American Public Education Inc
APEI Nasdaq Services-Educational Services Financials FY2016–FY2025
Last close · Oct 23, 2026
$48.77
0.2%What American Public Education Inc does
No business description yet.
- Legal name
- AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC
- Fiscal year ends
- December 31, 2025
- Latest annual report
- 10-K · Mar 12, 2026
- Accession · CIK
- 0001201792-26-000004
0001201792
Revenue and margins
American Public Education Inc had $649M of revenue in fiscal 2025, up 3.9% on the year before.
Net income and earnings per share
From fiscal 2016 to 2025, diluted EPS grew −1.0% a year. Loss periods are shown in red.
Returns on capital
After-tax operating income as a share of the money invested in the business: debt plus equity, minus cash.
Cash flow
Free cash flow was $46.1M in fiscal 2025, 7.1% of revenue. Cash from operations minus capital spending.
Dividends, buybacks and share count
American Public Education Inc returned $4.3M to shareholders in fiscal 2025, 9% of free cash flow. The diluted share count rose 2.8%.
Balance sheet
Cash, debt and the ratios that show how comfortably American Public Education Inc can carry it.
| Fiscal year end | FY21 | FY22 | FY23 | FY24 | FY25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash and short-term investments | $150M | $103M | $117M | $132M | $174M |
| Debt incl. finance leases | $161M | $93.4M | $94.8M | $93.9M | $94.9M |
| Net debt / EBITDA | 0.2x | — | — | −0.7x | −1.2x |
| Debt / equity | 0.4x | 0.3x | 0.3x | 0.3x | 0.3x |
| Interest coverage | — | −35.2x | — | — | — |
| Current ratio | 2.4x | 2.6x | 2.9x | 3.3x | 3.5x |
| Quick ratio | 2.4x | 2.6x | 2.9x | 3.3x | 3.5x |
| Total assets | $726M | $615M | $557M | $570M | $521M |
| Total liabilities | $310M | $265M | $265M | $266M | $227M |
| Shareholders' equity | $416M | $350M | $292M | $304M | $295M |
| Net debt (− = net cash) | $10.9M | −$9.2M | −$21.9M | −$38.1M | −$79.2M |
Insider trades
Open-market purchases and sales by officers, directors and 10% owners, from Form 4 filings. “Plan” marks trades under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan.
Bought, 12 months
$0.0M
0 insiders
Sold, 12 months
$0.0M
0 insiders
Of sales under plans
—
$0.0M
No open-market insider trades in the last 12 months.
Piotroski F-score
Nine pass/fail tests of profitability, funding and efficiency. 8–9 is strong, 0–2 weak.
| Test | FY16 | FY17 | FY18 | FY19 | FY20 | FY21 | FY22 | FY23 | FY24 | FY25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net income is positive | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cash from operations is positive | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Return on assets rose | — | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cash from operations exceeds net income | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Debt fell relative to assets | — | — | — | — | — | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Current ratio rose | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Share count didn't rise | — | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Gross margin rose | — | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Revenue rose relative to assets | — | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| F-score | — / 3 | 4 / 8 | 6 / 8 | 5 / 8 | 7 / 8 | 2 / 9 | 5 / 9 | 6 / 9 | 9 / 9 | 7 / 9 |
| Accruals ratio | −10.1% | −8.2% | −5.2% | −7.8% | −7.2% | 0.3% | −21.5% | −15.8% | −5.8% | −5.6% |
| Altman Z'' | 9.59 | 10.72 | 11.88 | 9.86 | 9.93 | 3.34 | 1.19 | 1.97 | 3.44 | 4.20 |
10 years of figures
Amounts in USD. Hover a ratio’s name for its definition.
