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Side-by-side financial comparison of AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC (APEI) and Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (CLNE). 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 $112.3M, roughly 1.4× Clean Energy Fuels Corp.). AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC runs the higher net margin — 8.0% vs -38.3%, a 46.2% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Clean Energy Fuels Corp. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (2.7% vs -3.5%). Clean Energy Fuels Corp. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($6.5M vs $-15.6M). Over the past eight quarters, Clean Energy Fuels Corp.'s revenue compounded faster (4.1% CAGR vs 1.3%).

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.

Bloom Energy is an American public company that designs and manufactures solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) which independently produce electricity onsite for power generation in data centers, manufacturing, and other commercial sectors. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in San Jose, California; its fuel cell technology generates electricity through a chemical conversion process, which differs from most other power sources reliant on combustion, and can use natural gas, biogas or hydrogen as fuel...

APEI vs CLNE — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
APEI
APEI
1.4× larger
APEI
$158.3M
$112.3M
CLNE
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
CLNE
CLNE
+6.3% gap
CLNE
2.7%
-3.5%
APEI
Higher net margin
APEI
APEI
46.2% more per $
APEI
8.0%
-38.3%
CLNE
More free cash flow
CLNE
CLNE
$22.1M more FCF
CLNE
$6.5M
$-15.6M
APEI
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
CLNE
CLNE
Annualised
CLNE
4.1%
1.3%
APEI

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
APEI
APEI
CLNE
CLNE
Revenue
$158.3M
$112.3M
Net Profit
$12.6M
$-43.0M
Gross Margin
56.4%
Operating Margin
12.0%
-9.5%
Net Margin
8.0%
-38.3%
Revenue YoY
-3.5%
2.7%
Net Profit YoY
-2.7%
-42.6%
EPS (diluted)
$0.67
$-0.21

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
CLNE
CLNE
Q4 25
$158.3M
$112.3M
Q3 25
$163.2M
$106.1M
Q2 25
$162.8M
$102.6M
Q1 25
$164.6M
$103.8M
Q4 24
$164.1M
$109.3M
Q3 24
$153.1M
$104.9M
Q2 24
$152.9M
$98.0M
Q1 24
$154.4M
$103.7M
Net Profit
APEI
APEI
CLNE
CLNE
Q4 25
$12.6M
$-43.0M
Q3 25
$5.6M
$-23.8M
Q2 25
$4.5M
$-20.2M
Q1 25
$8.9M
$-135.0M
Q4 24
$13.0M
$-30.2M
Q3 24
$2.3M
$-18.2M
Q2 24
$371.0K
$-16.3M
Q1 24
$516.0K
$-18.4M
Gross Margin
APEI
APEI
CLNE
CLNE
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
CLNE
CLNE
Q4 25
12.0%
-9.5%
Q3 25
5.9%
-12.8%
Q2 25
4.3%
-9.0%
Q1 25
7.4%
-121.7%
Q4 24
13.1%
-11.8%
Q3 24
2.7%
-8.1%
Q2 24
1.5%
-5.7%
Q1 24
3.4%
-9.0%
Net Margin
APEI
APEI
CLNE
CLNE
Q4 25
8.0%
-38.3%
Q3 25
3.4%
-22.4%
Q2 25
2.8%
-19.7%
Q1 25
5.4%
-130.1%
Q4 24
7.9%
-27.6%
Q3 24
1.5%
-17.3%
Q2 24
0.2%
-16.6%
Q1 24
0.3%
-17.8%
EPS (diluted)
APEI
APEI
CLNE
CLNE
Q4 25
$0.67
$-0.21
Q3 25
$0.30
$-0.11
Q2 25
$-0.02
$-0.09
Q1 25
$0.41
$-0.60
Q4 24
$0.63
$-0.14
Q3 24
$0.04
$-0.08
Q2 24
$-0.06
$-0.07
Q1 24
$-0.06
$-0.08

