CoreCivic, Inc (NYSE:CXW) Tightens Operations While Valuation Pressures Persist

CoreCivic shows operational gains and improving short-term momentum, yet valuation and cash-flow metrics create near-term headwinds for the stock. Legal and contract developments add event-driven volatility over the coming weeks.

Recent News

March 11, 2026 — The Leavenworth City Commission approved a three-year permit with conditions to allow CoreCivic to reopen the Midwest Regional Reception Center to house immigrants, with staffing and oversight requirements specified.

March 9–10, 2026 — Local coverage and court docket activity show continued litigation and scheduling in matters involving CoreCivic operations and class-action proceedings; a federal scheduling order and related filings appeared in early March.

Technical Analysis

ADX at 17.93 indicates no dominant trend; this low trend strength suggests price action remains range-bound and sensitive to news catalysts rather than driven by a persistent directional move, which complements the valuation pressure noted below.

Directional indicators: DI+ at 25.97 shows a peak-and-reversal pattern, which reads as a waning bullish push; DI- at 20.47 also shows a peak-and-reversal, which reads as falling negative pressure. Together these directional signals point to short-term tug-of-war, reducing conviction for a sustained breakout and reinforcing sensitivity to upcoming company or legal news.

MACD sits at 0.33 with the signal line at 0.34 and a peak-and-reversal MACD trend, which indicates bearish momentum; MACD remaining below the signal line reinforces near-term momentum weakness despite a small positive MACD value.

MRO registers -1.72 (negative), implying the price sits below the model target and therefore carries measured upside potential; the MRO trend shows a peak-and-reversal, suggesting that potential has moderated from a prior high.

RSI at 53.85 with an increasing trend signals mild bullish momentum without overbought conditions, supporting the idea that price can absorb episodic positive news but lacks strong momentum to overcome valuation resistance on its own.

Price vs. averages: Last close $20.22 trades above the 200‑day average ($19.35) and above the 50‑day average ($18.87), while the 12‑day EMA is rising—these position the market price slightly above multi-horizon averages, meaning positive short-term momentum faces valuation and liquidity friction noted below.

 


Fundamental Analysis

Profitability: EBIT $54,098,000 produces an EBIT margin of 8.96%, up 5.08% year-over-year but down 2.25% quarter-over-quarter. The EBIT margin sits below the industry peer mean of 34.05% and below the industry peer median of 18.76%, indicating lower operating profitability relative to peers on a margin basis.

Earnings: Reported EPS $0.27 exceeded the $0.21 estimate, a surprise of $0.06 or a 28.57% beat. Net income totaled $26,538,000 for the period, supporting reported per‑share earnings while reflecting modest absolute profitability.

Cash flow and liquidity: Free cash flow totaled -$41,897,000 with a free cash flow yield of -2.20%, placing CoreCivic below the industry peer low free cash flow yield of -1.51% and well below the industry peer mean of 0.65%. Operating cash flow near break-even and negative free cash flow create pressure on valuation given ongoing capital needs ($41,521,000 capex reported).

Leverage and coverage: Total debt $1,351,150,000 yields a debt/EBITDA of 15.36 and net debt $1,122,809,000; interest coverage ratio 3.03 sits just above the industry peer mean of 2.90, indicating the company can meet interest obligations today but carries material leverage compared with cash generation. Debt-to-equity 0.96 exceeds the industry peer mean of 0.76, signaling relatively higher gearing versus peers.

Growth and efficiency: Revenue $603,953,000 reflects revenue growth of 4.05% year-over-year but a steep quarter-over-quarter decline of 48.43%, while asset turnover stands at 0.1897, above the industry peer mean of 0.0514—showing comparatively efficient use of assets to generate revenue despite recent quarterly softness.

