What is Northland Securities' Estimate for APEI Q3 Earnings?

Key Points

• Northland Securities cut its Q3 2026 EPS estimate for American Public Education to $0.24 from $0.41. The firm also forecast Q4 2026 EPS of $0.87, while the broader full-year consensus stands at $2.62 per share.
• APEI reported Q2 EPS of $0.52, beating the $0.36 consensus, with revenue of $171.73 million versus estimates of $170.88 million. Management issued Q3 EPS guidance of $0.18–$0.29 and full-year 2026 guidance of $2.48–$2.79.
• Analyst sentiment remains generally positive, with six Buy ratings and two Holds producing a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $59.38. Shares opened at $45.13, below their 50-day and 200-day moving averages.

American Public Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:APEI - Free Report) - Stock analysts at Northland Securities dropped their Q3 2026 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for American Public Education in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, August 11th. Northland Securities analyst L. Horton now forecasts that the company will post earnings of $0.24 per share for the quarter, down from their prior forecast of $0.41. The consensus estimate for American Public Education's current full-year earnings is $2.62 per share. Northland Securities also issued estimates for American Public Education's Q4 2026 earnings at $0.87 EPS.

APEI has been the subject of several other reports. Zacks Research downgraded American Public Education from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday. Lake Street Capital increased their price objective on shares of American Public Education from $62.00 to $64.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of American Public Education from a "buy (b)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. Wall Street Zen upgraded American Public Education from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Sunday, July 12th. Finally, Barrington Research boosted their price target on American Public Education from $56.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 13th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $59.38.

American Public Education Stock Down 1.3%

Shares of APEI opened at $45.13 on Thursday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $52.46 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $51.77. The company has a market cap of $825.88 million, a P/E ratio of 18.57, a P/E/G ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 1.38. American Public Education has a one year low of $28.34 and a one year high of $61.59. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27, a current ratio of 2.98 and a quick ratio of 2.98.

American Public Education (NASDAQ:APEI - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Monday, August 10th. The company reported $0.52 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.36 by $0.16. American Public Education had a net margin of 6.84% and a return on equity of 15.56%. The firm had revenue of $171.73 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates 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.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On American Public Education

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Globeflex Capital L P bought a new stake in shares of American Public Education in the 2nd quarter valued at $2,498,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp acquired a new stake in American Public Education in the second quarter worth $3,721,000. Wedge Capital Management L L P NC grew its holdings in American Public Education by 15.1% in the second quarter. Wedge Capital Management L L P NC now owns 28,676 shares of the company's stock worth $1,540,000 after purchasing an additional 3,772 shares during the period. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. increased its position in American Public Education by 2.3% in the 2nd quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 181,434 shares of the company's stock valued at $9,743,000 after buying an additional 4,125 shares in the last quarter. Finally, PVG Asset Management Corp increased its holdings in shares of American Public Education by 502.3% during the first quarter. PVG Asset Management Corp now owns 42,935 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,220,000 after acquiring an additional 35,807 shares in the last quarter. 79.62% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, SVP Thomas Beckett sold 2,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $54.00, for a total value of $108,000.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 52,172 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,817,288. The trade was a 3.69% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders own 10.60% of the company's stock.

More American Public Education News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 earnings beat expectations. APEI reported adjusted earnings of $0.52 per share, above the $0.36 analyst consensus, while revenue of $171.73 million also slightly exceeded expectations. The company maintained a profitable outlook, supported by a 6.84% net margin and 15.56% return on equity. American Public Education Q2 Earnings Snapshot
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst earnings estimates increased. Northland Securities raised its FY2026 EPS forecast to $2.58 from $2.53 and its FY2027 estimate to $3.06 from $3.05. The FY2027 forecast is well above the broader current-year consensus of $2.59, suggesting expectations for continued earnings growth. Northland Securities Estimate Changes
• Positive Sentiment: New Salesforce-powered AI platform could improve student retention and efficiency. APEI is developing a platform designed to unify the student experience through personalized support, proactive advising and connected services. The rollout is expected to begin in early 2027, creating a potential longer-term growth catalyst. American Public Education Unveils AI-Powered Student Lifecycle Platform
• Positive Sentiment: Management provided a substantial revenue outlook. APEI expects 2026 revenue of approximately $690 million to $698 million, reinforcing expectations for continued expansion. APEI 2026 Revenue Outlook
• Neutral Sentiment: Value-oriented investors may find the stock attractive. Zacks highlighted APEI as a strong value stock, but the report is based primarily on valuation and style metrics rather than a new business development. Why American Public Education Is a Strong Value 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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

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