Northland Securities Predicts APEI Q1 Earnings

American Public Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:APEI) – Northland Securities issued their Q1 2027 EPS estimates for American Public Education in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, March 25th. Northland Securities analyst L. Horton anticipates that the company will earn $0.81 per share for the quarter. The consensus estimate for American Public Education’s current full-year earnings is $0.47 per share. Northland Securities also issued estimates for American Public Education’s Q4 2027 earnings at $1.05 EPS.

Several other research firms have also weighed in on APEI. Barrington Research upped their target price on American Public Education from $51.00 to $56.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, March 13th. B. Riley Financial increased their price objective on shares of American Public Education from $53.00 to $57.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, March 13th. William Blair set a $58.00 target price on shares of American Public Education in a report on Friday, March 13th. Lake Street Capital raised their target price on shares of American Public Education from $47.00 to $56.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, March 13th. Finally, Griffin Securities set a $53.00 price target on shares of American Public Education in a report on Tuesday, January 27th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have given a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $55.50.

American Public Education Stock Performance

Shares of APEI stock opened at $57.42 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $46.30 and a 200 day moving average price of $39.76. The stock has a market cap of $1.06 billion, a PE ratio of 42.22, a P/E/G ratio of 1.64 and a beta of 1.70. American Public Education has a 1 year low of $20.75 and a 1 year high of $59.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 3.46 and a current ratio of 3.46.

American Public Education (NASDAQ:APEI) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 12th. The company reported $0.67 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.39 by $0.28. The company had revenue of $158.33 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $151.61 million. American Public Education had a net margin of 4.86% and a return on equity of 11.30%. American Public Education has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.580-0.640 EPS.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On American Public Education

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Divisadero Street Capital Management LP purchased a new position in shares of American Public Education during the third quarter valued at approximately $15,108,000. Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd purchased a new stake in American Public Education in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $821,000. American Century Companies Inc. grew its stake in American Public Education by 8.7% in the 3rd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 612,087 shares of the company’s stock worth $24,159,000 after acquiring an additional 49,008 shares during the period. 4D Advisors LLC raised its holdings in American Public Education by 111.1% in the 2nd quarter. 4D Advisors LLC now owns 285,000 shares of the company’s stock valued at $8,681,000 after acquiring an additional 150,000 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its holdings in American Public Education by 76.1% in the 2nd quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 389,586 shares of the company’s stock valued at $11,867,000 after acquiring an additional 168,362 shares during the last quarter. 79.62% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider Nuno S. Fernandes sold 1,100 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $54.08, for a total value of $59,488.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 83,075 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,492,696. The trade was a 1.31% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Thomas Beckett sold 2,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 16th. The shares were 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 directly owned 62,172 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,587,324.40. The trade was a 3.12% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last three months, insiders sold 377,071 shares of company stock valued at $20,753,569. Insiders own 17.54% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting American Public Education

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

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised a string of quarterly and annual EPS forecasts and reiterated a “Strong‑Buy” view — boosting FY2026 to $2.33 (from $2.07), FY2027 to $2.82 (from $2.57) and FY2028 to $3.18, and lifting several quarterly estimates (e.g., Q1/Q2/Q3/Q4 2027). These upward revisions signal stronger expected profitability and are a key reason for the stock’s move higher. MarketBeat APEI
• Positive Sentiment: Northland Securities raised its 2027 outlook and quarterly forecasts (examples: FY2027 ~$3.04, Q1 2027 ~$0.81, Q2/Q3 2027 ~ $0.56–0.63), reinforcing analyst bullishness on multi‑year earnings improvement and supporting higher share valuations.
• Positive Sentiment: Seeking Alpha included APEI among “Buy the Dip” candidates, highlighting the stock for investors looking for quality names that can rebound — a headline that can attract retail attention and buying interest. Buy The Dip: Best Stocks To Buy As Stagflation Fear Overshadows Growth Potential
• Neutral Sentiment: A Zacks comparison piece weighing APEI vs. peer Strategic Education (STRA) may help investors reassess valuation and positioning but does not itself change fundamentals; useful background for relative-value buyers. STRA or APEI: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

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.