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Side-by-side financial comparison of AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC (APEI) and Pacira BioSciences, Inc. (PCRX). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Pacira BioSciences, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($177.4M vs $158.3M, roughly 1.1× AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC). AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC runs the higher net margin — 8.0% vs 1.6%, a 6.3% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Pacira BioSciences, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (5.0% 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.

Pacira BioSciences, Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing non-opioid pain management solutions. Its core product line targets post-surgical pain relief for patients, serving hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers and other healthcare providers primarily in the U.S., with ongoing expansion efforts in select international markets.

APEI vs PCRX — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
PCRX
PCRX
1.1× larger
PCRX
$177.4M
$158.3M
APEI
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
PCRX
PCRX
+8.5% gap
PCRX
5.0%
-3.5%
APEI
Higher net margin
APEI
APEI
6.3% more per $
APEI
8.0%
1.6%
PCRX
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
APEI
APEI
Annualised
APEI
1.3%
-0.2%
PCRX

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
APEI
APEI
PCRX
PCRX
Revenue
$158.3M
$177.4M
Net Profit
$12.6M
$2.9M
Gross Margin
56.4%
Operating Margin
12.0%
3.9%
Net Margin
8.0%
1.6%
Revenue YoY
-3.5%
5.0%
Net Profit YoY
-2.7%
EPS (diluted)
$0.67
$0.07

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
PCRX
PCRX
Q1 26
$177.4M
Q4 25
$158.3M
$196.9M
Q3 25
$163.2M
$179.5M
Q2 25
$162.8M
$181.1M
Q1 25
$164.6M
$168.9M
Q4 24
$164.1M
$187.3M
Q3 24
$153.1M
$168.6M
Q2 24
$152.9M
$178.0M
Net Profit
APEI
APEI
PCRX
PCRX
Q1 26
$2.9M
Q4 25
$12.6M
Q3 25
$5.6M
$5.4M
Q2 25
$4.5M
$-4.8M
Q1 25
$8.9M
$4.8M
Q4 24
$13.0M
Q3 24
$2.3M
$-143.5M
Q2 24
$371.0K
$18.9M
Gross Margin
APEI
APEI
PCRX
PCRX
Q1 26
Q4 25
56.4%
79.5%
Q3 25
54.2%
80.9%
Q2 25
51.8%
77.4%
Q1 25
54.5%
79.7%
Q4 24
56.3%
78.7%
Q3 24
50.8%
76.9%
Q2 24
50.2%
75.1%
Operating Margin
APEI
APEI
PCRX
PCRX
Q1 26
3.9%
Q4 25
12.0%
1.2%
Q3 25
5.9%
3.5%
Q2 25
4.3%
4.7%
Q1 25
7.4%
1.2%
Q4 24
13.1%
13.2%
Q3 24
2.7%
-82.8%
Q2 24
1.5%
15.9%
Net Margin
APEI
APEI
PCRX
PCRX
Q1 26
1.6%
Q4 25
8.0%
Q3 25
3.4%
3.0%
Q2 25
2.8%
-2.7%
Q1 25
5.4%
2.8%
Q4 24
7.9%
Q3 24
1.5%
-85.1%
Q2 24
0.2%
10.6%
EPS (diluted)
APEI
APEI
PCRX
PCRX
Q1 26
$0.07
Q4 25
$0.67
$0.05
Q3 25
$0.30
$0.12
Q2 25
$-0.02
$-0.11
Q1 25
$0.41
$0.10
Q4 24
$0.63
$0.38
Q3 24
$0.04
$-3.11
Q2 24
$-0.06
$0.39

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
APEI
APEI
PCRX
PCRX
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$174.1M
$144.3M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$94.7M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$294.8M
$653.9M
Total Assets
$521.4M
$1.2B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.32×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
APEI
APEI
PCRX
PCRX
Q1 26
$144.3M
Q4 25
$174.1M
$238.4M
Q3 25
$191.3M
$246.3M
Q2 25
$174.9M
$445.9M
Q1 25
$161.6M
$493.6M
Q4 24
$131.9M
$484.6M
Q3 24
$135.4M
$453.8M
Q2 24
$129.8M
$404.2M
Total Debt
APEI
APEI
PCRX
PCRX
Q1 26
Q4 25
$94.7M
$372.2M
Q3 25
$94.4M
$376.7M
Q2 25
$94.1M
$580.5M
Q1 25
$93.7M
$583.4M
Q4 24
$93.4M
$585.3M
Q3 24
$93.1M
Q2 24
$92.8M
Stockholders' Equity
APEI
APEI
PCRX
PCRX
Q1 26
$653.9M
Q4 25
$294.8M
$693.1M
Q3 25
$279.3M
$727.2M
Q2 25
$272.2M
$757.8M
Q1 25
$310.0M
$798.5M
Q4 24
$303.9M
$778.3M
Q3 24
$290.4M
$749.6M
Q2 24
$288.7M
$879.3M
Total Assets
APEI
APEI
PCRX
PCRX
Q1 26
$1.2B
Q4 25
$521.4M
$1.3B
Q3 25
$525.3M
$1.3B
Q2 25
$537.4M
$1.5B
Q1 25
$578.7M
$1.6B
Q4 24
$570.1M
$1.6B
Q3 24
$569.6M
$1.5B
Q2 24
$560.7M
$1.6B
Debt / Equity
APEI
APEI
PCRX
PCRX
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.32×
0.54×
Q3 25
0.34×
0.52×
Q2 25
0.35×
0.77×
Q1 25
0.30×
0.73×
Q4 24
0.31×
0.75×
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
PCRX
PCRX
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-11.6M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-15.6M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-9.9%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.6%
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
PCRX
PCRX
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-11.6M
$43.7M
Q3 25
$21.7M
$60.8M
Q2 25
$14.8M
$12.0M
Q1 25
$37.0M
$35.5M
Q4 24
$1.6M
$33.1M
Q3 24
$14.1M
$53.9M
Q2 24
$12.5M
$53.2M
Free Cash Flow
APEI
APEI
PCRX
PCRX
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-15.6M
$43.5M
Q3 25
$17.5M
$57.0M
Q2 25
$11.1M
$9.3M
Q1 25
$33.1M
$26.9M
Q4 24
$-1.8M
$31.0M
Q3 24
$7.8M
$49.8M
Q2 24
$7.3M
$51.6M
FCF Margin
APEI
APEI
PCRX
PCRX
Q1 26
Q4 25
-9.9%
22.1%
Q3 25
10.7%
31.7%
Q2 25
6.8%
5.1%
Q1 25
20.1%
15.9%
Q4 24
-1.1%
16.6%
Q3 24
5.1%
29.6%
Q2 24
4.7%
29.0%
Capex Intensity
APEI
APEI
PCRX
PCRX
Q1 26
Q4 25
2.6%
0.1%
Q3 25
2.6%
2.2%
Q2 25
2.3%
1.5%
Q1 25
2.4%
5.1%
Q4 24
2.0%
1.1%
Q3 24
4.1%
2.4%
Q2 24
3.4%
0.9%
Cash Conversion
APEI
APEI
PCRX
PCRX
Q1 26
Q4 25
-0.92×
Q3 25
3.90×
11.20×
Q2 25
3.29×
Q1 25
4.16×
7.37×
Q4 24
0.12×
Q3 24
6.22×
Q2 24
33.57×
2.82×

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%

PCRX
PCRX

EXPAREL$143.3M81%
ZILRETTA$26.8M15%
iovera°$6.2M3%
Bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension$1.2M1%

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