Valuation metrics: Price/Book 1.35 trades below the industry peer mean of 2.94 and median of 2.50; Price/Earnings 70.39 sits well below the industry peer mean of 190.32 and median of 149.41; forward P/E 32.07 indicates market expectations adjust higher for future earnings but still implies elevated multiples relative to underlying cash generation. WMDST values the stock as over-valued, supported by negative free cash flow yield, elevated debt/EBITDA, and margins that lag the industry peer mean.

MOST-RECENT QUARTERLY REPORT
REPORT PERIOD ENDING: 2025-12-31
REPORT DATE: 2026-02-11
NEXT REPORT DATE: 2026-05-13
CASH FLOW  Begin Period Cash Flow 71.8 M
 Operating Cash Flow -376.00 K
 Capital Expenditures -41.52 M
 Change In Working Capital -76.05 M
 Dividends Paid
 Cash Flow Delta 40.7 M
 End Period Cash Flow 112.4 M
 
INCOME STATEMENT REVENUE
 Total Revenue 604.0 M
 Forward Revenue 293.9 M
COSTS
 Cost Of Revenue 469.9 M
 Depreciation 33.9 M
 Depreciation and Amortization 33.9 M
 Research and Development
 Total Operating Expenses 548.2 M
PROFITABILITY
 Gross Profit 134.1 M
 EBITDA 88.0 M
 EBIT 54.1 M
 Operating Income 55.8 M
 Interest Income
 Interest Expense 17.8 M
 Net Interest Income -17.83 M
 Income Before Tax 36.3 M
 Tax Provision 9.7 M
 Tax Rate 26.826 %
 Net Income 26.5 M
 Net Income From Continuing Operations 26.5 M
EARNINGS
 EPS Estimate 0.21
 EPS Actual 0.27
 EPS Difference 0.06
 EPS Surprise 28.571 %
 Forward EPS 0.52
 
BALANCE SHEET ASSETS
 Total Assets 3.3 B
 Intangible Assets 16.8 M
 Net Tangible Assets 1.4 B
 Total Current Assets 611.1 M
 Cash and Short-Term Investments 97.9 M
 Cash 97.9 M
 Net Receivables 446.2 M
 Inventory
 Long-Term Investments 19.6 M
LIABILITIES
 Accounts Payable 82.3 M
 Short-Term Debt 15.7 M
 Total Current Liabilities 368.9 M
 Net Debt 1.1 B
 Total Debt 1.4 B
 Total Liabilities 1.9 B
EQUITY
 Total Equity 1.4 B
 Retained Earnings -123.48 M
VALUATION & PER-SHARE METRICS EQUITY & PER-SHARE METRICS
 Book Value Per-Share 14.05
 Shares Outstanding 100.051 M
 Revenue Per-Share 6.04
VALUATION
 Market Capitalization 1.9 B
 Enterprise Value 3.2 B
 Enterprise Multiple 35.855
Enterprise Multiple QoQ 1.871 %
Enterprise Multiple YoY 22.999 %
Enterprise Multiple IPRWA high: 102.792
median: 96.957
mean: 84.524
CXW: 35.855
low: 24.454
 EV/R 5.224
CAPITAL STRUCTURE
 Asset To Equity 2.318
 Asset To Liability 1.759
 Debt To Capital 0.49
 Debt To Assets 0.415
Debt To Assets QoQ 23.701 %
Debt To Assets YoY 9969.903 %
Debt To Assets IPRWA high: 1.323
mean: 0.669
median: 0.582
CXW: 0.415
low: 0.097
 Debt To Equity 0.962
Debt To Equity QoQ 35.543 %
Debt To Equity YoY 11799.752 %
Debt To Equity IPRWA high: 1.623
CXW: 0.962
median: 0.886
mean: 0.759
low: -3.156
PRICE-BASED VALUATION
 Price To Book (P/B) 1.353
Price To Book QoQ -3.431 %
Price To Book YoY -8.813 %
Price To Book IPRWA high: 5.506
mean: 2.936
median: 2.495
CXW: 1.353
low: -4.181
 Price To Earnings (P/E) 70.394
Price To Earnings QoQ -13.597 %
Price To Earnings YoY -40.676 %
Price To Earnings IPRWA high: 403.004
mean: 190.316
median: 149.41
CXW: 70.394
low: -6.292
 PE/G Ratio 5.632
 Price To Sales (P/S) 3.149
Price To Sales QoQ -11.308 %
Price To Sales YoY -31.904 %
Price To Sales IPRWA high: 62.093
median: 32.208
mean: 29.684
CXW: 3.149
low: 1.951
FORWARD MULTIPLES
Forward P/E 32.071
Forward PE/G 2.566
Forward P/S 5.71
EFFICIENCY OPERATIONAL
 Operating Leverage 0.422
ASSET & SALES
 Asset Turnover Ratio 0.19
Asset Turnover Ratio QoQ 1.028 %
Asset Turnover Ratio YoY 15.697 %
Asset Turnover Ratio IPRWA CXW: 0.19
high: 0.093
mean: 0.051
median: 0.043
low: 0.012
 Receivables Turnover 1.514
Receivables Turnover Ratio QoQ -14.966 %
Receivables Turnover Ratio YoY -12.544 %
Receivables Turnover Ratio IPRWA high: 4.698
mean: 2.737
median: 2.256
CXW: 1.514
low: 0.167
 Inventory Turnover
Inventory Turnover Ratio QoQ
Inventory Turnover Ratio YoY
Inventory Turnover Ratio IPRWA
 Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) 60.255
CASH CYCLE
 Cash Conversion Cycle Days (CCC)
Cash Conversion Cycle Days QoQ
Cash Conversion Cycle Days YoY
Cash Conversion Cycle Days IPRWA high: 235.19
CXW: 0
median: -15.572
mean: -54.574
low: -567.871
CAPITAL DEPLOYMENT
 Cash Conversion Ratio 2.493
 CapEx To Revenue -0.069
 CapEx To Depreciation -1.225
 
