America Needs 1.4 Million Trade Workers. LINC Is Training Them. JOLTS just
landed. ADP tomorrow. Friday's payrolls are the one that moves September hike
odds.͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌
͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌

Unsubscribe
<[link removed]>

September 1, 2026
View online ↗
<[link removed]>
America Needs 1.4 Million Trade Workers. LINC Is Training Them.
Three education companies are winning where it matters. One stands out.




The U.S. construction industry will need to attract 349,000 net new workers in
2026, according to the Associated Builders and Contractors. By 2030, the
broader skilled-trades gap is often cited at roughly 1.4 million. Data centers,
EV infrastructure, and grid modernization are pulling in one direction; a
retiring workforce is walking out the other. That collision is not just a labor
problem. It is an enrollment catalyst for a handful of publicly traded
education companies right now.

The Three Candidates

Lincoln Educational Services (LINC), Grand Canyon Education (LOPE), and Stride
(LRN) each posted Q2 2026 results over the past month. All three are
profitable. All three are growing. But they are growing in different ways, at
different speeds, with very different risk profiles.

Stride delivered $2.518 billion in fiscal 2026 revenue, up 4.7% year over
year. Career Learning was the engine, with enrollments climbing to 109,700. But
general education enrollment declined, gross margins slipped 140 basis points
to 37.8%, and a CEO succession announcement rattled shares. Management has
discussed fiscal 2027 assumptions, but investors did not get a clean,
traditional guidepost set that would remove uncertainty. That is not a
disqualifier, but it is a reason to wait.



Sponsored

In at 9:35 AM. Out by 10.

I call it the "Opening Bell Breakout." It's the same setup I used to catch
moves like 113% on GOOGL and 240% on META. I trade one simple 15-minute window
each morning - and I'm usually done by 10 AM.

Get the free guide and see exactly how it works.
<[link removed]>


Grand Canyon Education is the most consistent of the three. Q2 2026 service
revenue came in at $264 million, up 6.7% year over year, driven by a 7.6% rise
in university partner enrollments to 126,231. Operating income grew 12.3% to
$58.2 million, and operating margin hit 22%. Full-year guidance calls for
$1.1653 to $1.1723 billion in service revenue and diluted EPS of $9.93 to
$10.07. It is a clean, well-run business. The problem is that 47 hybrid sites
are approaching capacity limits at a meaningful number of locations, and
management has flagged that growth can naturally moderate as more locations
fill up. The ceiling is visible.

Why This Stock Now

Lincoln Educational is the one worth owning today.

Q2 2026 revenue hit $142.6 million, up 22.4% year over year. Adjusted EBITDA
increased 42.4% in Q2. Average student population rose 14.5% to 18,343 in Q2.
CEO Scott Shaw reiterated full-year 2026 guidance of $590 to $600 million in
revenue and $23 to $26 million in net income, supported by Q3 trends he
described as tracking.



Sponsored

Most Traders Miss This "News Signal"

News happens every day – but only a few traders know how to turn that noise
into profit
<[link removed]>
.

Tim Sykes is giving you the edge: A news-based trading system + cheat sheet to
help you find trades triggered by the headlines.

Zero fluff. 100% actionable. Totally free.

👉 Get the cheat sheet & watch the video
<[link removed]>


The business case connects directly to the macro. Lincoln trains electricians,
HVAC technicians, automotive technicians, and healthcare workers, the exact
trades facing the sharpest shortfalls. The company has entered into leases for
three new campuses in New York, Texas, and Maryland, completed the acquisition
of its Melrose Park, Illinois property in July, and announced a Tempe, Arizona
location this month. Each new campus is targeted to generate $25 to $30 million
in revenue and $7 to $10 million in EBITDA by year four. That is a replicable
model running at scale.

What Wall Street Is Doing

Barrington lowered its price target to $50 from $56 following Q2, maintaining
Outperform. Lake Street trimmed its target to $50 from $55 following Q2, but
kept its rating. The stock has returned roughly 92% over the past year, and
Simply Wall St pegs fair value near $64, well above the recent trading range.
That gap is the opportunity, but it requires a view on execution.



Sponsored

The $16 Trillion Rare Earth Discovery

The Guardian calls it "the beginning of the biggest gold rush in history"...
and one stock under $5 owns exclusive rights to harvest these rare earths.

Elon Musk and his companies need these minerals before a January 1 Pentagon
deadline.

See the full story here.
<[link removed]>


What Could Go Wrong

Lincoln is spending heavily. Capital expenditures are now guided to $95 to
$100 million in 2026, and the credit facility was expanded to $125 million in
April. Net margins are thin: about 1.4% in Q2. If new campuses underperform
utilization targets, operating leverage reverses quickly. For-profit education
also remains a regulatory target, and any shift in federal student aid rules
could hit enrollment economics directly.

The Bottom Line

LOPE is the safer, lower-growth choice. LRN has the scale but needs a new CEO
to prove direction. Lincoln sits at the intersection of a structural workforce
crisis and an accelerating campus expansion. The trades shortage is not fading.
The company is adding capacity into a market that cannot fill jobs fast enough.
Three consecutive years of double-digit quarterly revenue growth says the
demand is real. The question is whether margins can follow enrollment at the
new campuses. That is a risk worth taking at current levels.



DISCLAIMER
This is a paid advertisement for informational and educational purposes only
and does not constitute financial advice. Investing involves risk and may not
be suitable for all individuals. Past performance does not guarantee future
results.
Trading Stocks Now is operated by Investing Media Solutions, LLC. We are not
licensed financial advisors. Always consult with a certified financial
professional before making investment decisions.

IMPORTANT NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER
Investing Media Solutions, LLC ("IMS"), the owner of this website (the
"Website"), cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information
contained in any article, email, newsletter, or other publication posted on or
viewed in connection with this website (the "Publications"). The author or
authors of those Publications are solely responsible for their contents. IMS
has not done any research or due diligence into the markets, industries, or
companies which may appear or be mentioned in the Publications.IMS will NOT be
liable for any loss or damage caused by a reader's reliance on information
posted on the Website or contained in the Publications.

FOR EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY; NOT INVESTMENT ADVICE.
This Website and the Publications are for educational and informational
purposes only. This Website and the Publications do not purport to be a
complete analysis of any company's financial position. This Website, the
Publications or any statements made in the Publications are not, and should not
be construed to be, personalized investment advice directed to or appropriate
for any particular individual.This Website or the statements made in the
Publications should NOT be relied upon for purposes of transacting in any
securities posted on the Website or mentioned in the Publications, nor should
they be construed as a personalized recommendation to you to buy, sell, or hold
any position in any security posted on this Website or mentioned in any
Publications.b>

SUBSTANTIAL RISK IN INVESTMENT.
Any individual who chooses to invest in any securities including those
mentioned in the Publications should do so with caution.Investing or
transacting in securities involves substantial risk; you may lose some, all, or
possibly more than your original investment.Readers bear responsibility for
their own investment research and decisions and should review all investment
decisions with a licensed or registered investment professional.

NOT AN INVESTMENT ADVISOR OR REGISTERED BROKER
Neither IMS nor any of its respective owners or employees are registered or
licensed as a securities broker-dealer, broker, an investment advisor, or an
investment advisor representative with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC), any state securities regulatory authority, or any
self-regulatory organization.


For full policies, see our: Disclaimer
<[link removed]> | Privacy
<[link removed]> | Terms
<[link removed]>

Trading Stocks Now
203 N La Salle Street, Suite 2100 | Chicago, IL 60601

unsubscribe
<[link removed]>