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Side-by-side financial comparison of AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC (APEI) and WD 40 CO (WDFC). 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 $154.4M, roughly 1.0× WD 40 CO). WD 40 CO runs the higher net margin — 11.3% vs 8.0%, a 3.3% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, WD 40 CO posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (0.6% vs -3.5%). WD 40 CO produced more free cash flow last quarter ($9.1M vs $-15.6M). Over the past eight quarters, WD 40 CO's revenue compounded faster (5.4% 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.

WD-40 Company is a global consumer and industrial goods manufacturer best known for its signature multi-purpose lubricant of the same name. Its product portfolio includes cleaners, degreasers, rust removers and specialty lubricants, serving retail, industrial and automotive markets across more than 170 countries and regions worldwide.

APEI vs WDFC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
APEI
APEI
1.0× larger
APEI
$158.3M
$154.4M
WDFC
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
WDFC
WDFC
+4.1% gap
WDFC
0.6%
-3.5%
APEI
Higher net margin
WDFC
WDFC
3.3% more per $
WDFC
11.3%
8.0%
APEI
More free cash flow
WDFC
WDFC
$24.7M more FCF
WDFC
$9.1M
$-15.6M
APEI
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
WDFC
WDFC
Annualised
WDFC
5.4%
1.3%
APEI

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
APEI
APEI
WDFC
WDFC
Revenue
$158.3M
$154.4M
Net Profit
$12.6M
$17.5M
Gross Margin
56.4%
56.2%
Operating Margin
12.0%
15.1%
Net Margin
8.0%
11.3%
Revenue YoY
-3.5%
0.6%
Net Profit YoY
-2.7%
-7.8%
EPS (diluted)
$0.67
$1.28

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
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
$158.3M
$154.4M
Q3 25
$163.2M
$163.5M
Q2 25
$162.8M
$156.9M
Q1 25
$164.6M
$146.1M
Q4 24
$164.1M
$153.5M
Q3 24
$153.1M
$156.0M
Q2 24
$152.9M
$155.0M
Q1 24
$154.4M
$139.1M
Net Profit
APEI
APEI
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
$12.6M
$17.5M
Q3 25
$5.6M
$21.2M
Q2 25
$4.5M
$21.0M
Q1 25
$8.9M
$29.9M
Q4 24
$13.0M
$18.9M
Q3 24
$2.3M
$16.8M
Q2 24
$371.0K
$19.8M
Q1 24
$516.0K
$15.5M
Gross Margin
APEI
APEI
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
56.4%
56.2%
Q3 25
54.2%
54.7%
Q2 25
51.8%
56.2%
Q1 25
54.5%
54.6%
Q4 24
56.3%
54.8%
Q3 24
50.8%
54.1%
Q2 24
50.2%
53.1%
Q1 24
53.1%
52.4%
Operating Margin
APEI
APEI
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
12.0%
15.1%
Q3 25
5.9%
17.1%
Q2 25
4.3%
17.4%
Q1 25
7.4%
15.9%
Q4 24
13.1%
16.4%
Q3 24
2.7%
15.4%
Q2 24
1.5%
17.5%
Q1 24
3.4%
15.1%
Net Margin
APEI
APEI
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
8.0%
11.3%
Q3 25
3.4%
13.0%
Q2 25
2.8%
13.4%
Q1 25
5.4%
20.4%
Q4 24
7.9%
12.3%
Q3 24
1.5%
10.8%
Q2 24
0.2%
12.8%
Q1 24
0.3%
11.2%
EPS (diluted)
APEI
APEI
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
$0.67
$1.28
Q3 25
$0.30
$1.57
Q2 25
$-0.02
$1.54
Q1 25
$0.41
$2.19
Q4 24
$0.63
$1.39
Q3 24
$0.04
$1.23
Q2 24
$-0.06
$1.46
Q1 24
$-0.06
$1.14

