American Public Education, Inc. (APEI) — Stock Score Summary

American Public Education, Inc. (APEI) has a MoatMap StockRank of 97/100 based on Quality (72/100), Value (38/100), and Momentum (80/100) factor scores. The current signal is STRONG BUY. American Public Education operates in the for-profit education sector, which often faces regulatory scrutiny and cyclical demand pressures. Despite being consumer defensive, its quality metrics (Q:69, V:30) are not compelling enough to justify high conviction, and there is no clear, unpriced asymmetric macro tailwind to make it a Druckenmiller-style opportunity. It does not clearly align with the 'quality compounder' or 'growth-at-a-reasonable-price' criteria, lacking a strong, observable moat or demand signal for a concentrated portfolio.

American Public Education, Inc. provides online post-secondary education services through its subsidiaries, including American Public University System (APUS) and Rasmussen University. The company focuses on adult learners, military personnel, and working professionals with flexible, affordable online programs. It is a leading online education provider, particularly renowned for its services to military students.

Key Financial Metrics

Price$51.50
Market Cap$945M
P/E (TTM)27.75
P/E (Forward)14.34
Price/Book3.22
Return on Equity13.1%
Return on Invested Capital10.7%
Debt/Equity50.12
Gross Margin55.0%
Operating Margin12.5%
Revenue Growth6.2%
Free Cash Flow$102M

American Public Education, Inc. operates in the Education & Training Services industry, part of the Consumer Defensive sector (United States).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is American Public Education, Inc.’s (APEI) StockRank?
MoatMap’s StockRank for American Public Education, Inc. (APEI) is 97/100, with a Strong Buy signal. It is a composite of Quality (72), Value (38), and Momentum (80) factor ranks across MoatMap’s 19,000+ stock universe.
Does American Public Education, Inc. have an economic moat?
American Public Education, Inc. (APEI) has a Quality factor score of 72/100. The Quality factor combines ROIC, Piotroski F-Score, and leverage — the financial fingerprints of a durable competitive advantage. A Quality score above 70 typically indicates a company with the characteristics of a moated business.
Is American Public Education, Inc. a buy, hold, or sell?
MoatMap’s current signal for American Public Education, Inc. (APEI) is Strong Buy, based on a StockRank of 97/100. Signals are derived mechanically from the StockRank composite and should be one input among many — combine with your own thesis on management, competitive position, and valuation.
What sector is American Public Education, Inc. in?
American Public Education, Inc. (APEI) operates in the Consumer Defensive sector, specifically the Education & Training Services industry (United States).
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