American Public Education (NASDAQ:APEI) Issues FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

American Public Education (NASDAQ:APEI) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Monday morning. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 2.480-2.790 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 2.930. The company issued revenue guidance of $690.0 million-$698.0 million, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $691.0 million. American Public Education also updated its Q3 2026 guidance to 0.180-0.290 EPS.

American Public Education Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ APEI opened at $47.39 on Tuesday. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $52.74 and a 200-day moving average price of $51.74. 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 stock has a market cap of $869.13 million, a PE ratio of 25.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.32 and a beta of 1.38. American Public Education has a 1 year low of $27.74 and a 1 year high of $61.59.

American Public Education (NASDAQ:APEI) last issued its earnings results on Monday, August 10th. The company reported $0.52 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.36 by $0.16. American Public Education had a return on equity of 14.02% and a net margin of 6.13%.The company had revenue of $171.73 million for 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. Equities analysts anticipate that American Public Education will post 2.59 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Weiss Ratings cut shares of American Public Education from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th. Lake Street Capital reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $62.00 price objective on shares of American Public Education in a research report on Tuesday, May 12th. DA Davidson reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $64.00 price objective on shares of American Public Education in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Wall Street Zen raised shares of American Public Education from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Sunday, July 12th. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded shares of American Public Education from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Monday, July 13th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have assigned a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $59.12.

Insider Activity

In related news, SVP Thomas Beckett sold 2,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $54.00, for a total value of $108,000.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 52,172 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,817,288. This trade represents a 3.69% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Corporate insiders own 10.60% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about American Public Education

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

• Positive Sentiment: APEI reported second-quarter earnings of $0.52 per share, well above the $0.36 analyst consensus, while revenue of $171.73 million modestly exceeded estimates. Results also improved substantially from a loss of $0.02 per share in the prior-year quarter. Zacks Q2 earnings report
• Positive Sentiment: The company raised its full-year 2026 revenue, net income and adjusted EBITDA outlook and projected full-year revenue of $690 million to $698 million. APEI also completed its institutional combination after the quarter, creating a single HLC-accredited institution, which management expects to improve its operating platform. American Public Education Q2 financial results
• Neutral Sentiment: APEI is beginning a Salesforce artificial-intelligence platform rollout planned for early 2027. The initiative could support operational efficiency and student growth, but its financial impact is not immediate. APEI revenue outlook and Salesforce rollout
• Negative Sentiment: Third-quarter guidance was the main concern: EPS of $0.18 to $0.29 trails the $0.56 consensus, while revenue of $164.5 million to $167.0 million is below the $169.9 million estimate. Full-year EPS guidance of $2.48 to $2.79 also falls short of the $2.93 consensus, increasing concerns about near-term earnings momentum. APEI Q2 earnings call transcript

Institutional Investors Weigh In On American Public Education

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of APEI. Osaic Holdings Inc. increased its holdings in American Public Education by 5,909.5% during the second quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 1,262 shares of the company’s stock valued at $38,000 after buying an additional 1,241 shares during the period. BNP Paribas Financial Markets boosted its position in American Public Education by 84.1% during the second quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 1,616 shares of the company’s stock valued at $49,000 after purchasing an additional 738 shares in the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc grew its stake in 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 purchasing an additional 552 shares during the last quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC raised its holdings in American Public Education by 96.5% in the second quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 2,643 shares of the company’s stock worth $81,000 after purchasing an additional 1,298 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Meeder Asset Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of American Public Education by 259.6% during the fourth quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc. now owns 5,276 shares of the company’s stock valued at $199,000 after buying an additional 3,809 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 79.62% of the company’s stock.

About American Public Education

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.