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Side-by-side financial comparison of AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC (APEI) and MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORP (MATW). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORP is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($284.8M vs $158.3M, roughly 1.8× AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC). MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORP runs the higher net margin — 15.3% vs 8.0%, a 7.4% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (-3.5% vs -29.1%). AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC produced more free cash flow last quarter ($-15.6M vs $-57.2M).

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.

Matthews Aurora Funeral Solutions is one of the largest manufacturers of caskets and funerary urns in the United States, selling over 38% of the country's caskets as of 2005. The Aurora, Indiana–based company is a subsidiary of Pittsburgh-based Matthews International. The company makes both wooden and metal caskets and urns for holding cremated remains. It also provides supplies and consulting services for funeral homes.

APEI vs MATW — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
MATW
MATW
1.8× larger
MATW
$284.8M
$158.3M
APEI
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
APEI
APEI
+25.6% gap
APEI
-3.5%
-29.1%
MATW
Higher net margin
MATW
MATW
7.4% more per $
MATW
15.3%
8.0%
APEI
More free cash flow
APEI
APEI
$41.6M more FCF
APEI
$-15.6M
$-57.2M
MATW

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
APEI
APEI
MATW
MATW
Revenue
$158.3M
$284.8M
Net Profit
$12.6M
$43.6M
Gross Margin
56.4%
35.0%
Operating Margin
12.0%
34.2%
Net Margin
8.0%
15.3%
Revenue YoY
-3.5%
-29.1%
Net Profit YoY
-2.7%
1356.6%
EPS (diluted)
$0.67
$1.39

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
MATW
MATW
Q4 25
$158.3M
$284.8M
Q3 25
$163.2M
Q2 25
$162.8M
Q1 25
$164.6M
Q4 24
$164.1M
Q3 24
$153.1M
Q2 24
$152.9M
Q1 24
$154.4M
Net Profit
APEI
APEI
MATW
MATW
Q4 25
$12.6M
$43.6M
Q3 25
$5.6M
Q2 25
$4.5M
Q1 25
$8.9M
Q4 24
$13.0M
Q3 24
$2.3M
Q2 24
$371.0K
Q1 24
$516.0K
Gross Margin
APEI
APEI
MATW
MATW
Q4 25
56.4%
35.0%
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
MATW
MATW
Q4 25
12.0%
34.2%
Q3 25
5.9%
Q2 25
4.3%
Q1 25
7.4%
Q4 24
13.1%
Q3 24
2.7%
Q2 24
1.5%
Q1 24
3.4%
Net Margin
APEI
APEI
MATW
MATW
Q4 25
8.0%
15.3%
Q3 25
3.4%
Q2 25
2.8%
Q1 25
5.4%
Q4 24
7.9%
Q3 24
1.5%
Q2 24
0.2%
Q1 24
0.3%
EPS (diluted)
APEI
APEI
MATW
MATW
Q4 25
$0.67
$1.39
Q3 25
$0.30
Q2 25
$-0.02
Q1 25
$0.41
Q4 24
$0.63
Q3 24
$0.04
Q2 24
$-0.06
Q1 24
$-0.06

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
APEI
APEI
MATW
MATW
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$174.1M
$31.4M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$94.7M
$529.8M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$294.8M
$543.2M
Total Assets
$521.4M
$1.6B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.32×
0.98×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
APEI
APEI
MATW
MATW
Q4 25
$174.1M
$31.4M
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
MATW
MATW
Q4 25
$94.7M
$529.8M
Q3 25
$94.4M
Q2 25
$94.1M
Q1 25
$93.7M
Q4 24
$93.4M
Q3 24
$93.1M
Q2 24
$92.8M
Q1 24
$95.0M
Stockholders' Equity
APEI
APEI
MATW
MATW
Q4 25
$294.8M
$543.2M
Q3 25
$279.3M
Q2 25
$272.2M
Q1 25
$310.0M
Q4 24
$303.9M
Q3 24
$290.4M
Q2 24
$288.7M
Q1 24
$288.5M
Total Assets
APEI
APEI
MATW
MATW
Q4 25
$521.4M
$1.6B
Q3 25
$525.3M
Q2 25
$537.4M
Q1 25
$578.7M
Q4 24
$570.1M
Q3 24
$569.6M
Q2 24
$560.7M
Q1 24
$559.0M
Debt / Equity
APEI
APEI
MATW
MATW
Q4 25
0.32×
0.98×
Q3 25
0.34×
Q2 25
0.35×
Q1 25
0.30×
Q4 24
0.31×
Q3 24
0.32×
Q2 24
0.32×
Q1 24
0.33×

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
MATW
MATW
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-11.6M
$-52.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-15.6M
$-57.2M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-9.9%
-20.1%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.6%
1.8%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
-0.92×
-1.19×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$46.1M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
APEI
APEI
MATW
MATW
Q4 25
$-11.6M
$-52.0M
Q3 25
$21.7M
Q2 25
$14.8M
Q1 25
$37.0M
Q4 24
$1.6M
Q3 24
$14.1M
Q2 24
$12.5M
Q1 24
$20.7M
Free Cash Flow
APEI
APEI
MATW
MATW
Q4 25
$-15.6M
$-57.2M
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
MATW
MATW
Q4 25
-9.9%
-20.1%
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
MATW
MATW
Q4 25
2.6%
1.8%
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
MATW
MATW
Q4 25
-0.92×
-1.19×
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%

MATW
MATW

Segment breakdown not available.

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