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Side-by-side financial comparison of AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC (APEI) and California Resources Corp (CRC). 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 $119.0M, roughly 1.3× California Resources Corp). AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC produced more free cash flow last quarter ($-15.6M vs $-32.0M). Over the past eight quarters, AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC's revenue compounded faster (1.3% CAGR vs -46.3%).

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.

California Resources Corporation is an American energy corporation engaged in hydrocarbon exploration in California. It is organized in Delaware and headquartered in Long Beach, California. Its mineral acreage holdings in California constitute the largest privately held position in the state.

APEI vs CRC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
APEI
APEI
1.3× larger
APEI
$158.3M
$119.0M
CRC
More free cash flow
APEI
APEI
$16.4M more FCF
APEI
$-15.6M
$-32.0M
CRC
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
APEI
APEI
Annualised
APEI
1.3%
-46.3%
CRC

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
APEI
APEI
CRC
CRC
Revenue
$158.3M
$119.0M
Net Profit
$12.6M
Gross Margin
56.4%
Operating Margin
12.0%
-597.5%
Net Margin
8.0%
Revenue YoY
-3.5%
Net Profit YoY
-2.7%
EPS (diluted)
$0.67
$-8.02

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
CRC
CRC
Q1 26
$119.0M
Q4 25
$158.3M
$679.0M
Q3 25
$163.2M
$715.0M
Q2 25
$162.8M
$702.0M
Q1 25
$164.6M
$814.0M
Q4 24
$164.1M
$826.0M
Q3 24
$153.1M
$870.0M
Q2 24
$152.9M
$412.0M
Net Profit
APEI
APEI
CRC
CRC
Q1 26
Q4 25
$12.6M
$12.0M
Q3 25
$5.6M
$64.0M
Q2 25
$4.5M
$172.0M
Q1 25
$8.9M
$115.0M
Q4 24
$13.0M
$33.0M
Q3 24
$2.3M
$345.0M
Q2 24
$371.0K
$8.0M
Gross Margin
APEI
APEI
CRC
CRC
Q1 26
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%
Operating Margin
APEI
APEI
CRC
CRC
Q1 26
-597.5%
Q4 25
12.0%
6.9%
Q3 25
5.9%
13.7%
Q2 25
4.3%
38.0%
Q1 25
7.4%
22.9%
Q4 24
13.1%
8.2%
Q3 24
2.7%
59.5%
Q2 24
1.5%
9.2%
Net Margin
APEI
APEI
CRC
CRC
Q1 26
Q4 25
8.0%
1.8%
Q3 25
3.4%
9.0%
Q2 25
2.8%
24.5%
Q1 25
5.4%
14.1%
Q4 24
7.9%
4.0%
Q3 24
1.5%
39.7%
Q2 24
0.2%
1.9%
EPS (diluted)
APEI
APEI
CRC
CRC
Q1 26
$-8.02
Q4 25
$0.67
$0.21
Q3 25
$0.30
$0.76
Q2 25
$-0.02
$1.92
Q1 25
$0.41
$1.26
Q4 24
$0.63
$0.87
Q3 24
$0.04
$3.78
Q2 24
$-0.06
$0.11

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
APEI
APEI
CRC
CRC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$174.1M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$94.7M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$294.8M
$2.9B
Total Assets
$521.4M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.32×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
APEI
APEI
CRC
CRC
Q1 26
Q4 25
$174.1M
$132.0M
Q3 25
$191.3M
$196.0M
Q2 25
$174.9M
$72.0M
Q1 25
$161.6M
$214.0M
Q4 24
$131.9M
$372.0M
Q3 24
$135.4M
$241.0M
Q2 24
$129.8M
$1.0B
Total Debt
APEI
APEI
CRC
CRC
Q1 26
Q4 25
$94.7M
Q3 25
$94.4M
$1.0B
Q2 25
$94.1M
$1.0B
Q1 25
$93.7M
$1.0B
Q4 24
$93.4M
$1.1B
Q3 24
$93.1M
$1.1B
Q2 24
$92.8M
$1.2B
Stockholders' Equity
APEI
APEI
CRC
CRC
Q1 26
$2.9B
Q4 25
$294.8M
$3.7B
Q3 25
$279.3M
$3.4B
Q2 25
$272.2M
$3.4B
Q1 25
$310.0M
$3.5B
Q4 24
$303.9M
$3.5B
Q3 24
$290.4M
$3.5B
Q2 24
$288.7M
$2.1B
Total Assets
APEI
APEI
CRC
CRC
Q1 26
Q4 25
$521.4M
$7.4B
Q3 25
$525.3M
$6.8B
Q2 25
$537.4M
$6.7B
Q1 25
$578.7M
$6.8B
Q4 24
$570.1M
$7.1B
Q3 24
$569.6M
$7.1B
Q2 24
$560.7M
$4.5B
Debt / Equity
APEI
APEI
CRC
CRC
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.32×
Q3 25
0.34×
0.29×
Q2 25
0.35×
0.30×
Q1 25
0.30×
0.29×
Q4 24
0.31×
0.32×
Q3 24
0.32×
0.32×
Q2 24
0.32×
0.57×

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
CRC
CRC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-11.6M
$99.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-15.6M
$-32.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-9.9%
-26.9%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.6%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
-0.92×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$46.1M
$380.0M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
APEI
APEI
CRC
CRC
Q1 26
$99.0M
Q4 25
$-11.6M
$235.0M
Q3 25
$21.7M
$279.0M
Q2 25
$14.8M
$165.0M
Q1 25
$37.0M
$186.0M
Q4 24
$1.6M
$206.0M
Q3 24
$14.1M
$220.0M
Q2 24
$12.5M
$97.0M
Free Cash Flow
APEI
APEI
CRC
CRC
Q1 26
$-32.0M
Q4 25
$-15.6M
$115.0M
Q3 25
$17.5M
$188.0M
Q2 25
$11.1M
$109.0M
Q1 25
$33.1M
$131.0M
Q4 24
$-1.8M
$118.0M
Q3 24
$7.8M
$141.0M
Q2 24
$7.3M
$63.0M
FCF Margin
APEI
APEI
CRC
CRC
Q1 26
-26.9%
Q4 25
-9.9%
16.9%
Q3 25
10.7%
26.3%
Q2 25
6.8%
15.5%
Q1 25
20.1%
16.1%
Q4 24
-1.1%
14.3%
Q3 24
5.1%
16.2%
Q2 24
4.7%
15.3%
Capex Intensity
APEI
APEI
CRC
CRC
Q1 26
Q4 25
2.6%
17.7%
Q3 25
2.6%
12.7%
Q2 25
2.3%
8.0%
Q1 25
2.4%
6.8%
Q4 24
2.0%
10.7%
Q3 24
4.1%
9.1%
Q2 24
3.4%
8.3%
Cash Conversion
APEI
APEI
CRC
CRC
Q1 26
Q4 25
-0.92×
19.58×
Q3 25
3.90×
4.36×
Q2 25
3.29×
0.96×
Q1 25
4.16×
1.62×
Q4 24
0.12×
6.24×
Q3 24
6.22×
0.64×
Q2 24
33.57×
12.13×

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%

CRC
CRC

Segment breakdown not available.

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