CoreCivic (NYSE:CXW) Stock Price Down 10.1% – Should You Sell?

Shares of CoreCivic, Inc. (NYSE:CXW) dropped 10.1% during mid-day trading on Friday . The company traded as low as $16.90 and last traded at $16.7790. Approximately 210,316 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 78% from the average daily volume of 946,905 shares. The stock had previously closed at $18.66.

Trending Headlines about CoreCivic

Here are the key news stories impacting CoreCivic this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised near‑term and FY‑2026 earnings estimates (Q1: $0.56, Q2: $0.63, Q3: $0.67, Q4: $0.68; FY: $2.54), implying stronger underlying profitability than current consensus — this could support upside if execution matches forecasts. Zacks Research estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst commentary argues momentum in CoreCivic’s business is not fully reflected in the share price, highlighting potential upside if contract wins and margin improvements continue. That note may attract buyers looking for a recovery play. CXW: Momentum Continues But Not Fully Reflected in Shares
• Positive Sentiment: CoreCivic was listed among “undervalued” commercial services stocks by an investor publication, which can draw value‑oriented buyers if the company sustains cash flow and dividend stability. 4 Undervalued Commercial Services & Supplies Stocks
• Neutral Sentiment: Noble Financial issued a Q1 earnings forecast for CoreCivic; guidance messages from boutique/independent shops tend to move short‑term expectations but usually carry less market weight than major broker revisions. Monitor if larger houses follow. Q1 Earnings Forecast for CoreCivic Issued By Noble Financial
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage of the Q4 earnings call highlighted several analyst questions on contract renewals, margins and capital allocation — useful for investors assessing execution risk but not an immediate catalyst. 5 revealing analyst questions from CoreCivic’s Q4 earnings call
• Negative Sentiment: Sector‑wide selling that hit GEO and CoreCivic today is being tied to investor concerns about contract risk (ICE/DHS exposure), political/regulatory headlines and clobbered sentiment after the recent EPS miss — this likely explains the heavier selloff and elevated volume. GEO Group and CoreCivic stocks are getting beaten up today – why such a selloff?
• Negative Sentiment: An opinion piece opposing reopening a CoreCivic‑operated facility in Leavenworth highlights reputational and local political risks; renewed opposition can pressure stock if it leads to lost contracts or slower expansions. Don’t bring ICE abuse to Leavenworth by reopening CoreCivic prison | Opinion

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. JonesTrading reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $30.00 target price on shares of CoreCivic in a research report on Friday, February 13th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of CoreCivic from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, February 14th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $34.00.

CoreCivic Trading Down 10.4%

The company has a 50 day moving average of $19.12 and a 200 day moving average of $19.16. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.86, a quick ratio of 1.41 and a current ratio of 1.66. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.75 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.49 and a beta of 0.71.

CoreCivic (NYSE:CXW) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 11th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.27 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.43 by ($0.16). The business had revenue of $603.95 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $585.12 million. CoreCivic had a return on equity of 8.17% and a net margin of 5.27%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 26.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.39 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that CoreCivic, Inc. will post 1.5 EPS for the current fiscal year.

CoreCivic announced that its board has approved a share buyback plan on Monday, November 10th that allows the company to repurchase $200.00 million in shares. This repurchase authorization allows the real estate investment trust to buy up to 10.7% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are often an indication that the company’s management believes its shares are undervalued.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On CoreCivic

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Royal Bank of Canada lifted its position in CoreCivic by 49.2% during the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 59,523 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $1,207,000 after buying an additional 19,630 shares in the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of CoreCivic by 69.8% in the 1st quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 28,120 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $571,000 after acquiring an additional 11,557 shares during the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. increased its stake in shares of CoreCivic by 4.6% in the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 64,828 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $1,315,000 after acquiring an additional 2,828 shares during the last quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp raised its holdings in shares of CoreCivic by 3,884.2% during the 1st quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 18,885 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $383,000 after acquiring an additional 18,411 shares during the period. Finally, UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC boosted its position in shares of CoreCivic by 2.3% during the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 220,467 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $4,473,000 after acquiring an additional 4,977 shares during the last quarter. 85.13% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About CoreCivic

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.

CoreCivic’s portfolio encompasses a mix of adult correctional facilities, immigration detention centers, residential reentry centers and other community-based programs.