Short Interest in American Public Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:APEI) Drops By 9.2%

American Public Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:APEI) saw a large decline in short interest during the month of September. As of September 30th, there was short interest totalling 876,300 shares, a decline of 9.2% from the September 15th total of 965,300 shares. Currently, 5.2% of the company’s stock are short sold. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 246,100 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 3.6 days.

Insider Transactions at American Public Education

In other American Public Education news, Director Michael David Braner bought 59,179 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 20th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $14.05 per share, with a total value of $831,464.95. Following the transaction, the director now owns 1,788,688 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $25,131,066.40. The trade was a 0.00 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In the last ninety days, insiders acquired 182,287 shares of company stock valued at $2,635,431. 11.38% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On American Public Education

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Innealta Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of American Public Education during the second quarter worth about $34,000. Quarry LP raised its stake in shares of American Public Education by 94.0% during the 2nd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 4,666 shares of the company’s stock worth $82,000 after buying an additional 2,261 shares in the last quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio acquired a new stake in shares of American Public Education in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $130,000. Hillsdale Investment Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of American Public Education in the first quarter valued at approximately $141,000. Finally, Ritholtz Wealth Management grew its holdings in American Public Education by 97.9% during the second quarter. Ritholtz Wealth Management now owns 20,381 shares of the company’s stock worth $358,000 after acquiring an additional 10,081 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 79.62% of the company’s stock.

American Public Education Trading Up 1.6 %

NASDAQ APEI opened at $14.30 on Tuesday. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $14.77 and its two-hundred day moving average is $15.90. American Public Education has a one year low of $4.05 and a one year high of $21.04. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a quick ratio of 2.83 and a current ratio of 2.83. The firm has a market cap of $251.32 million, a PE ratio of -5.46, a P/E/G ratio of 1.87 and a beta of 1.25.

American Public Education (NASDAQ:APEI) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The company reported $0.01 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.01. The firm had revenue of $152.90 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $154.06 million. American Public Education had a return on equity of 6.88% and a net margin of 1.73%. Analysts expect that American Public Education will post 0.49 earnings per share for the current year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

APEI has been the subject of a number of research reports. StockNews.com cut shares of American Public Education from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 7th. Barrington Research decreased their target price on American Public Education from $24.00 to $18.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, August 7th. Finally, Truist Financial dropped their price target on American Public Education from $20.00 to $15.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, August 13th.

About American Public Education

American Public Education, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides online and campus-based postsecondary education and career learning in the United States. It operates through three segments: American Public University System, Rasmussen University, and Hondros College of Nursing. The company offers 184 degree programs and 134 certificate programs in various fields of study, including nursing, national security, military studies, intelligence, homeland security, business, health science, information technology, justice studies, education, and liberal arts; and career learning opportunities in leadership, finance, human resources, and other fields of study critical to the federal government workforce.