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Side-by-side financial comparison of AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC (APEI) and Ardmore Shipping Corp (ASC). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($158.3M vs $81.2M, roughly 1.9× Ardmore Shipping Corp). Ardmore Shipping Corp runs the higher net margin — 15.7% vs 8.0%, a 7.8% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (-3.5% vs -15.5%). Over the past eight quarters, AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC's revenue compounded faster (1.3% CAGR vs -6.0%).

Strategic Education, Inc. (SEI) is an education services holding company and is formerly known as Strayer Education, Inc. The company owns for-profit, online Capella University and Strayer University, as well as non-degree programs schools such as DevMountain, Hackbright Academy, and Sophia Learning.

Ardmore Shipping Corp is a global maritime transport company that owns and operates a fleet of mid-sized product and chemical tankers. It provides seaborne transport for petroleum products, specialty chemicals and bulk liquid commodities, serving energy, chemical and trading clients across key international trade routes.

APEI vs ASC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
APEI
APEI
1.9× larger
APEI
$158.3M
$81.2M
ASC
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
APEI
APEI
+12.0% gap
APEI
-3.5%
-15.5%
ASC
Higher net margin
ASC
ASC
7.8% more per $
ASC
15.7%
8.0%
APEI
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
APEI
APEI
Annualised
APEI
1.3%
-6.0%
ASC

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2025

Metric
APEI
APEI
ASC
ASC
Revenue
$158.3M
$81.2M
Net Profit
$12.6M
$12.8M
Gross Margin
56.4%
Operating Margin
12.0%
16.1%
Net Margin
8.0%
15.7%
Revenue YoY
-3.5%
-15.5%
Net Profit YoY
-2.7%
-47.0%
EPS (diluted)
$0.67
$0.30

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
APEI
APEI
ASC
ASC
Q4 25
$158.3M
Q3 25
$163.2M
$81.2M
Q2 25
$162.8M
$72.0M
Q1 25
$164.6M
$74.0M
Q4 24
$164.1M
Q3 24
$153.1M
$96.1M
Q2 24
$152.9M
$121.3M
Q1 24
$154.4M
$106.3M
Net Profit
APEI
APEI
ASC
ASC
Q4 25
$12.6M
Q3 25
$5.6M
$12.8M
Q2 25
$4.5M
$9.6M
Q1 25
$8.9M
$6.3M
Q4 24
$13.0M
Q3 24
$2.3M
$24.1M
Q2 24
$371.0K
$62.7M
Q1 24
$516.0K
$39.2M
Gross Margin
APEI
APEI
ASC
ASC
Q4 25
56.4%
Q3 25
54.2%
Q2 25
51.8%
Q1 25
54.5%
Q4 24
56.3%
Q3 24
50.8%
Q2 24
50.2%
Q1 24
53.1%
Operating Margin
APEI
APEI
ASC
ASC
Q4 25
12.0%
Q3 25
5.9%
16.1%
Q2 25
4.3%
13.5%
Q1 25
7.4%
8.6%
Q4 24
13.1%
Q3 24
2.7%
25.4%
Q2 24
1.5%
51.3%
Q1 24
3.4%
37.2%
Net Margin
APEI
APEI
ASC
ASC
Q4 25
8.0%
Q3 25
3.4%
15.7%
Q2 25
2.8%
13.3%
Q1 25
5.4%
8.5%
Q4 24
7.9%
Q3 24
1.5%
25.1%
Q2 24
0.2%
51.7%
Q1 24
0.3%
36.9%
EPS (diluted)
APEI
APEI
ASC
ASC
Q4 25
$0.67
Q3 25
$0.30
$0.30
Q2 25
$-0.02
$0.22
Q1 25
$0.41
$0.14
Q4 24
$0.63
Q3 24
$0.04
$0.55
Q2 24
$-0.06
$1.47
Q1 24
$-0.06
$0.92

