APEI
American Public Education, Inc. Consumer Defensive - Education & Training Services Investor Relations →
American Public Education, Inc. (APEI) closed at $53.89 as of 2026-03-20, trading 198.0% above its 200-week moving average of $18.09. The stock is currently moving closer to the line, down from 222.4% last week. With a 14-week RSI of 73, APEI is in overbought territory.
A big spike in selling this week — 2.5x the usual volume, and the price dropped. Sometimes this kind of heavy selling marks the end of a decline. The idea is that the last reluctant holders have finally sold, leaving fewer sellers left to push the price lower.
Over the past 910 weeks of data, APEI has crossed below its 200-week moving average 23 times. On average, these episodes lasted 25 weeks. Historically, investors who bought APEI at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +1.2%.
With a market cap of $991 million, APEI is a small-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 8.3%, which is notably high. Return on equity stands at 10.5%. The stock trades at 3.3x book value.
Over the past 17.5 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in APEI would have grown to $122, compared to $923 for the S&P 500. APEI has returned 1.1% annualized vs 13.5% for the index, underperforming the broader market over this period.
Free cash flow has been growing at a 53.2% compound annual rate, with 4 consecutive years of positive cash generation.
Business Health
Annual financials — how the underlying business has performed over the past several years.
Cash Flow Free cash flow & net income ($M)
Revenue Annual revenue ($M) — business growth proxy
Total Debt Balance sheet debt ($M)
ROIC Return on invested capital (%)
FCF Yield Free cash flow / market cap (%) — Yartseva signal
Gross Margin Pricing power & competitive moat (%)
Shares Outstanding Buybacks vs dilution (millions)
Growth of $100: APEI vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After APEI Crosses Below the Line?
Across 23 historical episodes, buying APEI when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of -2.9% after 12 months (median -9.0%), compared to +22.3% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 35% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was -22.4% vs +34.4% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment APEI crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
APEI has crossed below its 200-week MA 23 times with an average 1-year return of +1.2% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2008 | Oct 2008 | 1 | 4.4% | -4.0% | +44.2% |
| Nov 2008 | Nov 2008 | 2 | 4.2% | -14.5% | +39.0% |
| Dec 2008 | Feb 2009 | 7 | 5.7% | -12.5% | +43.8% |
| Feb 2009 | Mar 2009 | 2 | 5.4% | +15.8% | +44.3% |
| Apr 2009 | Jan 2010 | 40 | 18.0% | +28.6% | +50.2% |
| Aug 2010 | Feb 2011 | 27 | 36.4% | +53.5% | +86.1% |
| Aug 2011 | Aug 2011 | 1 | 9.8% | -1.9% | +54.7% |
| Sep 2011 | Nov 2011 | 11 | 16.6% | +1.2% | +39.9% |
| Feb 2012 | Oct 2012 | 31 | 32.2% | -5.4% | +40.9% |
| Oct 2012 | Jan 2013 | 13 | 13.8% | +5.8% | +54.3% |
| Feb 2013 | May 2013 | 11 | 19.4% | -2.2% | +48.9% |
| Jun 2013 | Jul 2013 | 2 | 0.8% | -8.0% | +45.5% |
| Aug 2013 | Aug 2013 | 1 | 0.4% | -20.3% | +44.4% |
| Sep 2013 | Oct 2013 | 3 | 4.2% | -26.4% | +45.9% |
| Feb 2014 | Nov 2017 | 196 | 54.7% | -8.5% | +52.1% |
| Dec 2017 | Feb 2018 | 9 | 4.9% | +12.3% | +108.5% |
| Aug 2019 | May 2020 | 40 | 24.1% | +16.8% | +106.8% |
| Sep 2020 | Sep 2020 | 3 | 4.1% | -3.7% | +98.0% |
| Oct 2020 | Nov 2020 | 1 | 0.9% | -11.6% | +90.6% |
| Jan 2021 | Feb 2021 | 1 | 0.9% | -26.8% | +87.2% |
| Mar 2021 | Mar 2021 | 1 | 4.8% | -29.3% | +93.8% |
| May 2021 | Jul 2024 | 165 | 82.9% | -50.2% | +96.9% |
| Aug 2024 | Nov 2024 | 13 | 21.4% | +118.5% | +294.8% |
| Average | 25 | — | +1.2% | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is APEI below its 200-week moving average?
No. American Public Education, Inc. (APEI) is currently 198.0% above its 200-week moving average of $18.09. It would need to fall to $18.09 to cross below the line.
What is APEI's 200-week moving average price?
American Public Education, Inc.'s 200-week moving average is $18.09 as of 2026-03-20. This is the average weekly closing price over roughly the last 4 years, and it acts as a long-term trend line. When a stock drops below this level, it can signal that the price has fallen far enough from the long-term trend to attract value-oriented investors.
What happens when APEI drops below its 200-week moving average?
APEI has crossed below its 200-week moving average 23 times in our data. On average, buying at that moment produced a one-year return of +1.2%. These dips have historically been decent entry points. These episodes lasted 25 weeks on average.
Is APEI a good value right now?
Here's what our data says about APEI as of 2026-03-20: The stock is above its 200-week moving average, so it doesn't currently meet our primary signal. The 14-week RSI is 73 (overbought). Free cash flow yield is 8.3%. Return on equity is 10.5%. Price-to-book is 3.3x. This is not a buy or sell recommendation — always do your own research.
How does APEI compare to the S&P 500?
Over the past 17.5 years, $100 invested in APEI would have grown to $122, compared to $923 for the S&P 500. That's 1.1% annualized vs 13.5% for the index. APEI has underperformed the broader market over this period.
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of week of 2026-03-20