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CoreCivic (CXW) AI Stock Analysis

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CXW

CoreCivic

(NYSE:CXW)

Select Model
Rating:69Neutral
Price Target:$38.00â–²(22.70% Upside)
Action:reiterated
Date:09/26/26

The score is driven by solid technical uptrend signals and a generally positive earnings call centered on strengthened liquidity, debt paydown, and higher per-share guidance. These positives are tempered by weaker free-cash-flow conversion highlighted in the financials and a less compelling valuation (P/E ~26) without an indicated dividend yield.

Positive Factors
Federal Revenue GrowthStrong growth from federal partners, particularly ICE, demonstrates expanding utilization of CoreCivic’s facilities and services. Higher populations and per-diem revenue can support sustained top-line momentum over the next several quarters, although continued performance depends on government demand.
Negative Factors
Weak Free-Cash-Flow ConversionLow free-cash-flow conversion makes reported profitability less supportive of internally funded growth and shareholder returns. Even with a recent rebound, volatile cash generation can constrain flexibility for investment, debt reduction, and repurchases if operating or capital needs increase.

CoreCivic Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Revenue by SegmentBreaks down sales across CoreCivic’s business lines to show which activities supply the bulk of revenue and where growth is coming from. Highlights dependence on government contracts, facility occupancy and contract renewals, and geographic or service areas that could accelerate or slow top-line growth.

$0.00$200.00M$400.00M$600.00MMar 21Jun 21Sep 21Dec 21Mar 22Jun 22Sep 22Dec 22Mar 23Jun 23Sep 23Dec 23Mar 24Jun 24Sep 24Dec 24Mar 25Jun 25Sep 25Dec 25Mar 26Jun 26
Chart Insights

Safety is now the clear growth engine—fuelling the recent revenue surge via ICE-driven federal demand, idle‑facility reactivations and the Clinical Solutions acquisition—while Community creeps upward and Properties has collapsed to an immaterial, steady base. That reallocation supports stronger cash flow, buybacks and raised guidance but concentrates risk: near‑term results hinge on ICE population volatility, policy shifts and successful facility/acquisition integrations (management flags a potential Q2 headwind despite upgraded full‑year guidance).

Data provided by:The Fly

CoreCivic (CXW) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

-25%0%25%50%75%100%125%CXW+82.71%SPY+13.75%Dec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26May '26Jun '26Jul '26Aug '26Sep '26Oct '26Nov '26
Market Cap
$3.06B
Dividend Yield
―
Average Volume (3M)
1.89M
Price to Earnings (P/E)
25.2
Beta (1Y)
1.16
Revenue Growth
24.35%
EPS Growth
32.67%
Country
US
Employees
13,651
Sector
Industrials
Sector Strength
63
Industry
Security & Protection Services

CoreCivic Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company Description

CoreCivic, Inc. specializes in the ownership and management of a diverse portfolio of correctional institutions, detention centers, and residential reentry facilities throughout the United States. Its operations are organized into three distinct divi...

How the Company Makes Money

CoreCivic makes money primarily by providing facilities and services to government agencies under contracts and, in some cases, by leasing real estate to government tenants. 1) Contracted facility operations and services (primary revenue stream) - Co...

CoreCivic Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Aug 04, 2026(Q2-2026)|% Change Since:-0.83%|Next Earnings Date:Feb 09, 2027
Earnings Call SentimentPositive

The call conveyed a predominantly positive operational and financial story driven by large, accretive asset sales that materially strengthened liquidity, enabled debt reduction, and expanded share repurchase capacity. Core operating metrics showed healthy year‑over‑year improvements (notably ICE revenue +51.6% and higher average daily populations vs prior year), and management raised per‑share guidance. However, near‑term challenges include ICE population volatility during Q2, margin pressure from under‑occupied reactivations, and uncertainty around contract adjustments tied to the facility sales which reduced full‑year EBITDA guidance. Overall the positives (major balance sheet improvement, buyback capacity, per‑share upside and revenue gains) outweigh the near‑term operational headwinds and guidance noise.