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
APEI
APEI
ASC
ASC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$174.1M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$94.7M
$116.1M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$294.8M
$628.2M
Total Assets
$521.4M
$799.8M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.32×
0.18×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
APEI
APEI
ASC
ASC
Q4 25
$174.1M
Q3 25
$191.3M
Q2 25
$174.9M
Q1 25
$161.6M
Q4 24
$131.9M
Q3 24
$135.4M
Q2 24
$129.8M
Q1 24
$125.3M
Total Debt
APEI
APEI
ASC
ASC
Q4 25
$94.7M
Q3 25
$94.4M
$116.1M
Q2 25
$94.1M
$25.0M
Q1 25
$93.7M
$20.5M
Q4 24
$93.4M
Q3 24
$93.1M
$22.5M
Q2 24
$92.8M
$44.2M
Q1 24
$95.0M
$23.1M
Stockholders' Equity
APEI
APEI
ASC
ASC
Q4 25
$294.8M
Q3 25
$279.3M
$628.2M
Q2 25
$272.2M
$618.3M
Q1 25
$310.0M
$610.7M
Q4 24
$303.9M
Q3 24
$290.4M
$627.0M
Q2 24
$288.7M
$617.7M
Q1 24
$288.5M
$567.9M
Total Assets
APEI
APEI
ASC
ASC
Q4 25
$521.4M
Q3 25
$525.3M
$799.8M
Q2 25
$537.4M
$703.8M
Q1 25
$578.7M
$690.4M
Q4 24
$570.1M
Q3 24
$569.6M
$722.8M
Q2 24
$560.7M
$742.0M
Q1 24
$559.0M
$704.1M
Debt / Equity
APEI
APEI
ASC
ASC
Q4 25
0.32×
Q3 25
0.34×
0.18×
Q2 25
0.35×
0.04×
Q1 25
0.30×
0.03×
Q4 24
0.31×
Q3 24
0.32×
0.04×
Q2 24
0.32×
0.07×
Q1 24
0.33×
0.04×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
APEI
APEI
ASC
ASC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-11.6M
$17.9M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-15.6M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-9.9%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.6%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
-0.92×
1.40×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$46.1M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
APEI
APEI
ASC
ASC
Q4 25
$-11.6M
Q3 25
$21.7M
$17.9M
Q2 25
$14.8M
$11.2M
Q1 25
$37.0M
$26.3M
Q4 24
$1.6M
Q3 24
$14.1M
$39.9M
Q2 24
$12.5M
$48.4M
Q1 24
$20.7M
$49.2M
Free Cash Flow
APEI
APEI
ASC
ASC
Q4 25
$-15.6M
Q3 25
$17.5M
Q2 25
$11.1M
Q1 25
$33.1M
Q4 24
$-1.8M
Q3 24
$7.8M
Q2 24
$7.3M
Q1 24
$14.5M
FCF Margin
APEI
APEI
ASC
ASC
Q4 25
-9.9%
Q3 25
10.7%
Q2 25
6.8%
Q1 25
20.1%
Q4 24
-1.1%
Q3 24
5.1%
Q2 24
4.7%
Q1 24
9.4%
Capex Intensity
APEI
APEI
ASC
ASC
Q4 25
2.6%
Q3 25
2.6%
Q2 25
2.3%
Q1 25
2.4%
Q4 24
2.0%
Q3 24
4.1%
Q2 24
3.4%
Q1 24
4.0%
Cash Conversion
APEI
APEI
ASC
ASC
Q4 25
-0.92×
Q3 25
3.90×
1.40×
Q2 25
3.29×
1.17×
Q1 25
4.16×
4.20×
Q4 24
0.12×
Q3 24
6.22×
1.65×
Q2 24
33.57×
0.77×
Q1 24
40.20×
1.25×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

APEI
APEI

American Public Education Inc Segment$71.0M45%
Rasmussen University Segment$66.6M42%
Hondros College Of Nursing Segment$20.7M13%

ASC
ASC

Segment breakdown not available.

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