American Public Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:APEI) Given Average Rating of “Buy” by Brokerages

Shares of American Public Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:APEI) have received a consensus recommendation of “Buy” from the eight research firms that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation, six have issued a buy recommendation and one has issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average 12-month price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $59.3750.

A number of research analysts have commented on the stock. Lake Street Capital raised their price target on shares of American Public Education from $62.00 to $64.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday. DA Davidson reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $64.00 price objective on shares of American Public Education in a research note on Monday, June 1st. B. Riley Financial increased their target price on American Public Education from $67.00 to $68.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 12th. Weiss Ratings downgraded American Public Education from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th. Finally, Zacks Research raised American Public Education from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Monday, July 13th.

American Public Education Trading Down 1.3%

Shares of American Public Education stock opened at $45.13 on Thursday. American Public Education has a 52-week low of $28.34 and a 52-week high of $61.59. The firm has a market capitalization of $825.88 million, a PE ratio of 18.57, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 1.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27, a current ratio of 2.98 and a quick ratio of 2.98. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $52.46 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $51.77.

American Public Education (NASDAQ:APEI) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 10th. The company reported $0.52 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.36 by $0.16. American Public Education had a net margin of 6.84% and a return on equity of 15.56%. The company had revenue of $171.73 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $170.88 million. American Public Education has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.480-2.790 EPS and its Q3 2026 guidance at 0.180-0.290 EPS. On average, analysts expect that American Public Education will post 2.62 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other American Public Education news, SVP Thomas Beckett sold 2,000 shares of American Public Education stock in a transaction on Monday, June 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $54.00, for a total transaction of $108,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 52,172 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,817,288. This trade represents a 3.69% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders own 10.60% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On American Public Education

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in APEI. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. boosted its position in American Public Education by 4.3% in the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 9,386 shares of the company’s stock valued at $209,000 after buying an additional 390 shares in the last quarter. Militia Capital Partners LP increased its holdings in shares of American Public Education by 7.2% during the second quarter. Militia Capital Partners LP now owns 7,432 shares of the company’s stock worth $226,000 after buying an additional 500 shares in the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc raised its stake in shares of American Public Education by 40.5% in the second quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 1,914 shares of the company’s stock valued at $58,000 after acquiring an additional 552 shares during the last quarter. Creative Planning raised its stake in shares of American Public Education by 5.5% in the third quarter. Creative Planning now owns 11,795 shares of the company’s stock valued at $466,000 after acquiring an additional 618 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Diversified Trust Co boosted its holdings in shares of American Public Education by 8.6% in the 1st quarter. Diversified Trust Co now owns 7,818 shares of the company’s stock worth $445,000 after acquiring an additional 621 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.62% of the company’s stock.

American Public Education News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting American Public Education this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 earnings beat expectations. APEI reported adjusted earnings of $0.52 per share, above the $0.36 analyst consensus, while revenue of $171.73 million also slightly exceeded expectations. The company maintained a profitable outlook, supported by a 6.84% net margin and 15.56% return on equity. American Public Education Q2 Earnings Snapshot
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst earnings estimates increased. Northland Securities raised its FY2026 EPS forecast to $2.58 from $2.53 and its FY2027 estimate to $3.06 from $3.05. The FY2027 forecast is well above the broader current-year consensus of $2.59, suggesting expectations for continued earnings growth. Northland Securities Estimate Changes
• Positive Sentiment: New Salesforce-powered AI platform could improve student retention and efficiency. APEI is developing a platform designed to unify the student experience through personalized support, proactive advising and connected services. The rollout is expected to begin in early 2027, creating a potential longer-term growth catalyst. American Public Education Unveils AI-Powered Student Lifecycle Platform
• Positive Sentiment: Management provided a substantial revenue outlook. APEI expects 2026 revenue of approximately $690 million to $698 million, reinforcing expectations for continued expansion. APEI 2026 Revenue Outlook
• Neutral Sentiment: Value-oriented investors may find the stock attractive. Zacks highlighted APEI as a strong value stock, but the report is based primarily on valuation and style metrics rather than a new business development. Why American Public Education Is a Strong Value Stock

American Public Education Company Profile

American Public Education, Inc operates as a provider of online postsecondary education, offering degree and certificate programs through its wholly owned subsidiary, American Public University System (APUS). The company designs and delivers a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programs in fields such as business administration, information technology, criminal justice, homeland security, health sciences, and education. Its curriculum is developed to meet the needs of working adults, military personnel, veterans and civilian students seeking flexible, career-relevant learning opportunities.

APUS is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and employs a proprietary online learning platform that supports asynchronous instruction, digital course materials and interactive learning tools.