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
APEI
APEI
CLNE
CLNE
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$174.1M
$156.1M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$94.7M
$226.8M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$294.8M
$559.4M
Total Assets
$521.4M
$1.1B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.32×
0.41×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
APEI
APEI
CLNE
CLNE
Q4 25
$174.1M
$156.1M
Q3 25
$191.3M
$232.2M
Q2 25
$174.9M
$240.8M
Q1 25
$161.6M
$226.6M
Q4 24
$131.9M
$217.5M
Q3 24
$135.4M
$243.5M
Q2 24
$129.8M
$249.3M
Q1 24
$125.3M
$248.9M
Total Debt
APEI
APEI
CLNE
CLNE
Q4 25
$94.7M
$226.8M
Q3 25
$94.4M
$284.3M
Q2 25
$94.1M
$277.9M
Q1 25
$93.7M
$271.6M
Q4 24
$93.4M
$265.4M
Q3 24
$93.1M
$264.1M
Q2 24
$92.8M
$263.0M
Q1 24
$95.0M
$262.0M
Stockholders' Equity
APEI
APEI
CLNE
CLNE
Q4 25
$294.8M
$559.4M
Q3 25
$279.3M
$585.2M
Q2 25
$272.2M
$590.8M
Q1 25
$310.0M
$596.7M
Q4 24
$303.9M
$713.3M
Q3 24
$290.4M
$724.8M
Q2 24
$288.7M
$723.0M
Q1 24
$288.5M
$722.9M
Total Assets
APEI
APEI
CLNE
CLNE
Q4 25
$521.4M
$1.1B
Q3 25
$525.3M
$1.1B
Q2 25
$537.4M
$1.1B
Q1 25
$578.7M
$1.1B
Q4 24
$570.1M
$1.2B
Q3 24
$569.6M
$1.2B
Q2 24
$560.7M
$1.2B
Q1 24
$559.0M
$1.2B
Debt / Equity
APEI
APEI
CLNE
CLNE
Q4 25
0.32×
0.41×
Q3 25
0.34×
0.49×
Q2 25
0.35×
0.47×
Q1 25
0.30×
0.46×
Q4 24
0.31×
0.37×
Q3 24
0.32×
0.36×
Q2 24
0.32×
0.36×
Q1 24
0.33×
0.36×

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
CLNE
CLNE
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-11.6M
$13.1M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-15.6M
$6.5M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-9.9%
5.8%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.6%
5.9%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
-0.92×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$46.1M
$59.9M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
APEI
APEI
CLNE
CLNE
Q4 25
$-11.6M
$13.1M
Q3 25
$21.7M
$13.1M
Q2 25
$14.8M
$35.9M
Q1 25
$37.0M
$23.4M
Q4 24
$1.6M
$21.9M
Q3 24
$14.1M
$21.4M
Q2 24
$12.5M
$18.8M
Q1 24
$20.7M
$2.6M
Free Cash Flow
APEI
APEI
CLNE
CLNE
Q4 25
$-15.6M
$6.5M
Q3 25
$17.5M
$6.5M
Q2 25
$11.1M
$30.9M
Q1 25
$33.1M
$15.9M
Q4 24
$-1.8M
$10.3M
Q3 24
$7.8M
$42.0K
Q2 24
$7.3M
$4.8M
Q1 24
$14.5M
$-15.6M
FCF Margin
APEI
APEI
CLNE
CLNE
Q4 25
-9.9%
5.8%
Q3 25
10.7%
6.1%
Q2 25
6.8%
30.2%
Q1 25
20.1%
15.4%
Q4 24
-1.1%
9.5%
Q3 24
5.1%
0.0%
Q2 24
4.7%
4.9%
Q1 24
9.4%
-15.1%
Capex Intensity
APEI
APEI
CLNE
CLNE
Q4 25
2.6%
5.9%
Q3 25
2.6%
6.2%
Q2 25
2.3%
4.8%
Q1 25
2.4%
7.2%
Q4 24
2.0%
10.5%
Q3 24
4.1%
20.3%
Q2 24
3.4%
14.2%
Q1 24
4.0%
17.6%
Cash Conversion
APEI
APEI
CLNE
CLNE
Q4 25
-0.92×
Q3 25
3.90×
Q2 25
3.29×
Q1 25
4.16×
Q4 24
0.12×
Q3 24
6.22×
Q2 24
33.57×
Q1 24
40.20×

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%

CLNE
CLNE

Volume Related Fuel Sales$73.6M66%
Services$15.1M13%
Station Construction Sales$10.7M9%
Volume Related Renewable Identification Number Credits$9.5M8%
Volume Related Low Carbon Fuel Standard Credits$3.4M3%

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