Stock fact sheet · data as of
American Public Education, Inc. (APEI): fair value, margin of safety and Wheel Score
Ticker symbol APEI · Consumer Defensive · Education & Training Services · United States · Blend
Is APEI undervalued?
American Public Education, Inc. (APEI) closed at 42.41 on 5 Nov 2026. The GLS average fair value - the simple average of the 7 valuation models that produced a positive number - is 74.70, which puts the price 43% below it. 5 of the 7 models value the shares above the current price. A gap this wide is rare in our universe of ~7,400 US stocks and is exactly what the Value part of the Wheel Score rewards; it is also where the question "why is it this cheap?" matters most.
There is a wide gap between EPV (27.64) and Payback Time (126.25). When the models are this far apart the "fair value" is really a range, and the margin of safety above should be read with that range in mind.
Ranked against every other company we cover, neither cheapness nor growth clearly wins for APEI, so the nightly engine files it under Blend (value score 49, growth score 49, out of 100).
Nine valuation models for APEI
Each model turns the latest filed numbers into a value per share; the GLS fair value is the simple average of the ones that produce a positive number. The last two rows are shown for reference and never enter the average. The Quote page lets you switch any model off and add your own margin of safety.
| Model | Value | vs price | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| DCF | - | - | Present value of the projected free cash flows, discounted at the cost of capital; no value tonight |
| Graham Number | 30.94 | -27% | The most a defensive investor pays for the earnings and book value per share |
| Graham Growth | 108.92 | +157% | Graham's growth formula: EPS × (8.5 + 2 × growth), adjusted for bond yields |
| Lynch | 45.12 | +6% | EPS × the earnings growth rate (PEG of 1), growth capped at 25% |
| GLS Growth | 87.20 | +106% | EPS compounded ten years at the blended growth rate, discounted back at 15% a year |
| 10 Cap | 96.82 | +128% | Owner's earnings (operating cash flow less maintenance capex) capitalised at 10% |
| Payback Time | 126.25 | +198% | Eight years of compounded free cash flow: the price at which the business pays for itself |
| DDM | - | - | Dividend discount model: next year's dividend ÷ (10% − 3% growth); needs a dividend; no value tonight |
| EPV | 27.64 | -35% | Earnings power value: current EPS capitalised at 9% with no growth |
| Zombie (liquidation) | 0.6101 | -99% | Current assets less all liabilities, per share: the balance-sheet floor. Not in the average |
| Wall St target | 63.33 | +49% | Analysts' average 12-month price target. Not in the average |
Quality and financial health
American Public Education, Inc. scores 8 of 9 on the Piotroski F-score, the nine yes/no tests of profitability, leverage and efficiency on the latest annual accounts - a strong reading that passes the "Piotroski 6 or more" Wheel Trade Filter with room to spare. A GLS Moat score of 4.8/10 is a weak reading: the accounts do not show returns and margins that competitors have been unable to wear down, so the Moat part of the Wheel Score contributes little.
Returns on capital are moderate - ROIC 6.9%, ROE 10.7%, ROA 5.8% - with debt at 0.55 times equity and a free-cash-flow yield of 9.0%.
American Public Education, Inc. pays no dividend, so the DDM model does not apply and a covered-call holder earns only the premium and any price gain. Revenue comes mainly from Instructional Services, Net Of Grants A… 91%, Textbook And Other Course Materials 8%, Graduation Fees 1% (quarter Q2 FY2026).
Institutional ownership scores 10/10, insider activity 1/10 and Congressional trading 5/10 on the GLS smart-money scales.
| Piotroski F-score | 8 / 9 | ROIC | 6.9% |
|---|---|---|---|
| GLS Moat | 4.8 / 10 | ROE | 10.7% |
| Debt / equity | 0.55 | ROA | 5.8% |
| Free-cash-flow yield | 9.0% | Payout ratio | 0% |
| Institutions | 10 / 10 | Insiders · Congress | 1 · 5 / 10 |
Wheel Score 47: Weak
With a Wheel Score of 47 American Public Education, Inc. sits in the Weak band. It fails filter 1, options that actually trade - options too quiet (528 open interest, 187 a day); and filter 8, big enough - market cap $776M (under $1.0B); Option trading (weak) is its weakest part.
Implied volatility is 65% on the near-the-money contracts 20-60 days out - above the 60% top of the sweet spot. It still passes the 25-80% filter, but the Wheel Score rewards it less because volatility this high usually comes with a reason. Chain open interest is thin - 528 contracts across every expiry - so fills at a fair price are not guaranteed; a 30-45-day put may not exist at a usable strike.