Positive Updates

Large Asset Sales and Net Proceeds
Sold 4 facilities for gross proceeds of $2.234 billion (California City + Otay Mesa $1.5B; Midwest Regional + Prairie $734M). Estimated net proceeds after taxes and transaction costs approximately $1.62 billion (~$1.6B). Average price per bed ~$307k.

Negative Updates

ICE Population Volatility and Q2 Decline
Nationwide ICE detention populations fell from ~70.8k (Jan) to ~60.3k (early Apr), a decline of 14.8%. Average daily ICE populations in company care declined 6.6% in Q2 vs Q1, contributing to near-term softness.

Company Guidance

CoreCivic updated 2026 guidance reflecting the four facility sales and debt paydown: GAAP diluted EPS $15.15–$15.20 (includes significant gain on sale); adjusted diluted EPS (ex‑special items) $1.62–$1.70 (prior $1.53–$1.63); normalized FFO/share $2.61–$2.70 (prior $2.60–$2.70); adjusted EBITDA $440.5–$445.5M (down from $453.8–$461.8M); AFFO $257.5–$271.5M; maintenance CapEx $65–$75M, other CapEx $15M, activation CapEx $35–$40M; G&A $173–$175M; effective tax rate 25–28%. Guidance assumes modestly higher residential populations, incorporates estimated contract adjustments for the sold facilities and the benefit of interest income on residual cash (EBITDA excludes interest‑expense reduction), and does not assume any share repurchases (the board increased the repurchase authorization by $500M to $1.2B with ~$755.8M available); company repaid $608.5M of debt (including $238.5M 4.75% notes) from approximately $1.6B gross (~$1.62B gross, ~$1.6B net) of sales proceeds, resulting in roughly $1B cash on hand, total debt ≈ $739.1M and trailing‑12‑month net debt/adjusted‑EBITDA ~2.9x.

CoreCivic Financial Statement Overview

Summary

Income statement trends are constructive (TTM revenue up 6.3% with steady ~9.9% operating margin and ~5.1% net margin), but cash generation is a clear weak spot (TTM free cash flow ~$48M and ~22% of net income). Leverage is manageable (debt-to-equity ~0.86) with improving ROE, yet weaker cash conversion limits flexibility.

Income Statement

72Positive

Balance Sheet

64Positive

Cash Flow

48Neutral
Financial statement breakdown
BreakdownTTMDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue2.48B2.21B1.96B1.90B1.85B1.86B
Gross Profit491.74M518.65M468.29M306.89M431.54M525.55M
EBITDA382.70M348.31M287.39M296.10M378.18M306.38M
Net Income127.90M116.50M68.87M67.59M122.32M-51.90M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets3.46B3.26B2.93B3.11B3.24B3.50B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments108.93M112.45M107.49M121.84M149.40M299.64M
Total Debt1.35B1.22B1.01B1.21B1.39B1.69B
Total Liabilities2.02B1.85B1.44B1.63B1.81B2.13B
Stockholders Equity1.44B1.41B1.49B1.48B1.43B1.37B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow57.31M53.97M197.98M161.65M72.19M182.35M
Operating Cash Flow200.16M194.59M269.15M231.90M153.58M263.23M
Investing Cash Flow-351.06M-206.08M-53.82M-58.87M73.04M238.42M
Financing Cash Flow130.75M1.82M-222.18M-206.24M-375.16M-327.71M

CoreCivic Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis SentimentNeutral
Last Price30.97

Price Trends

50DMA32.59Negative
100DMA31.81Negative
200DMA25.85Positive

Market Momentum

MACD-0.57Negative
RSI47.52Neutral
STOCH66.76Neutral

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For CXW, the sentiment is Neutral. The current price of 30.97 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 31.16, below the 50-day MA of 32.59, and above the 200-day MA of 25.85, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -0.57 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 47.52 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 66.76 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Neutral sentiment for CXW.

CoreCivic Risk Analysis

CoreCivic disclosed 43 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. CoreCivic reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.

