AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC(APEI)Stock Analysis
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Rank #861 of 2,879 stocksTOP 50%
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Rankings refresh quarterly once 80% of peers have filed (~45 days after quarter-end). Next update: ~Aug 14, 2026.
Revenue Growth
Profitability
Balance Sheet
Earnings Quality
Free Cash Flow
Institutional Flow
Revenue Scale
Dilution Risk
APEI Stock Analysis & AI Quality Score
AI stock analysis and institutional research for AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC (APEI), a Consumer Discretionary sector company. 13F Pro's AI-powered ranking engine scores APEI at 60.3/100 on a 32-signal composite quality model, placing it at rank #861 of 2,879 stocks — the top half of the AI-ranked universe. APEI scores in the top quartile across balance sheet strength (78.7), free cash flow (76.5). Areas of concern include earnings quality (30.0), which score below median versus the broader universe. Based on the latest XBRL financial filings (Q1 2026), AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC reports quarterly revenue of $174.7M, net income of $17.7M, an operating margin of 12.4%. Top institutional holders of APEI by reported 13-F value include BlackRock,, 325 CAPITAL, Divisadero Street Capital Management,, based on the most recent SEC filings. APEI trades on the Nasdaq exchange and files with the SEC under CIK 1201792. 13F Pro's AI research platform runs 10 specialized AI analysts — value, growth, momentum, macro, and activist specialists — that debate APEI daily and publish AI-generated analysis with cited SEC sources. The platform aggregates historical XBRL financial facts, 10-Q and 10-K filings, insider Form 4 transactions, and institutional 13-F holdings for AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC directly from SEC EDGAR. AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC's 13F Pro composite quality score has ranged between 37 and 60 since 2021, currently 60.3 — an improving long-term trajectory across 28 quarterly and live scoring snapshots.
Revenue
Q1 2026
$174.7M
Net Income
Q1 2026
$17.7M
Free Cash Flow
Q1 2026
$60.8M
Operating Margin
Q1 2026
12.4%
ROIC
Q1 2026
5.5%
D/E Ratio
Q1 2026
0.30
Revenue & Net Income
Earnings Per Share
Key Financials Over Time
Export Financial Table · Pro+Revenue
+3.9% YoYNet Income
+95.8% YoYOperating Income
+45.0% YoYEPS (Diluted)
+147.3% YoYTotal Assets
-8.5% YoYTotal Debt
+1.3% YoYOp. Cash Flow
+26.8% YoY| Metric | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $648.9M +3.9% | $624.6M +4.0% | $600.5M +43.4% | $418.8M +30.1% | $321.8M +12.4% | $286.3M |
| Net Income | $31.6M +95.8% | $16.1M +134.1% | $-47.3M -366.4% | $17.8M -5.7% | $18.8M +88.0% | $10.0M |
| Operating Income | $47.9M +45.0% | $33.1M +168.5% | $-48.3M -259.1% | $30.4M +22.7% | $24.8M +94.1% | $12.8M |
| EPS (Diluted) | $1.36 +147.3% | $0.55 +118.8% | $-2.93 -402.1% | $0.97 -22.4% | $1.25 +101.6% | $0.62 |
| Total Assets | $521.4M -8.5% | $570.1M +2.3% | $557.4M -23.2% | $725.6M +95.6% | $371.0M +4.5% | $354.9M |
| Total Debt | $94.7M +1.3% | $93.4M -1.3% | $94.7M -44.1% | $169.3M | $0.00 | — |
| Operating Cash Flow | $62.0M +26.8% | $48.9M +7.4% | $45.5M +179.8% | $16.3M -63.7% | $44.8M +16.8% | $38.4M |
AI Insight: APEI Financial Trends
Q1 2026 revenue surged to $175M — a new high — while net income hit $18M and operating cash flow spiked to $63M, the strongest quarter in the dataset.
• Revenue grew from $153M in Q2 2024 to $175M in Q1 2026, with Q1 2026 marking the first clear breakout above the $165M range.
• Net income expanded from near-zero in Q2 2024 to $18M in Q1 2026, reflecting meaningful profitability improvement over six quarters.