Volume runs at 261k shares a day on a market cap of $776M, with a beta of 1.45 - a high beta, so the stock tends to move more than the market and a strike can be gapped through; the Stability part of the Wheel Score rates that fair.
| Filter | Wheel Trade Filter | Result | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Options that actually trade | Fails | options too quiet (528 open interest, 187 a day) |
| 2 | A real business, not a gamble | Passes | Profitable over the last twelve months - not a speculative stock, fund or note |
| 3 | Below fair value | Passes | Trading below the nine-model average fair value (margin of safety above 0) |
| 4 | Financially healthy | Passes | Piotroski F-score 6 or more out of 9 (a company with no score on file passes) |
| 5 | Can repay its debt | Passes | Long-term debt repaid from 3 years of operating cash flow or less (6 for real estate and utilities; banks and insurers are not judged on it) |
| 6 | No serious red flags | Passes | Red Flags score 60 or more out of 100 (earnings, margins, debt, analysts, filings and price checked the same way for every stock) |
| 7 | A premium worth selling | Passes | Implied volatility 25-80% (enough premium, not a lottery ticket) |
| 8 | Big enough | Fails | market cap $776M (under $1.0B) |
| 9 | Not a penny stock | Passes | Share price $5 or more |
| How it ranks | Rating | From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value | Strong | 43% below fair value | |
| Premium | Strong | implied volatility 65% | |
| Moat | Fair | moat 4.8/10 | |
| Health | Strong | Piotroski 8/9 | |
| Red Flags | Good | Red Flags score 80/100 | |
| Option trading | Weak | 187 contracts a day, 528 open interest | |
| Stability | Fair | beta 1.45, $776M company |
The Wheel Score ranks ~7,400 US stocks for selling cash-secured puts and covered calls: a stock must pass all 9 Wheel Trade Filters to score 70, and the score then ranks the ones that pass; the Sunday Scan is the top 10. It is updated nightly and is not a recommendation. How the Wheel Score works · the walkthrough lesson shows how it fits into a trade, start to finish.
Upcoming events
American Public Education, Inc. reports earnings on 9 Nov 2026 (after the close) - inside the 14-day window the Sunday Scan avoids, because a put sold now would carry the report's gap risk.
No analyst upgrades or downgrades were recorded in the last 30 days.
Earnings, dividend, IPO, split and economic calendars for the whole market, filterable to your watchlists.
Similar stocks in Education & Training Services
The 12 companies below are the closest to American Public Education, Inc. by market cap within the Education & Training Services industry, each with its own fact sheet; the Compare page puts up to eight of them side by side.
| Stock | Close | Fair value | MoS | Wheel | Mkt cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PXED Phoenix Education Partners, Inc | 21.66 | 48.20 | +55% | 34No options | $781M |
| GOTU Gaotu Techedu Inc. | 2.35 | 2.57 | +9% | 23Weak | $829M |
| LINC Lincoln Educational Services Corporation | 20.11 | 26.73 | +25% | 42Weak | $638M |
| AFYA Afya Limited | 10.50 | 35.73 | +71% | 39Weak | $960M |
| COUR Coursera, Inc. | 3.90 | 8.81 | +56% | 42Weak | $1.0B |
| UTI Universal Technical Institute, Inc. | 22.33 | 18.50 | -21% | 32Weak | $1.2B |
| DFPH DFP Healthcare Acquisitions Cor | 2.01 | - | - | 8No options | $436M |
| STRA Strategic Education, Inc. | 74.32 | 182.52 | +59% | 49Weak | $1.7B |
| YUMM Yummies, Inc. | 0.7500 | 0.0000 | -191602102% | 10No options | $337M |
| PRDO Perdoceo Education Corporation | 29.99 | 48.76 | +38% | 53Fair | $1.9B |
| KLC KinderCare Learning Companies, Inc. | 2.14 | 19.27 | +89% | 30Weak | $254M |
| MH McGraw Hill, Inc. | 12.76 | 28.27 | +55% | 46Weak | $2.4B |
⚖ Compare APEI with 7 of them All Consumer Defensive stocks →
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Start free See the Sunday ScanQuestions about APEI
Is APEI undervalued right now?
By the GLS models, yes: at 42.41 the stock is 43% below the average fair value of 74.70 (data as of 5 Nov 2026). Whether the discount is deserved is the question to research next.
What is the Wheel Score of APEI and what does it mean?
APEI scores 47 out of 100 (Weak) - it fails Wheel Trade Filters 1, 8. The Wheel Score ranks stocks for the wheel strategy - selling cash-secured puts, then covered calls if assigned - in two parts: the 9 pass/fail Wheel Trade Filters (busy options, a real business, below fair value, Piotroski 6 or more, debt it can repay, a Red Flags score of 60 or more, implied volatility of 25-80%, a $1 billion company, $5 a share) and a ranking of how strongly a stock passes on value, premium, moat, health, red flags, option trading and stability. A stock that fails any filter stays under 70; 70-84 is Good, 85 and above is Prime. The Sunday Scan is the top 10 that pass, sorted by Wheel Score.
What is the GLS fair value for APEI?
74.70 per share as of 5 Nov 2026 - the simple average of the 7 valuation models (out of nine: DCF, Graham Number, Graham Growth, Lynch, GLS Growth, 10 Cap, Payback Time, DDM and EPV) that produced a positive value. The models run every night on the latest filings; the Quote page lets you switch any of them off and add a margin of safety of your own.
When does American Public Education, Inc. report earnings next?
The next earnings report is due on 9 Nov 2026 (after the close), 4 days from the data date of 5 Nov 2026. The Calendars page lists every upcoming report with its time of day.
Does APEI have listed options, and how liquid are they?
Yes. The nightly snapshot found 24 listed contracts with 528 open interest across all expiries and implied volatility of 65% on the near-the-money contracts. The Options scanner lists the cash-secured put and covered call set-ups with premium and annualised yield worked out.