American Public Education (NASDAQ:APEI) Hits New 1-Year High – Should You Buy?
by Mitch Edgeman · The Markets DailyAmerican Public Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:APEI – Get Free Report)’s share price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $58.72 and last traded at $58.26, with a volume of 216778 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $56.18.
Key Headlines Impacting American Public Education
Here are the key news stories impacting American Public Education this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research sharply raised multiple EPS estimates (Q1–Q4 and FY2026–FY2028), bumped several quarterly forecasts and carries a “Strong‑Buy” rating — raising FY2026 to ~$2.33, FY2027 to ~$2.82 and FY2028 to ~$3.18, which materially improves the company’s forward earnings outlook. MarketBeat: Zacks estimate updates for APEI
- Positive Sentiment: Northland Securities also raised its quarterly and full‑year forecasts (multiple Q2–Q4 2027 and FY2027 estimates, with FY2027 ~ $3.04), reinforcing the bullish analyst momentum and supporting a higher valuation path if execution matches expectations. MarketBeat: Northland estimate updates for APEI
- Positive Sentiment: An independent price‑target lift to $57.56 (up ~20.8%) was reported, signaling increased sell‑side confidence in near‑term upside versus the stock’s recent trading range. That target sits near the company’s 12‑month high and may anchor investor expectations. American Public Education (APEI) price target increased
- Positive Sentiment: Seeking Alpha included APEI in a “Buy The Dip” roundup of high‑quality stocks to consider, which can attract retail and value‑oriented buyers if market sentiment stabilizes. Buy The Dip: Best Stocks To Buy
- Neutral Sentiment: Despite multiple upward revisions, the street consensus for the current fiscal year still shows a lower figure cited in reports (the noted $0.47 consensus), so risk remains if management misses the newly raised expectations or if macro headwinds slow enrollment/revenue growth. MarketBeat: APEI analyst consensus
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
APEI has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Lake Street Capital raised their price target on shares of American Public Education from $47.00 to $56.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, March 13th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of American Public Education from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Monday, January 12th. Wall Street Zen downgraded American Public Education from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, March 14th. Northland Securities set a $51.00 price objective on American Public Education in a research note on Wednesday, February 18th. Finally, B. Riley Financial lifted their price objective on American Public Education from $53.00 to $57.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, March 13th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have issued a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, American Public Education presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $55.50.
View Our Latest Analysis on American Public Education
American Public Education Price Performance
The company has a quick ratio of 3.46, a current ratio of 3.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 42.09, a P/E/G ratio of 1.64 and a beta of 1.70. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $46.30 and its 200-day simple moving average is $39.76.
American Public Education (NASDAQ:APEI – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, March 12th. The company reported $0.67 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.39 by $0.28. American Public Education had a net margin of 4.86% and a return on equity of 11.30%. The company had revenue of $158.33 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $151.61 million. American Public Education has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.580-0.640 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that American Public Education, Inc. will post 0.47 earnings per share for the current year.
Insider Buying and Selling at American Public Education
In other news, CMO Karmela Gaffney sold 2,700 shares of American Public Education stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $55.87, for a total value of $150,849.00. Following the transaction, the chief marketing officer owned 40,527 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,264,243.49. This trade represents a 6.25% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Thomas Beckett sold 2,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $57.70, for a total value of $115,400.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 62,172 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,587,324.40. This trade represents a 3.12% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 377,071 shares of company stock valued at $20,753,569. 17.54% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
Institutional Trading of American Public Education
Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Pacer Advisors Inc. raised its stake in American Public Education by 1.0% during the fourth quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 63,644 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,406,000 after acquiring an additional 652 shares in the last quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp boosted its stake in shares of American Public Education by 6.5% in the 4th quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 51,377 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,919,000 after purchasing an additional 3,141 shares in the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC grew its holdings in shares of American Public Education by 1.1% during the 4th quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 110,614 shares of the company’s stock valued at $4,181,000 after purchasing an additional 1,150 shares during the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of American Public Education during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $997,000. Finally, Engineers Gate Manager LP increased its position in American Public Education by 99.9% during the 4th quarter. Engineers Gate Manager LP now owns 12,270 shares of the company’s stock worth $464,000 after purchasing an additional 6,132 shares in the last quarter. 79.62% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
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.