American Public Education (NASDAQ:APEI) Price Target Raised to $68.00

Key Points

• B. Riley Financial raised its price target on American Public Education to $68 from $67 and kept a buy rating, implying about 25.9% upside from the previous close.
• The company beat first-quarter earnings expectations, reporting $0.94 EPS versus the $0.61 estimate, while revenue also came in slightly above forecasts at $174.74 million.
• APEI has also raised its full-year and second-quarter outlook, with management increasing 2026 revenue guidance and signaling continued momentum, even as insiders have recently sold shares.

American Public Education (NASDAQ:APEI - Get Free Report) had its price target upped by equities research analysts at B. Riley Financial from $67.00 to $68.00 in a report released on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a "buy" rating on the stock. B. Riley Financial's price objective points to a potential upside of 25.89% from the company's previous close.

APEI has been the subject of a number of other reports. Wall Street Zen downgraded American Public Education from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, March 14th. Truist Financial boosted their price target on American Public Education from $38.00 to $55.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, March 13th. Northland Securities set a $51.00 price target on American Public Education in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. Barrington Research reiterated an "outperform" rating and issued a $56.00 price target on shares of American Public Education in a report on Monday, May 4th. Finally, Griffin Securities set a $53.00 price target on American Public Education in a report on Tuesday, January 27th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have given a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $57.63.

American Public Education Stock Down 4.2%

APEI stock traded down $2.36 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $54.02. 106,226 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 306,335. The company has a current ratio of 3.46, a quick ratio of 3.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. American Public Education has a 12-month low of $25.80 and a 12-month high of $61.59. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $54.97 and a 200-day moving average price of $44.19. The stock has a market capitalization of $994.42 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.58 and a beta of 1.46.

American Public Education (NASDAQ:APEI - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, May 11th. The company reported $0.94 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.61 by $0.33. American Public Education had a return on equity of 11.30% and a net margin of 4.86%.The business had revenue of $174.74 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $173.73 million. American Public Education has set its Q2 2026 guidance at 0.340-0.390 EPS. On average, analysts anticipate that American Public Education will post 2.38 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at American Public Education

In related news, SVP Thomas Beckett sold 2,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $57.70, for a total transaction of $115,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 62,172 shares in the company, valued at $3,587,324.40. The trade was a 3.12% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider 325 Capital Llc sold 95,512 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $54.76, for a total value of $5,230,237.12. Following the transaction, the insider owned 901,234 shares of the company's stock, valued at $49,351,573.84. This represents a 9.58% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 377,071 shares of company stock worth $20,753,569. 10.60% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On American Public Education

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Meeder Asset Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of American Public Education by 193.4% during the first quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc. now owns 15,481 shares of the company's stock valued at $881,000 after purchasing an additional 10,205 shares in the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC raised its stake in shares of American Public Education by 11.5% during the first quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 11,778 shares of the company's stock valued at $670,000 after purchasing an additional 1,214 shares in the last quarter. Northland Securities Inc. bought a new stake in shares of American Public Education during the first quarter valued at about $271,000. Fifth Third Bancorp bought a new position in American Public Education during the first quarter valued at about $464,000. Finally, Hsbc Holdings PLC acquired a new stake in American Public Education in the 1st quarter valued at about $1,014,000. 79.62% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key American Public Education News

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

• Positive Sentiment: APEI delivered a notable Q1 earnings beat, with EPS well above analyst estimates and revenue also topping forecasts, reinforcing improving profitability. American Public Education (APEI) Beats Q1 Earnings and Revenue Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: The company raised 2026 full-year revenue guidance to $686 million-$696 million, suggesting management sees sustained momentum ahead. American Public Education Reports First Quarter 2026 Financial Results and Raises 2026 Full-Year Guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Second-quarter revenue guidance of $170 million-$172 million came in above consensus, even though EPS guidance was below Wall Street expectations, which still supports near-term sales optimism. American Public Education Reports First Quarter 2026 Financial Results and Raises 2026 Full-Year Guidance
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple market recaps and earnings-call coverage are highlighting the quarter’s results, keeping investor attention focused on APEI’s execution and outlook. American Public Education, Inc. NASDAQ: APEI Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

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.

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