Stocktoria
AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC APEI
AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC (APEI) earns a Piotroski F-score of 6/9 (mixed financial health), with an Altman Z″ in the safe zone. It does not currently pay a dividend. FY2025 revenue was $648.9M at a 4.9% net margin.
Quality score trend · recomputed for each fiscal year
Each year's score is computed from that year's filing — a rising Piotroski F or Altman Z″ means improving financial health, a fall is worth a look.
Beneish M-score: -2.73 — low (below −2.22 — no manipulation red flag) . A statistical screen for earnings manipulation, not proof — and it doesn't apply to most banks/insurers.
Analyst price target
Wall Street analyst consensus — a sentiment gauge, not our scoring.
Smart money · insiders, last 12 months
Open-market insider purchases minus sells (SEC Form 4) — real buying with their own money is a bullish “smart money” signal; grants and option exercises are excluded.
How it ranks in Services · percentile among 982 companies
Percentile vs other Services companies we cover — e.g. “stronger than 90%” means only 10% score higher on that measure.
Piotroski F breakdown · 6/9 tests passed
- Positive return on assets
- Positive operating cash flow
- Rising ROA
- Cash flow exceeds net income
- Lower long-term debt
- Rising current ratio
- No share dilution
- Rising gross margin
- Rising asset turnover
Altman Z″ components · safe zone
| Component | Value |
|---|---|
| Working capital / assets | 0.354 |
| Retained earnings / assets | -0.032 |
| EBIT / assets | 0.092 |
| Equity / liabilities | 1.301 |
Sector peers · similar-size Services companies compare side by side →
| Ticker | Company | Piotroski F | Altman Z″ | P / E | Revenue growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APEI | AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC | 6/9 | 4.2 | 31.7 | +3.9% |
| LINC | LINCOLN EDUCATIONAL SERVICES CORP | 5/9 | 1.6 | 79.1 | +17.8% |
| UTI | UNIVERSAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE INC | 6/9 | 1.91 | 33.6 | +14% |
| DAO | Youdao, Inc. | 2/9 | — | — | +9.6% |
| PRDO | PERDOCEO EDUCATION Corp | 7/9 | 9.58 | 13.1 | +24.2% |
| GOTU | Gaotu Techedu Inc. | 5/9 | -3.82 | — | +40.9% |
| CHGG | CHEGG, INC | 5/9 | -14.13 | — | -39% |
About AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC
American Public Education, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides online and campus-based postsecondary education services in the United States. It operates through three segments: American Public University System, Rasmussen University, and Hondros College of Nursing. The company offers 181 degree programs, 110 certificate programs, and four diploma programs in various fields of study, including public service-focused fields, such as nursing, national security, military studies, intelligence, and homeland security, as well as traditional academic fields comprising business, health science, information technology, justice studies, education, and liberal arts; and career learning and leadership training in-person and online to the federal workforce. It also provides nursing-and health sciences-focused postsecondary education; and pre-licensure nursing education services focusing on a diploma in practical nursing and associate degree in nursing, as well as a bachelor of science in nursing. The company was incorporated in 1991 and is headquartered in Charles Town, West Virginia.
FAQ
Is APEI financially healthy?
AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC's Piotroski F-score is 6/9 (8–9 is excellent, 0–3 weak), and its Altman Z″ distress score is in the safe zone.
Does APEI pay a dividend?
No, AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC does not currently pay a dividend.
How profitable is APEI?
In FY2025, AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC had a net margin of 4.9% and a return on equity of 10.7%.
Is APEI overvalued or undervalued?
AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC trades at about 33.2× trailing earnings — above its 10-year norm (10-year range 8.2×–40.3×, median 22.1×). Stocktoria reports the data, not buy/sell advice.
What is the analyst price target for APEI?
The average Wall-Street price target for AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC is $62.17, about 37.8% above the recent price, from 6 analysts.
Is APEI a good stock to buy?
Stocktoria doesn't give buy or sell advice, but here is the data on AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC: a Piotroski F-score of 6/9, an Altman Z″ in the safe zone, a P/E of about 31.7×. Weigh these quality and valuation signals against your own goals.
Computed from company filings · US · as of 2025-12-31. Facts plus Stocktoria's own computed scores — not investment advice.