| Fiscal year | FY16 | FY17 | FY18 | FY19 | FY20 | FY21 | FY22 | FY23 | FY24 | FY25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Income statement | ||||||||||
| Revenue | $313M | $299M | $298M | $286M | $322M | $419M | $606M | $601M | $625M | $649M |
| Net interest income | $0.1M | $0.2M | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Gross profit | $196M | $183M | $182M | $174M | $200M | $246M | $318M | $308M | $329M | $352M |
| Operating income | $38.3M | $34.9M | $32.5M | $12.8M | $24.8M | $30.4M | −$137M | −$48.3M | $33.1M | $47.9M |
| Interest expense | — | — | — | — | — | — | $3.9M | — | — | — |
| Pretax income | $38.4M | $35.0M | $35.4M | $16.7M | $25.8M | $26.1M | −$151M | −$52.8M | $30.9M | $43.7M |
| Income tax | $14.9M | $11.5M | $9.3M | $5.2M | $7.0M | $7.5M | −$36.3M | −$10.7M | $10.4M | $12.1M |
| Net income | $24.2M | $21.1M | $25.6M | $10.0M | $18.8M | $17.8M | −$115M | −$47.3M | $16.1M | $31.6M |
| Net income to common | — | — | — | — | $18.8M | $17.8M | −$115M | −$53.3M | $10.1M | $25.3M |
| Diluted EPS | $1.49 | $1.29 | $1.54 | $0.62 | $1.25 | $0.97 | −$6.08 | −$2.93 | $0.55 | $1.36 |
| Diluted shares | 0.02B | 0.02B | 0.02B | 0.02B | 0.02B | 0.02B | 0.02B | 0.02B | 0.02B | 0.02B |
| Cash flow | ||||||||||
| Cash from operations | $56.0M | $47.9M | $44.2M | $38.4M | $44.8M | $16.3M | $29.2M | $45.5M | $48.9M | $62.0M |
| Capital expenditure | $16.4M | $14.8M | $9.4M | $7.3M | $4.9M | $11.8M | $16.4M | $13.9M | $21.1M | $15.9M |
| Free cash flow | $39.6M | $33.2M | $34.7M | $31.1M | $39.9M | $4.4M | $12.8M | $31.6M | $27.8M | $46.1M |
| Depreciation and amortization | $19.4M | $18.8M | $17.5M | $15.6M | $13.0M | $17.8M | $32.1M | $27.8M | $19.3M | $16.1M |
| Stock-based compensation | $5.2M | $6.2M | $7.2M | $6.0M | $7.1M | $7.7M | $8.0M | $7.7M | $7.7M | $8.4M |
| Acquisitions | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $0.0M | $0.0M | $2.3M |
| Share buybacks | $0.8M | $1.6M | $1.8M | $40.5M | $15.7M | $3.0M | $1.5M | $10.7M | $4.2M | $4.3M |
| Dividends and buybacks | $0.8M | $1.6M | $1.8M | $40.5M | $15.7M | $3.0M | $1.5M | $10.7M | $4.2M | $4.3M |
| Balance sheet | ||||||||||
| Cash and short-term investments | $146M | $179M | $212M | $203M | $228M | $150M | $103M | $117M | $132M | $174M |
| Total debt | — | — | — | — | $0.0M | $161M | $93.2M | $94.7M | $93.4M | $94.7M |
| Finance lease liabilities | — | — | — | — | — | — | $0.2M | $0.1M | $0.4M | $0.2M |
| Current assets | $159M | $191M | $233M | $223M | $252M | $203M | $186M | $217M | $261M | $260M |
| Current liabilities | $42.2M | $43.4M | $44.3M | $45.3M | $55.1M | $83.7M | $70.8M | $74.0M | $79.2M | $75.1M |
| Property and equipment, net | $97.7M | $95.2M | $86.9M | $78.5M | $68.4M | $102M | $101M | $87.5M | $73.4M | $70.6M |
| Goodwill | $33.9M | $33.9M | $33.9M | $26.6M | $26.6M | $243M | $113M | $59.6M | $59.6M | $59.6M |
| Intangible assets | $5.2M | $4.6M | $4.0M | $3.7M | $3.7M | $85.1M | $54.7M | $31.5M | $28.2M | $28.2M |
| Total assets | $316M | $339M | $371M | $355M | $371M | $726M | $615M | $557M | $570M | $521M |
| Total liabilities | $51.0M | $49.6M | $49.7M | $58.2M | $64.1M | $310M | $265M | $265M | $266M | $227M |