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
APEI
APEI
WDFC
WDFC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$174.1M
$48.6M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$94.7M
$85.7M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$294.8M
$264.1M
Total Assets
$521.4M
$459.7M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.32×
0.32×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
APEI
APEI
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
$174.1M
$48.6M
Q3 25
$191.3M
$58.1M
Q2 25
$174.9M
$51.7M
Q1 25
$161.6M
$53.0M
Q4 24
$131.9M
$54.9M
Q3 24
$135.4M
$46.7M
Q2 24
$129.8M
$45.3M
Q1 24
$125.3M
$55.4M
Total Debt
APEI
APEI
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
$94.7M
$85.7M
Q3 25
$94.4M
$86.2M
Q2 25
$94.1M
$85.6M
Q1 25
$93.7M
$84.4M
Q4 24
$93.4M
$84.6M
Q3 24
$93.1M
$86.0M
Q2 24
$92.8M
$85.5M
Q1 24
$95.0M
$85.9M
Stockholders' Equity
APEI
APEI
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
$294.8M
$264.1M
Q3 25
$279.3M
$268.2M
Q2 25
$272.2M
$257.1M
Q1 25
$310.0M
$242.1M
Q4 24
$303.9M
$226.3M
Q3 24
$290.4M
$230.5M
Q2 24
$288.7M
$222.2M
Q1 24
$288.5M
$216.3M
Total Assets
APEI
APEI
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
$521.4M
$459.7M
Q3 25
$525.3M
$475.8M
Q2 25
$537.4M
$456.0M
Q1 25
$578.7M
$458.3M
Q4 24
$570.1M
$447.3M
Q3 24
$569.6M
$449.0M
Q2 24
$560.7M
$443.6M
Q1 24
$559.0M
$442.0M
Debt / Equity
APEI
APEI
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
0.32×
0.32×
Q3 25
0.34×
0.32×
Q2 25
0.35×
0.33×
Q1 25
0.30×
0.35×
Q4 24
0.31×
0.37×
Q3 24
0.32×
0.37×
Q2 24
0.32×
0.38×
Q1 24
0.33×
0.40×

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
WDFC
WDFC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-11.6M
$10.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-15.6M
$9.1M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-9.9%
5.9%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.6%
0.6%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
-0.92×
0.57×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$46.1M
$78.2M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
APEI
APEI
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
$-11.6M
$10.0M
Q3 25
$21.7M
$29.9M
Q2 25
$14.8M
$35.1M
Q1 25
$37.0M
$8.0M
Q4 24
$1.6M
$14.9M
Q3 24
$14.1M
$27.2M
Q2 24
$12.5M
$19.9M
Q1 24
$20.7M
$18.0M
Free Cash Flow
APEI
APEI
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
$-15.6M
$9.1M
Q3 25
$17.5M
$28.6M
Q2 25
$11.1M
$34.0M
Q1 25
$33.1M
$6.6M
Q4 24
$-1.8M
$14.2M
Q3 24
$7.8M
$26.4M
Q2 24
$7.3M
$18.7M
Q1 24
$14.5M
$16.7M
FCF Margin
APEI
APEI
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
-9.9%
5.9%
Q3 25
10.7%
17.5%
Q2 25
6.8%
21.6%
Q1 25
20.1%
4.5%
Q4 24
-1.1%
9.3%
Q3 24
5.1%
16.9%
Q2 24
4.7%
12.0%
Q1 24
9.4%
12.0%
Capex Intensity
APEI
APEI
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
2.6%
0.6%
Q3 25
2.6%
0.8%
Q2 25
2.3%
0.7%
Q1 25
2.4%
0.9%
Q4 24
2.0%
0.5%
Q3 24
4.1%
0.5%
Q2 24
3.4%
0.8%
Q1 24
4.0%
0.9%
Cash Conversion
APEI
APEI
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
-0.92×
0.57×
Q3 25
3.90×
1.41×
Q2 25
3.29×
1.67×
Q1 25
4.16×
0.27×
Q4 24
0.12×
0.79×
Q3 24
6.22×
1.62×
Q2 24
33.57×
1.00×
Q1 24
40.20×
1.16×

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%

WDFC
WDFC

Other$82.6M53%
WD40Multi Use Product$56.0M36%
WD40Specialist$9.0M6%
Other Maintenance Products$4.0M3%
Homecare And Cleaning Products$2.7M2%

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