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AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC APEI

Nasdaq · stock · Services-Educational Services · website · IPO 2007-11-09 · LEI

AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC statistics & valuation

Market cap$999.9M
P / E31.7×
P / S1.5×
P / B3.4×
P / FCF21.7×
Net margin4.9%
Return on equity10.7%
FCF margin7.1%
Net cash$79.4M
Net debt / EBITDA-1.2×
Enterprise value USD$920.5M
EV / EBITDA14.4×
Earnings yield EBIT/EV5.2%
Return on capital10.7%
Graham number -51.3%$21.99

Market cap as of 2026-06-29. Multiples are price-derived and refreshed daily; everything else from the latest financial reports. The Graham number is Benjamin Graham's rough maximum fair value ($21.99); a green figure means the price is below it.

Profitability & efficiency

Net margin (%)
7.70% 7.10% 8.60% 3.50% 5.80% 4.20% -19.00% -7.90% 2.60% 4.90% 2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Gross margin (%)
2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Operating margin (%)
12.20% 11.60% 10.90% 4.50% 7.70% 7.30% -22.70% -8.00% 5.30% 7.40% 2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Return on equity (%)
9.10% 7.30% 8.00% 3.40% 6.10% 4.30% -32.90% -16.20% 5.30% 10.70% 2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Shares outstanding
16.2M 16.4M 16.6M 16.3M 15.0M 18.7M 18.9M 18.2M 18.1M 18.7M 2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Net debt ($)
$0 $160.5M -$9.4M -$22.0M -$38.5M -$79.4M 2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Share buybacks ($)
2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Return on assets (%)
7.70% 6.20% 6.90% 2.80% 5.10% 2.40% -18.70% -8.50% 2.80% 6.10% 2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Free cash flow margin (%)
12.70% 11.10% 11.70% 10.90% 12.40% 1.10% 2.10% 5.30% 4.40% 7.10% 2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Debt / equity (×)
0.00× 0.39× 0.27× 0.32× 0.31× 0.32× 2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
EPS ($)
$1.49 $1.29 $1.54 $0.62 $1.25 $0.97 -$6.08 -$2.93 $0.55 $1.36 2016201720182019202020212022202320242025

Margins and returns computed from annual filings. Falling shares outstanding = buybacks; rising = dilution. Net debt = debt − cash (negative = net cash).

P / E vs its own history

AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC trades at about 33.2× earnings — above its 10-year norm (10-year range 8.2×–40.3×, median 22.1×).

8.2× 40.3×

Shaded band = 10-year range (8.2×–40.3×); dot = today's 33.2×.

Historical P/E = month-end price near each fiscal year-end ÷ that year's EPS. A read on whether the stock is cheap or dear relative to how it has typically been valued — not a forecast.

Key ratios (by fiscal year)

RatioFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020FY2019FY2018FY2017FY2016
Operating margin7.4%5.3%-8.0%-22.7%7.3%7.7%4.5%10.9%11.6%12.2%
Net margin4.9%2.6%-7.9%-19.0%4.2%5.8%3.5%8.6%7.1%7.7%
FCF margin7.1%4.4%5.3%2.1%1.1%12.4%10.9%11.7%11.1%12.7%
Return on assets6.1%2.8%-8.5%-18.7%2.4%5.1%2.8%6.9%6.2%7.7%
Return on equity10.7%5.3%-16.2%-32.9%4.3%6.1%3.4%8.0%7.3%9.1%
Debt / equity0.32×0.31×0.32×0.27×0.39×0.00×————
Current ratio3.463.292.942.632.424.574.925.254.413.76

Computed from company filings · US · as of 2025-12-31. Facts plus Stocktoria's own computed scores — not investment advice.