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

Cactus, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($388.3M vs $158.3M, roughly 2.5× AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC). Cactus, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 10.4% vs 8.0%, a 2.4% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Cactus, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (38.5% vs -3.5%). Over the past eight quarters, Cactus, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (15.6% 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.

Cactus Club Cafe is a Canadian-owned chain of premium casual restaurants that originated in North Vancouver, British Columbia. The chain has since expanded to 34 locations throughout Canada, with other locations throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and the United States

APEI vs WHD — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
WHD
WHD
2.5× larger
WHD
$388.3M
$158.3M
APEI
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
WHD
WHD
+42.1% gap
WHD
38.5%
-3.5%
APEI
Higher net margin
WHD
WHD
2.4% more per $
WHD
10.4%
8.0%
APEI
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
WHD
WHD
Annualised
WHD
15.6%
1.3%
APEI

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
APEI
APEI
WHD
WHD
Revenue
$158.3M
$388.3M
Net Profit
$12.6M
$40.2M
Gross Margin
56.4%
Operating Margin
12.0%
9.9%
Net Margin
8.0%
10.4%
Revenue YoY
-3.5%
38.5%
Net Profit YoY
-2.7%
-25.7%
EPS (diluted)
$0.67

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
WHD
WHD
Q1 26
$388.3M
Q4 25
$158.3M
$261.2M
Q3 25
$163.2M
$264.0M
Q2 25
$162.8M
$273.6M
Q1 25
$164.6M
$280.3M
Q4 24
$164.1M
$272.1M
Q3 24
$153.1M
$293.2M
Q2 24
$152.9M
$290.4M
Net Profit
APEI
APEI
WHD
WHD
Q1 26
$40.2M
Q4 25
$12.6M
$39.8M
Q3 25
$5.6M
$41.6M
Q2 25
$4.5M
$40.3M
Q1 25
$8.9M
$44.2M
Q4 24
$13.0M
$46.7M
Q3 24
$2.3M
$49.9M
Q2 24
$371.0K
$49.8M
Gross Margin
APEI
APEI
WHD
WHD
Q1 26
Q4 25
56.4%
36.2%
Q3 25
54.2%
36.8%
Q2 25
51.8%
36.6%
Q1 25
54.5%
38.4%
Q4 24
56.3%
37.8%
Q3 24
50.8%
39.0%
Q2 24
50.2%
39.2%
Operating Margin
APEI
APEI
WHD
WHD
Q1 26
9.9%
Q4 25
12.0%
22.9%
Q3 25
5.9%
23.2%
Q2 25
4.3%
22.2%
Q1 25
7.4%
24.5%
Q4 24
13.1%
25.9%
Q3 24
2.7%
26.2%
Q2 24
1.5%
27.5%
Net Margin
APEI
APEI
WHD
WHD
Q1 26
10.4%
Q4 25
8.0%
15.3%
Q3 25
3.4%
15.8%
Q2 25
2.8%
14.7%
Q1 25
5.4%
15.8%
Q4 24
7.9%
17.2%
Q3 24
1.5%
17.0%
Q2 24
0.2%
17.2%
EPS (diluted)
APEI
APEI
WHD
WHD
Q1 26
Q4 25
$0.67
Q3 25
$0.30
Q2 25
$-0.02
Q1 25
$0.41
Q4 24
$0.63
Q3 24
$0.04
Q2 24
$-0.06

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
APEI
APEI
WHD
WHD
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$174.1M
$291.6M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$94.7M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$294.8M
$1.4B
Total Assets
$521.4M
$2.5B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.32×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
APEI
APEI
WHD
WHD
Q1 26
$291.6M
Q4 25
$174.1M
$123.6M
Q3 25
$191.3M
$445.6M
Q2 25
$174.9M
$405.2M
Q1 25
$161.6M
$347.7M
Q4 24
$131.9M
$342.8M
Q3 24
$135.4M
$303.4M
Q2 24
$129.8M
$246.5M
Total Debt
APEI
APEI
WHD
WHD
Q1 26
Q4 25
$94.7M
$0
Q3 25
$94.4M
$0
Q2 25
$94.1M
$0
Q1 25
$93.7M
$0
Q4 24
$93.4M
$0
Q3 24
$93.1M
$0
Q2 24
$92.8M
$0
Stockholders' Equity
APEI
APEI
WHD
WHD
Q1 26
$1.4B
Q4 25
$294.8M
$1.2B
Q3 25
$279.3M
$1.2B
Q2 25
$272.2M
$1.1B
Q1 25
$310.0M
$1.1B
Q4 24
$303.9M
$1.1B
Q3 24
$290.4M
$1.0B
Q2 24
$288.7M
$954.7M
Total Assets
APEI
APEI
WHD
WHD
Q1 26
$2.5B
Q4 25
$521.4M
$1.9B
Q3 25
$525.3M
$1.9B
Q2 25
$537.4M
$1.8B
Q1 25
$578.7M
$1.8B
Q4 24
$570.1M
$1.7B
Q3 24
$569.6M
$1.7B
Q2 24
$560.7M
$1.6B
Debt / Equity
APEI
APEI
WHD
WHD
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.32×
0.00×
Q3 25
0.34×
0.00×
Q2 25
0.35×
0.00×
Q1 25
0.30×
0.00×
Q4 24
0.31×
0.00×
Q3 24
0.32×
0.00×
Q2 24
0.32×
0.00×

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
WHD
WHD
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-11.6M
$128.3M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-15.6M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-9.9%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.6%
2.5%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
-0.92×
3.19×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$46.1M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
APEI
APEI
WHD
WHD
Q1 26
$128.3M
Q4 25
$-11.6M
$72.3M
Q3 25
$21.7M
$61.8M
Q2 25
$14.8M
$82.8M
Q1 25
$37.0M
$41.5M
Q4 24
$1.6M
$66.6M
Q3 24
$14.1M
$85.3M
Q2 24
$12.5M
$78.0M
Free Cash Flow
APEI
APEI
WHD
WHD
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-15.6M
Q3 25
$17.5M
Q2 25
$11.1M
Q1 25
$33.1M
Q4 24
$-1.8M
Q3 24
$7.8M
Q2 24
$7.3M
FCF Margin
APEI
APEI
WHD
WHD
Q1 26
Q4 25
-9.9%
Q3 25
10.7%
Q2 25
6.8%
Q1 25
20.1%
Q4 24
-1.1%
Q3 24
5.1%
Q2 24
4.7%
Capex Intensity
APEI
APEI
WHD
WHD
Q1 26
2.5%
Q4 25
2.6%
Q3 25
2.6%
Q2 25
2.3%
Q1 25
2.4%
Q4 24
2.0%
Q3 24
4.1%
Q2 24
3.4%
Cash Conversion
APEI
APEI
WHD
WHD
Q1 26
3.19×
Q4 25
-0.92×
1.81×
Q3 25
3.90×
1.48×
Q2 25
3.29×
2.05×
Q1 25
4.16×
0.94×
Q4 24
0.12×
1.43×
Q3 24
6.22×
1.71×
Q2 24
33.57×
1.56×

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%

WHD
WHD

Revenue$300.2M77%
Other$88.2M23%

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