CAPITAL, LIQUIDITY & COVERAGE CAPITAL STRUCTURE
 Total Capital 2.6 B
 Net Invested Capital 2.6 B
 Invested Capital 2.6 B
 Net Tangible Assets 1.4 B
 Net Working Capital 242.2 M
LIQUIDITY
 Cash Ratio 0.265
 Current Ratio 1.657
Current Ratio QoQ 17.466 %
Current Ratio YoY 5.256 %
Current Ratio IPRWA high: 9.212
CXW: 1.657
mean: 1.187
median: 1.102
low: 0.255
 Quick Ratio
Quick Ratio QoQ
Quick Ratio YoY
Quick Ratio IPRWA
COVERAGE & LEVERAGE
 Debt To EBITDA 15.356
 Cost Of Debt 1.16 %
 Interest Coverage Ratio 3.034
Interest Coverage Ratio QoQ -5.151 %
Interest Coverage Ratio YoY 16.545 %
Interest Coverage Ratio IPRWA high: 8.427
median: 3.197
CXW: 3.034
mean: 2.901
low: -0.677
 Operating Cash Flow Ratio -0.737
TIMING / LIQUIDITY
 Days Payables Outstanding (DPO) 40.786
DIVIDENDS
 Dividend Coverage Ratio
 Dividend Payout Ratio
 Dividend Rate
 Dividend Yield
PERFORMANCE GROWTH
 Asset Growth Rate 4.714 %
 Revenue Growth 4.051 %
Revenue Growth QoQ -48.428 %
Revenue Growth YoY -262.365 %
Revenue Growth IPRWA high: 133.084 %
CXW: 4.051 %
median: 2.369 %
mean: 2.011 %
low: -33.817 %
 Earnings Growth 12.5 %
Earnings Growth QoQ -137.5 %
Earnings Growth YoY -218.754 %
Earnings Growth IPRWA high: 200.0 %
CXW: 12.5 %
mean: 5.749 %
median: -3.846 %
low: -163.636 %
MARGINS
 Gross Margin 22.197 %
Gross Margin QoQ -1.561 %
Gross Margin YoY -3.801 %
Gross Margin IPRWA high: 141.102 %
mean: 61.744 %
median: 55.376 %
CXW: 22.197 %
low: 10.448 %
 EBIT Margin 8.957 %
EBIT Margin QoQ -2.248 %
EBIT Margin YoY 5.08 %
EBIT Margin IPRWA high: 116.153 %
mean: 34.049 %
median: 18.76 %
CXW: 8.957 %
low: -13.072 %
 Return On Sales (ROS) 9.235 %
Return On Sales QoQ 2.68 %
Return On Sales YoY 8.341 %
Return On Sales IPRWA high: 90.826 %
mean: 32.24 %
median: 21.956 %
CXW: 9.235 %
low: -25.87 %
CASH FLOW
 Free Cash Flow (FCF) -41.90 M
 Free Cash Flow Yield -2.203 %
Free Cash Flow Yield QoQ -391.788 %
Free Cash Flow Yield YoY -386.104 %
Free Cash Flow Yield IPRWA high: 3.308 %
median: 1.006 %
mean: 0.653 %
low: -1.51 %
CXW: -2.203 %
 Free Cash Growth -369.244 %
Free Cash Growth QoQ 393.108 %
Free Cash Growth YoY 381.15 %
Free Cash Growth IPRWA high: 139.344 %
mean: 21.396 %
median: 10.123 %
low: -170.576 %
CXW: -369.244 %
 Free Cash To Net Income -1.579
 Cash Flow Margin -44.99 %
 Cash Flow To Earnings -10.239
VALUE & RETURNS
 Economic Value Added 0.03
 Return On Assets (ROA) 0.834 %
Return On Assets QoQ -1.998 %
Return On Assets YoY 26.555 %
Return On Assets IPRWA high: 3.243 %
mean: 0.965 %
CXW: 0.834 %
median: 0.678 %
low: 0.201 %
 Return On Capital Employed (ROCE) 1.873 %
 Return On Equity (ROE) 0.019
Return On Equity QoQ 5.534 %
Return On Equity YoY 46.243 %
Return On Equity IPRWA high: 0.225
mean: 0.031
CXW: 0.019
median: 0.019
low: -0.18
 DuPont ROE 1.846 %
 Return On Invested Capital (ROIC) 1.507 %
Return On Invested Capital QoQ -1.051 %
Return On Invested Capital YoY -104.594 %
Return On Invested Capital IPRWA high: 5.91 %
mean: 1.926 %
median: 1.879 %
CXW: 1.507 %
low: -0.955 %

