Yahoo Finance Should You Worry About Grand Canyon Education, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:LOPE) CEO Salary Level?
Brian Mueller became the CEO of Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:LOPE) in 2008. This analysis aims first to contrast CEO compensation with other companies that have similar market capitalization. After that, we will consider the growth in the business. And finally we will reflect on how common stockholders have fared in the last few years, as a secondary measure of performance. This method should give us information to assess how appropriately the company pays the CEO.
See our latest analysis for Grand Canyon Education
How Does Brian Mueller's Compensation Compare With Similar Sized Companies?
According to our data, Grand Canyon Education, Inc. has a market capitalization of US$5.0b, and paid its CEO total annual compensation worth US$2.4m over the year to December 2018. We think total compensation is more important but we note that the CEO salary is lower, at US$488k. We note that more than half of the total compensation is not the salary; and performance requirements may apply to this non-salary portion. We looked at a group of companies with market capitalizations from US$4.0b to US$12b, and the median CEO total compensation was US$6.7m.
This would give shareholders a good impression of the company, since most similar size companies have to pay more, leaving less for shareholders. While this is a good thing, you'll need to understand the business better before you can form an opinion.
You can see a visual representation of the CEO compensation at Grand Canyon Education, below.
Is Grand Canyon Education, Inc. Growing?
Over the last three years Grand Canyon Education, Inc. has grown its earnings per share (EPS) by an average of 17% per year (using a line of best fit). In the last year, its revenue is down 31%.
Overall this is a positive result for shareholders, showing that the company has improved in recent years. The lack of revenue growth isn't ideal, but it is the bottom line that counts most in business. It could be important to check this free visual depiction of what analysts expect for the future.
Has Grand Canyon Education, Inc. Been A Good Investment?
I think that the total shareholder return of 163%, over three years, would leave most Grand Canyon Education, Inc. shareholders smiling. As a result, some may believe the CEO should be paid more than is normal for companies of similar size.
In Summary...
Grand Canyon Education, Inc. is currently paying its CEO below what is normal for companies of its size.
Considering the underlying business is growing earnings, this would suggest the pay is modest. And given most shareholders are probably very happy with recent returns, you might even think that Brian Mueller deserves a raise! It is relatively rare to see a modestly paid CEO when performance is so impressive. The cherry on top would be if company insiders are buying shares with their own money. Shareholders may want to check for free if Grand Canyon Education insiders are buying or selling shares.
Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies.
We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.
If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
