Short Interest in American Public Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:APEI) Drops By 9.2%
American Public Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:APEI) experienced a significant decrease in short interest for the month of September. As of September 30th, the short interest totaled 876,300 shares, marking a decline of 9.2% from the 965,300 shares reported on September 15th. Currently, 5.2% of the company’s stock is sold short. Based on an average daily trading volume of 246,100 shares, the short-interest ratio stands at 3.6 days.
In related news, Director Michael David Braner purchased 59,179 shares of the company’s stock on August 20th. These shares were bought at an average price of $14.05 each, totaling $831,464.95. Following this transaction, the director holds 1,788,688 shares valued at approximately $25,131,066.40, representing a 0.00% increase in ownership. This acquisition was disclosed in a regulatory filing, which is accessible through the appropriate channels. Over the past ninety days, insiders have acquired a total of 182,287 shares valued at $2,635,431, with corporate insiders owning 11.38% of the stock.
Several large investors have recently adjusted their positions in American Public Education. Innealta Capital LLC took a new position in the company during the second quarter, valued at about $34,000. Quarry LP increased its stake in the same period by 94%, now owning 4,666 shares worth $82,000 after adding 2,261 shares last quarter. Other notable investors include the Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio and Hillsdale Investment Management Inc., who purchased stakes valued at approximately $130,000 and $141,000 respectively. Ritholtz Wealth Management raised its holdings by 97.9% during the second quarter, now owning 20,381 shares worth $358,000. Overall, hedge funds and other institutional investors hold 79.62% of the company’s stock.
The trading day opened with NASDAQ APEI at $14.30. The firm’s fifty-day moving average is $14.77, while the two-hundred-day moving average stands at $15.90. Over the past year, American Public Education has reached a low of $4.05 and a high of $21.04. The company reports a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a quick ratio of 2.83, and a current ratio of 2.83. It currently has a market capitalization 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 recently announced its quarterly earnings results on August 6th, reporting earnings per share (EPS) of $0.01, which met the consensus estimate. The firm generated revenue of $152.90 million for the quarter, slightly below analysts’ expectations of $154.06 million. The company also reported a return on equity of 6.88% and a net margin of 1.73%. Analysts predict that American Public Education will post an EPS of 0.49 for the current year.
APEI has been featured in various research reports. Analysts at StockNews.com downgraded the stock from a “strong-buy” rating to “buy” on August 7th. Barrington Research adjusted their price target from $24.00 to $18.00 while maintaining an “outperform” rating. Truist Financial also revised their price target, lowering it from $20.00 to $15.00 and setting a “hold” rating.
American Public Education, Inc. 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 a diverse range of educational programs including 184 degree programs and 134 certificate programs across various fields such as nursing, national security, business, health science, information technology, and more.
As market dynamics continue to shift, it’s essential for investors to keep an eye on developments regarding American Public Education and its positioning in the educational sector. The current performance and the adjustments made by investors may signal future trends worth monitoring.