Six-Week Outlook

Expect range-bound price action with episodic spikes tied to legal developments and contract activations; the recently approved Leavenworth permit and ongoing court scheduling create binary catalysts. Technical indicators point to limited trend strength, so momentum will likely hinge on headline flow. Monitor the scheduled next report on May 13, 2026, as the principal liquidity and information event likely to steer swings; traders should plan for volatility rather than assume a sustained directional breakout during this window.

About CoreCivic, Inc.

CoreCivic, Inc. (NYSE:CXW) delivers diversified government solutions across the United States, with a focus on corrections, detention, and residential reentry management. Founded in 1983 and based in Brentwood, Tennessee, CoreCivic operates through three main segments: CoreCivic Safety, CoreCivic Community, and CoreCivic Properties. CoreCivic Safety manages correctional and detention facilities, providing secure and humane environments. CoreCivic Community runs a network of residential reentry centers, aiming to reduce recidivism through programs centered on education, life skills, and employment training. CoreCivic Properties offers real estate solutions tailored to government needs, leasing properties that support various public sector functions. CoreCivic integrates rehabilitation and educational initiatives within its facilities, including substance abuse treatment and faith-based services. By addressing the complexities of the criminal justice system, CoreCivic plays a significant role in fostering safer communities and aiding individuals in their transition back into society. Through its comprehensive approach, CoreCivic remains a trusted partner in advancing public safety and correctional solutions.



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