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APEIAmerican Public Education, Inc.Sell5.7·$47.71-0.98%
SellModerate Confidence
Investment thesis

APEI has delivered a perfect four-quarter earnings beat streak with strong growth and positive momentum, but having already reached its analyst price target alongside modest insider selling and defensive options positioning, the risk/reward from here looks balanced rather than compelling.

Thesis pillars

  • Positive Volume MomentumStable
  • Perfect Earnings Beat StreakStable
  • Strong Growth ProfileStable
  • +2 more pillars — see the Why tab for full reasoning

Full reasoning →

Open full analysis

American Public Education, Inc. (APEI) Stock Analysis

Catalyst-Driven edge

SellVALUE-TRAP 1/5GrowthModerate Confidence

Consumer Defensive · Education & Training Services

Sell if holding. At $47.71, A.R:R 1.2:1 is below the 1.5:1 minimum. Reward from here is too thin for a buy — the engine flags exit. Additional concerns: Negative momentum; Elevated risk factors.

Our institutions offer purpose-built education programs designed to prepare individuals for productive contributions to their professions and society and to offer opportunities designed to advance students in their current professions or to help them prepare for their next... Read more

$47.71+13.4% A.UpsideScore 5.7/10#9 of 18 Education & Training Services
QualityF-score9 / 9FCF yield11.56%
Stop $44.94Target $54.09(analyst − 13%)A.R:R 1.2:1
Analyst target$62.17+30.3%6 analysts
$54.09our TP
$47.71price
$62.17mean
$68

Sell if holding. At $47.71, A.R:R 1.2:1 is below the 1.5:1 minimum. Reward from here is too thin for a buy — the engine flags exit. Additional concerns: Negative momentum; Elevated risk factors. Chart setup: No clear chart pattern; technical signals are mixed. Score 5.7/10, moderate confidence.

Passes 6/8 gates (clean insider activity, no SEC red flags, news events none recent, earnings proximity 17d clear, semi cycle peak clear, materials cycle peak clear). Fails on weak momentum and favorable risk/reward ratio. Suitability: aggressive.

TrendMatrix Research · upcoming catalyst calendar

Upcoming dated catalysts

Mon, Aug 10, 202617d to earnings· next earnings call

Thesis

Rewards
Strong earnings beat streak (4/4)
Strong growth profile
Risks
Negative momentum
Elevated risk factors
Insider selling

Key Metrics

P/E (TTM)24.6
P/E (Fwd)12.8
Mkt Cap$884M
EV/EBITDA10.5
Profit Mgn6.1%
ROE13.1%
Rev Growth6.2%
Beta1.37
DividendNone
Rating analysts14

Quality Signals

Piotroski F9/9MoatNarrow

Options Flow

P/C7.00bearish
IV81%elevated
Max Pain$45-5.7% vs spot

Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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Methodology · Editorial policy & full disclaimer

Rating Breakdown

1 floor-breaker

Momentum below the gate floor. Component breakdown shows what dragged the score down.static

Macd
0.0
Obv
1.0
Volume
1.7
Ma Position
4.0
Rsi
8.2
Oversold in uptrend (RSI 28)Volume distribution (falling OBV)Above 200-day MA
GatesMomentum 3.0<4.5A.R:R 1.2 < 1.5@spotInsider activity: OKNo SEC red flagsNEWS EVENTS NONE RECENTEARNINGS PROXIMITY 17d clearSEMI CYCLE PEAK CLEARMATERIALS CYCLE PEAK CLEARSuitability: Aggressive
RSI
28 · Oversold
20D MA 50D MA 200D MAGOLDEN CROSSSupport $46.33Resistance $59.96

Price Targets

$45
$54
A.Upside+13.4%
A.R:R1.2:1

Position Sizing

ConvictionNone
Suggested %0.5%
Max %1%
RegimeSteady

Risk Alerts

! momentum at 3.0 (below the engine's 4.5 threshold)
! asymmetry at 1.2 (below the engine's 1.5 threshold)@spot

Earnings

B
B
B
B
4/4 beats
Next Earnings2026-08-10 (17d)

Verdict History

reverse chrono — latest first
Loading history...
Verdicts are recorded on every nightly pipeline run. Rows capture transitions (verdict flips, score deltas ≥0.3, entry/TP/SL changes). Rows with a ▶ can be expanded to see the change reason. Aggregate cohort performance is tracked in the recommendation ledger.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is APEI stock a buy right now?

Sell if holding. At $47.71, A.R:R 1.2:1 is below the 1.5:1 minimum. Reward from here is too thin for a buy — the engine flags exit. Additional concerns: Negative momentum; Elevated risk factors. Chart setup: No clear chart pattern; technical signals are mixed. Prior stop was $44.94. Score 5.7/10, moderate confidence.

What is the APEI stock price target?

Take-profit target: $54.09 (+13.4% upside). Prior stop was $44.94. Stop-loss: $44.94.

What are the risks of investing in APEI?

Negative momentum; Elevated risk factors; Insider selling.

Is APEI overvalued or undervalued?

American Public Education, Inc. trades at a P/E of 24.6 (forward 12.8). TrendMatrix value score: 6.7/10. Verdict: Sell.

What do analysts say about APEI?

14 analysts cover APEI with a consensus score of 4.1/5. Average price target: $62.

What does American Public Education, Inc. do?Our institutions offer purpose-built education programs designed to prepare individuals for productive contributions to...

Our institutions offer purpose-built education programs designed to prepare individuals for productive contributions to their professions and society and to offer opportunities designed to advance students in their current professions or to help them prepare for their next career.

Related stocks: TAL (TAL Education Group) · PXED (Phoenix Education Partners, Inc) · EDU (New Oriental Education & Techno) · PRDO (Perdoceo Education Corporation) · GOTU (Gaotu Techedu Inc.)
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