• Operating cash flow swung from -$12M in Q4 2025 to $63M in Q1 2026, the highest OCF in the observed period.
• Total debt remained roughly flat at $93–$95M across all eight quarters, while equity fluctuated between $272M and $310M.
⚠ Equity fell sharply from $310M in Q1 2025 to $272M in Q2 2025 — a $38M drop worth monitoring for recurrence.
⚠ Q4 2025 operating cash flow turned negative at -$12M despite $13M net income, signaling potential working-capital or timing pressures.
⚠ Revenue dipped to $158M in Q4 2025 before rebounding — seasonal consistency or a structural softness remains to be confirmed.
AI Insight: APEI Ratio Trends
Q1 2026 marks APEI's strongest profitability quarter on record, with ROA hitting 13.2% and net margin reaching 10.2%.
• Operating margin surged from 1.5% in Q2 2024 to 12.4% in Q1 2026, reflecting sustained structural improvement.
• ROE expanded from 0.5% in Q2 2024 to 23.2% in Q1 2026, the highest level in the visible dataset.
• ROIC recovered from a trough of 2.3% in Q2 2024 to 21.7% in Q1 2026, matching the Q4 2024 peak.
• D/E ratio held steady between 0.30–0.35 throughout, with leverage edging back to 0.30 in Q1 2026.
⚠ Margins show sharp seasonal swings — Q2 and Q3 quarters consistently lag Q4/Q1, risking mid-year disappointment.
⚠ D/E briefly rose to 0.35 in Q2 2025 before retracing — worth monitoring if mid-year borrowing repeats.
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Available Research
13F Pro tracks comprehensive data for AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC including:
Top Institutional Holders of APEI
BlackRock, Inc.
$82.5M1,450,355 sh325 CAPITAL LLC
$67.3M1,183,732 shDivisadero Street Capital Management, LP
$59.8M1,052,069 shRENAISSANCE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
$52.3M920,220 shDIMENSIONAL FUND ADVISORS LP
$45.5M799,175 shFMR LLC
$44.8M788,355 shBANK OF AMERICA CORP /DE/
$43.3M761,601 shVANGUARD CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC
$39.9M701,018 shPRESCOTT GROUP CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, L.L.C.
$38.7M679,749 shAMERICAN CENTURY COMPANIES INC
$37.5M658,835 sh
| Fund | Value | Shares |
|---|---|---|
| BlackRock, Inc. | $82.5M | 1,450,355 |
| 325 CAPITAL LLC | $67.3M | 1,183,732 |
| Divisadero Street Capital Management, LP | $59.8M | 1,052,069 |
| RENAISSANCE TECHNOLOGIES LLC | $52.3M | 920,220 |
| DIMENSIONAL FUND ADVISORS LP | $45.5M | 799,175 |
| FMR LLC | $44.8M | 788,355 |
| BANK OF AMERICA CORP /DE/ | $43.3M | 761,601 |
| VANGUARD CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC | $39.9M | 701,018 |
| PRESCOTT GROUP CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, L.L.C. | $38.7M | 679,749 |
| AMERICAN CENTURY COMPANIES INC | $37.5M | 658,835 |
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Popular Research
Is APEI a good stock to buy?
13F Pro's AI-powered analysis of AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC (APEI) draws on SEC EDGAR-sourced fundamentals, institutional 13F holdings, and insider Form 4 transactions in the Consumer Discretionary sector (listed on Nasdaq). The 32-signal AI Quality Score, current rank, and full bull/bear verdict for APEI are available on the APEI stock profile dashboard — with the same data, AI insights, ratios, and institutional activity refreshed after every 10-K, 10-Q, 13F, and Form 4 filing.
Which hedge funds own APEI?
Institutional investors are required to disclose their holdings quarterly via SEC Form 13F. 13F Pro aggregates these filings to show which hedge funds, mutual funds, and asset managers are buying or selling APEI. Combined with insider transaction data from Form 4 filings and AI-powered analysis from 10 specialized research agents, 13F Pro provides a comprehensive view of AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC's investment landscape.