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Side-by-side financial comparison of AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC (APEI) and Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (ESRT). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($190.3M vs $158.3M, roughly 1.2× AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC). AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC runs the higher net margin — 8.0% vs 1.6%, a 6.4% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (5.7% vs -3.5%). Over the past eight quarters, AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC's revenue compounded faster (1.3% CAGR vs 0.2%).

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.

Empire State Realty Trust is a leading real estate investment trust that owns, manages, and operates a portfolio of premium commercial, residential, and retail properties primarily in the New York City metropolitan area, including the iconic Empire State Building. It serves corporate tenants, retail partners, and residential occupants, focusing on sustainable property operations and long-term asset value growth.

APEI vs ESRT — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
ESRT
ESRT
1.2× larger
ESRT
$190.3M
$158.3M
APEI
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ESRT
ESRT
+9.2% gap
ESRT
5.7%
-3.5%
APEI
Higher net margin
APEI
APEI
6.4% more per $
APEI
8.0%
1.6%
ESRT
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
APEI
APEI
Annualised
APEI
1.3%
0.2%
ESRT

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
APEI
APEI
ESRT
ESRT
Revenue
$158.3M
$190.3M
Net Profit
$12.6M
$3.0M
Gross Margin
56.4%
Operating Margin
12.0%
15.5%
Net Margin
8.0%
1.6%
Revenue YoY
-3.5%
5.7%
Net Profit YoY
-2.7%
-73.7%
EPS (diluted)
$0.67
$0.20

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
ESRT
ESRT
Q1 26
$190.3M
Q4 25
$158.3M
$199.2M
Q3 25
$163.2M
$197.7M
Q2 25
$162.8M
$191.3M
Q1 25
$164.6M
$180.1M
Q4 24
$164.1M
$197.6M
Q3 24
$153.1M
$199.6M
Q2 24
$152.9M
$189.5M
Net Profit
APEI
APEI
ESRT
ESRT
Q1 26
$3.0M
Q4 25
$12.6M
$32.2M
Q3 25
$5.6M
$13.6M
Q2 25
$4.5M
$11.4M
Q1 25
$8.9M
$15.8M
Q4 24
$13.0M
$18.8M
Q3 24
$2.3M
$22.8M
Q2 24
$371.0K
$28.6M
Gross Margin
APEI
APEI
ESRT
ESRT
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
ESRT
ESRT
Q1 26
15.5%
Q4 25
12.0%
17.8%
Q3 25
5.9%
19.9%
Q2 25
4.3%
18.4%
Q1 25
7.4%
14.3%
Q4 24
13.1%
21.7%
Q3 24
2.7%
22.7%
Q2 24
1.5%
20.8%
Net Margin
APEI
APEI
ESRT
ESRT
Q1 26
1.6%
Q4 25
8.0%
16.1%
Q3 25
3.4%
6.9%
Q2 25
2.8%
6.0%
Q1 25
5.4%
8.8%
Q4 24
7.9%
9.5%
Q3 24
1.5%
11.4%
Q2 24
0.2%
15.1%
EPS (diluted)
APEI
APEI
ESRT
ESRT
Q1 26
$0.20
Q4 25
$0.67
$0.11
Q3 25
$0.30
$0.05
Q2 25
$-0.02
$0.04
Q1 25
$0.41
$0.05
Q4 24
$0.63
$0.07
Q3 24
$0.04
$0.08
Q2 24
$-0.06
$0.10

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
APEI
APEI
ESRT
ESRT
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$174.1M
$68.8M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$94.7M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$294.8M
$1.8B
Total Assets
$521.4M
$4.4B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.32×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
APEI
APEI
ESRT
ESRT
Q1 26
$68.8M
Q4 25
$174.1M
$132.7M
Q3 25
$191.3M
$154.1M
Q2 25
$174.9M
$94.6M
Q1 25
$161.6M
$187.8M
Q4 24
$131.9M
$385.5M
Q3 24
$135.4M
$421.9M
Q2 24
$129.8M
$535.5M
Total Debt
APEI
APEI
ESRT
ESRT
Q1 26
Q4 25
$94.7M
Q3 25
$94.4M
Q2 25
$94.1M
Q1 25
$93.7M
Q4 24
$93.4M
Q3 24
$93.1M
Q2 24
$92.8M
Stockholders' Equity
APEI
APEI
ESRT
ESRT
Q1 26
$1.8B
Q4 25
$294.8M
$1.1B
Q3 25
$279.3M
$1.0B
Q2 25
$272.2M
$1.0B
Q1 25
$310.0M
$1.0B
Q4 24
$303.9M
$1.0B
Q3 24
$290.4M
$1.0B
Q2 24
$288.7M
$1.0B
Total Assets
APEI
APEI
ESRT
ESRT
Q1 26
$4.4B
Q4 25
$521.4M
$4.5B
Q3 25
$525.3M
$4.1B
Q2 25
$537.4M
$4.1B
Q1 25
$578.7M
$4.1B
Q4 24
$570.1M
$4.5B
Q3 24
$569.6M
$4.4B
Q2 24
$560.7M
$4.4B
Debt / Equity
APEI
APEI
ESRT
ESRT
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.32×
Q3 25
0.34×
Q2 25
0.35×
Q1 25
0.30×
Q4 24
0.31×
Q3 24
0.32×
Q2 24
0.32×

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
ESRT
ESRT
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-11.6M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-15.6M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-9.9%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.6%
10.0%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
-0.92×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$46.1M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
APEI
APEI
ESRT
ESRT
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-11.6M
$249.1M
Q3 25
$21.7M
$105.3M
Q2 25
$14.8M
$26.7M
Q1 25
$37.0M
$83.1M
Q4 24
$1.6M
$260.9M
Q3 24
$14.1M
$102.8M
Q2 24
$12.5M
$37.1M
Free Cash Flow
APEI
APEI
ESRT
ESRT
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-15.6M
$50.6M
Q3 25
$17.5M
$72.8M
Q2 25
$11.1M
$-55.1M
Q1 25
$33.1M
$41.1M
Q4 24
$-1.8M
$88.0M
Q3 24
$7.8M
$-65.1M
Q2 24
$7.3M
$19.5M
FCF Margin
APEI
APEI
ESRT
ESRT
Q1 26
Q4 25
-9.9%
25.4%
Q3 25
10.7%
36.8%
Q2 25
6.8%
-28.8%
Q1 25
20.1%
22.8%
Q4 24
-1.1%
44.5%
Q3 24
5.1%
-32.6%
Q2 24
4.7%
10.3%
Capex Intensity
APEI
APEI
ESRT
ESRT
Q1 26
10.0%
Q4 25
2.6%
99.6%
Q3 25
2.6%
16.5%
Q2 25
2.3%
42.8%
Q1 25
2.4%
23.4%
Q4 24
2.0%
87.5%
Q3 24
4.1%
84.1%
Q2 24
3.4%
9.3%
Cash Conversion
APEI
APEI
ESRT
ESRT
Q1 26
Q4 25
-0.92×
7.74×
Q3 25
3.90×
7.72×
Q2 25
3.29×
2.35×
Q1 25
4.16×
5.27×
Q4 24
0.12×
13.88×
Q3 24
6.22×
4.51×
Q2 24
33.57×
1.30×

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%

ESRT
ESRT

Rental revenue (1)$166.1M87%
Observatory revenue$18.5M10%
Other revenue and fees$4.1M2%
Lease termination fees$1.4M1%
Third-party management and other fees$277.0K0%

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