Higher RiskSector Avg.Lower RiskFinance & CorporateTech & InnovationLegal & RegulatoryProductionAbility to SellMacro & Political
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy

Latest Risks Added

0 New Risks

CoreCivic Peers Comparison

Overall Rating

UnderperformOutperform
Sector (63)

Financial Indicators

CXW against its peers
NameOverall RatingMarket CapP/E RatioROEDividend YieldRevenue GrowthEPS Growth
ALLEALLE82Outperform$16.17B23.4632.68%1.14%10.33%8.70%
GEOGEO78Outperform$3.67B13.1219.30%―15.32%227.66%
ADTADT72Outperform$7.18B12.3117.01%2.23%2.02%5.40%
CXWCXW69Neutral$3.00B25.188.96%―24.35%32.67%
Sector *63Neutral$10.79B15.437.44%2.01%2.89%-14.66%
SPCBSPCB55Neutral$59.92M57.691.94%―7.23%-50.82%
KSCPKSCP45Neutral$10.65M-0.13-152.20%―88.02%63.33%

* Industrials Sector Average

Performance Comparison

-50%0%50%100%CXWGEOALLESPCBADTKSCPDec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26May '26Jun '26Jul '26Aug '26Sep '26Oct '26Nov '26
CXW and its peers over the selected period
Show on chartTickerCompany NamePriceChange% Change
CXWCoreCivic30.9714.1884.46%
GEOGeo Group Inc28.0712.6682.15%
ALLEAllegion PLC189.3526.6716.39%
SPCBSuperCom Ltd.9.23-0.94-9.24%
ADTAdt, Inc.9.851.9424.56%
KSCPKnightscope Inc Class A0.45-3.74-89.26%

CoreCivic Corporate Events

Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board Changes

CoreCivic CEO Resigns, Lucibeth Mayberry Named Successor

Negative
Sep 25, 2026

CoreCivic announced that President and CEO Patrick D. Swindle resigned from his executive roles and from the board on September 24, 2026, citing health reasons tied to treatment for stage four metastatic pancreatic cancer, after leading the company t...

Business Operations and StrategyStock BuybackFinancial Disclosures

CoreCivic Announces $500 Million Accelerated Share Repurchase

Positive
Aug 10, 2026

On August 10, 2026, CoreCivic announced it had entered into a $500 million accelerated share repurchase agreement with a financial institution, drawing on its expanded $755.8 million share buyback program approved earlier in the month. The company wi...

Business Operations and StrategyStock BuybackFinancial DisclosuresM&A Transactions

CoreCivic boosts Q2 results and financial flexibility

Positive
Aug 5, 2026

CoreCivic reported strong financial performance for the second quarter of 2026, with total revenue rising 27.3% year over year to $684.9 million and diluted EPS increasing 5.7% to $0.37, despite net income slipping 3.6% to $37.1 million as the prior-...

Business Operations and StrategyStock BuybackM&A Transactions

CoreCivic Sells Facilities, Highlights Real Estate Value

Positive
Aug 5, 2026

On August 4, 2026, CoreCivic sold its 1,600-bed Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton, Minnesota and 1,033-bed Midwest Regional Reception Center in Leavenworth, Kansas to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for a combined gross price of $734...

Business Operations and Strategy

CoreCivic Announces Early Redemption of 2027 Senior Notes

Positive
Jul 13, 2026

On July 13, 2026, CoreCivic announced it will redeem in full its outstanding 4.750% senior notes due 2027, with a remaining principal balance of $238.468 million, on August 12, 2026, ahead of their original October 15, 2027 maturity. The notes will b...

Business Operations and StrategyStock BuybackM&A TransactionsPrivate Placements and Financing

CoreCivic Completes Major Detention Facility Asset Sale

Positive
Jul 6, 2026

On July 2, 2026, CoreCivic completed the sale of its 2,560-bed California City Detention Facility and 1,994-bed Otay Mesa Detention Center to the U.S. government, through the Department of Homeland Security, for a combined gross price of $1.5 billion...

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.

Date of analysis: Sep 25, 2026