus the $0.34 analyst consensus, while revenue reached $684.9 million, above estimates of $618.6 million. Revenue increased 27.3% year over year, and EPS rose from $0.59 in the prior-year quarter. CoreCivic Reports Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results
Positive Sentiment: Full-year guidance was raised well above consensus. CoreCivic issued fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of $2.61 to $2.70, compared with the current consensus estimate of $1.81. The wide gap suggests expectations for stronger operating performance and supports the positive investor reaction. CoreCivic Stock Information
Positive Sentiment: CoreCivic completed a $734 million sale of two correctional facilities to the Department of Homeland Security. The company expects approximately $522.5 million in net proceeds after taxes and transaction costs, which could support debt reduction, share repurchases, or other corporate uses. CoreCivic expects to continue managing the facilities under ICE contracts, preserving potential operating revenue. CoreCivic Sells 2 Detention Centers to Department of Homeland Security
Positive Sentiment: The company won a five-year ICE contract for a Minnesota facility. The agreement is expected to generate approximately $75 million in annual revenue once fully operational, reinforcing demand for CoreCivic’s detention capacity. CoreCivic Wins Five-Year ICE Contract for Minnesota Facility
Neutral Sentiment: JonesTrading reaffirmed a “buy” rating but set a $30 price target, below the stock’s recent trading level. Other recent analyst targets include $35 and $41, indicating mixed valuation signals after the rally. JonesTrading CoreCivic Rating
Negative Sentiment: Management cautioned that ICE could modify or terminate management contracts because of policy changes, funding limitations, or convenience. The company cannot guarantee it will continue operating the facilities after their sale, creating execution and government-contract risks.

Analyst Ratings Changes

CXW has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of CoreCivic from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Sunday. UBS Group set a $35.00 price target on CoreCivic in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. Benchmark raised their price target on CoreCivic from $36.00 to $41.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 7th. Northland Securities set a $40.00 price objective on CoreCivic in a research note on Friday, June 26th. Finally, Noble Financial upped their price objective on CoreCivic from $28.00 to $35.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, Based on data from MarketBeat, CoreCivic currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $36.20.

View Our Latest Stock Report on CXW

CoreCivic Stock Up 2.5%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.99, a quick ratio of 2.44 and a current ratio of 2.44. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $28.78 and its 200-day moving average price is $22.76. The company has a market cap of $3.16 billion, a PE ratio of 26.09 and a beta of 0.58.

Institutional Trading of CoreCivic

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of CXW. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in shares of CoreCivic by 1.1% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 12,713,519 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $242,955,000 after acquiring an additional 138,846 shares in the last quarter. Lee Danner & Bass Inc. lifted its position in CoreCivic by 20.1% in the fourth quarter. Lee Danner & Bass Inc. now owns 582,558 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $11,133,000 after purchasing an additional 97,413 shares during the period. KCM Capital Inc bought a new stake in CoreCivic in the first quarter valued at about $10,400,000. Caxton Associates LLP bought a new position in shares of CoreCivic during the 1st quarter worth approximately $310,000. Finally, Kestrel Investment Management Corp bought a new position in CoreCivic during the 4th quarter valued at about $5,601,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 85.13% of the company’s stock.

About CoreCivic

(Get Free Report)

CoreCivic, Inc (NYSE: CXW) is a real estate investment trust specializing in the ownership, management and operation of private correctional and detention facilities in the United States. The company enters into contracts with federal, state and local government agencies to house inmates and detainees in facilities that it owns or operates on a concession basis. In addition to traditional prison operations, CoreCivic provides specialized services such as community-based reentry programs, electronic monitoring and rehabilitation initiatives aimed at reducing recidivism.