| Preferred stock | $0.0M | $0.0M | $0.0M | $0.0M | $0.0M | $0.0M | $39.7M | $39.7M | $39.7M | $0.0M |
| Shareholders' equity | $265M | $289M | $321M | $297M | $307M | $416M | $350M | $292M | $304M | $295M |
| Margins | ||||||||||
| Gross margin | 62.6% | 61.2% | 61.3% | 60.9% | 62.0% | 58.8% | 52.4% | 51.2% | 52.7% | 54.2% |
| Operating margin | 12.2% | 11.6% | 10.9% | 4.5% | 7.7% | 7.3% | −22.7% | −8.0% | 5.3% | 7.4% |
| EBITDA margin | 18.4% | 17.9% | 16.8% | 9.9% | 11.7% | 11.5% | −17.4% | −3.4% | 8.4% | 9.9% |
| Net margin | 7.7% | 7.1% | 8.6% | 3.5% | 5.8% | 4.2% | −19.0% | −7.9% | 2.6% | 4.9% |
| FCF margin | 12.7% | 11.1% | 11.7% | 10.9% | 12.4% | 1.1% | 2.1% | 5.3% | 4.4% | 7.1% |
| Net interest share of revenue | 0.0% | 0.1% | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Returns | ||||||||||
| Return on capital | — | — | — | — | 22.8% | 5.1% | −31.9% | −14.1% | 8.3% | 16.1% |
| Return on capital employed | 14.0% | 11.8% | 10.0% | 4.1% | 7.8% | 4.7% | −25.2% | −10.0% | 6.7% | 10.7% |
| Return on equity | 9.1% | 7.6% | 8.4% | 3.2% | 6.2% | 4.9% | −30.1% | −14.7% | 5.4% | 10.5% |
| Return on assets | 7.7% | 6.5% | 7.2% | 2.8% | 5.2% | 3.2% | −17.2% | −8.1% | 2.9% | 5.8% |
| Return on tangible equity | 10.7% | 8.4% | 9.0% | 3.8% | 6.8% | 20.4% | −63.1% | −26.5% | 4.7% | 12.2% |
| Growth | ||||||||||
| Revenue growth | — | −4.4% | −0.5% | −3.8% | 12.4% | 30.1% | 44.8% | −1.0% | 4.0% | 3.9% |
| Net income growth | — | −12.6% | 21.4% | −60.9% | 88.0% | −5.7% | −747.8% | — | — | 95.8% |
| EPS growth | — | −13.4% | 19.4% | −59.7% | 101.6% | −22.4% | −726.8% | — | — | 147.3% |
| FCF growth | — | −16.3% | 4.8% | −10.5% | 28.2% | −88.9% | 189.1% | 146.5% | −12.1% | 65.9% |
| Share count change | — | 1.0% | 1.6% | −2.3% | −7.4% | 21.3% | 3.6% | −3.8% | −0.2% | 2.8% |
| Financial health | ||||||||||
| Net debt / EBITDA | — | — | — | — | −6.0x | 0.2x | — | — | −0.7x | −1.2x |
| Debt / equity | — | — | — | — | 0.0x | 0.4x | 0.3x | 0.3x | 0.3x | 0.3x |
| Interest coverage | — | — | — | — | — | — | −35.2x | — | — | — |
| Current ratio | 3.8x | 4.4x | 5.2x | 4.9x | 4.6x | 2.4x | 2.6x | 2.9x | 3.3x | 3.5x |
| Quick ratio | 3.8x | 4.4x | 5.2x | 4.9x | 4.6x | 2.4x | 2.6x | 2.9x | 3.3x | 3.5x |
| Capital allocation | ||||||||||
| Capex / revenue | 5.2% | 4.9% | 3.2% | 2.5% | 1.5% | 2.8% | 2.7% | 2.3% | 3.4% | 2.4% |
| Stock comp / revenue | 1.7% | 2.1% | 2.4% | 2.1% | 2.2% | 1.8% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.2% | 1.3% |
| Payouts / FCF | 2.1% | 4.8% | 5.2% | 130.2% | 39.4% | 68.3% | 12.0% | 34.0% | 15.3% | 9.2% |
| Quality scores | ||||||||||
| Piotroski F-score | — | 4.0 | 6.0 | 5.0 | 7.0 | 2.0 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 9.0 | 7.0 |
| Altman Z'' | 9.6 | 10.7 | 11.9 | 9.9 | 9.9 | 3.3 | 1.2 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 4.2 |
| Accruals ratio | −10.1% | −8.2% | −5.2% | −7.8% | −7.2% | 0.3% | −21.5% | −15.8% | −5.8% | −5.6% |
Source: SEC EDGAR XBRL filings (CIK 0001201792). Data updated October 24, 2026. Quarterly fourth quarters are the full year minus the first nine months. For information only — not investment advice. Check the original filings before relying on any figure.
