American Public EducationAPEI +1.60%69 Net Current Asset Value is $2.74 as of Mar. 2026, which is 2% below its 10-year median of 2.80. GuruFocus rates APEI with a GF Score™ of 69/100 and a GF Value™ of $20.39 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 6 warning signs investors should review. Among 120 Education companies, American Public Education ranks worse than 85% on this metric.
In calculating the Net Current Asset Value (NCAV), Benjamin Graham means a company's current assets (such as cash, marketable securities, and inventories) minus its total liabilities (including preferred stock, minority interest, and long-term debt).
American Public Education's net current asset value per share for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was $2.74.
The historical rank and industry rank for American Public Education's Net Current Asset Value or its related term are showing as below:
APEI'
s Price-to-Net-Current-Asset-Value Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 1.86 Med: 2.8 Max: 54.07
Current: 20.7
During the past 13 years, the highest Price-to-Net-Current-Asset-Value Ratio of American Public Education was 54.07. The lowest was 1.86. And the median was 2.80.
APEI's Price-to-Net-Current-Asset-Value is ranked worse than 85% of 120
companies
in the Education industry
Industry Median: 4.935
vs APEI: 20.70
American Public Education (NAS:APEI) Net Current Asset Value Explanation
Benjamin Graham first discussed net current asset value (NCAV) in the 1934 edition of "Security Analysis", which he coauthored with David Dodd. In the book, (net) current asset value is defined as:" current assets alone, minus all liabilities and claims ahead of the issue."
The common definition of NCAV is: NCAV = current assets – [total liabilities + minority interest + preferred stock]
Net current assets exclude not only the intangible assets but also the fixed and miscellaneous assets. In addition, Graham believed that preferred stock belongs on the liability side of the balance sheet, not as part of capital and surplus. In "Security Analysis", preferred stock is dubbed "an imperfect creditorship position" that is best placed on the balance sheet alongside funded debt.
One research study, covering the years 1970 through 1983 showed that portfolios picked at the beginning of each year, and held for one year, returned 29.4 percent, on average, over the 13-year period, compared to 11.5 percent for the S&P 500 Index. Other studies of Grahams strategy produced similar results.
Benjamin Graham looked for companies whose market values were less than two-thirds of their Net-Net Working Capital. They are collected under our Net-Net screener.
American Public Education Net Current Asset Value Related Terms
American Public Education Net Current Asset Value Historical Data
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The historical data trend for American Public Education's Net Current Asset Value can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
American Public Education Net Current Asset Value Chart
APEI vs PXED, DAO, AFYA: Net Current Asset Value Comparison
For the Education & Training Services subindustry, American Public Education's Price-to-Net-Current-Asset-Value, along with its competitors' market caps and Price-to-Net-Current-Asset-Value data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
American Public Education Price-to-Net-Current-Asset-Value vs Education Industry
For the Education industry and Consumer Defensive sector, American Public Education's Price-to-Net-Current-Asset-Value distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where American Public Education's Price-to-Net-Current-Asset-Value falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
What does a Net Current Asset Value of $2.74 mean?
American Public Education (APEI) has a Net Current Asset Value of $2.74 as of Mar. 2026. Ben Graham's net current asset value equals the per-share value of total current assets less total liabilities. View historical data on American Public Education and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 2.80. Over the past decade, American Public Education's Net Current Asset Value has ranged from 1.86 to 54.07. According to the industry distribution chart, American Public Education ranks #102 out of 120 companies in the Education industry, placing it in the top 85%.
Is American Public Education's Net Current Asset Value too high?
American Public Education's current Net Current Asset Value of $2.74 is near median its 10-year median of 2.80. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 1.86 to a high of 54.07. The Education industry median Net Current Asset Value is 4.94. American Public Education's value of $2.74 is 44.5% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, American Public Education ranks #102 out of 120 companies in the Education industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, American Public Education has a GF Score™ of 69/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does American Public Education's Net Current Asset Value compare to PXED and DAO?
According to the Education industry distribution chart, American Public Education ranks #102 out of 120 companies for Net Current Asset Value. This places American Public Education in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Net Current Asset Value is 4.94. American Public Education's value of $2.74 is 44.5% below this benchmark. Historically, American Public Education's own Net Current Asset Value has ranged from 1.86 to 54.07 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 2.80 vs. the industry median of 4.94, American Public Education has consistently been below the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Net Current Asset Value for an Education company?
The median Net Current Asset Value among Education companies is 4.94, based on 120 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Net Current Asset Value significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Net Current Asset Value should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. American Public Education's current Net Current Asset Value of $2.74 is 44.5% below the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Net Current Asset Value mean?
A high Net Current Asset Value can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Ben Graham's net current asset value equals the per-share value of total current assets less total liabilities. View historical data on American Public Education and its competitors. For the Education industry, the median Net Current Asset Value is 4.94 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. American Public Education's current Net Current Asset Value is $2.74, which is near median its own 10-year median of 2.80. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is American Public Education stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, American Public Education (APEI) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $20.39, compared to a current price of $56.72 — trading 178.2% above its estimated fair value. The current Net Current Asset Value is $2.74, which is near median its 10-year median of 2.80 and 44.5% below the Education industry median of 4.94. American Public Education's overall GF Score™ is 69/100 with 6 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Net Current Asset Value calculated?
Net Current Asset Value is calculated from a company's financial statements. For American Public Education (APEI), the current Net Current Asset Value is $2.74 as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is American Public Education (APEI) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, American Public Education stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $56.72 is trading 178.2% above its estimated GF Value™ of $20.39.
GuruFocus considers American Public Education to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for APEI:
Net Current Asset Value: $2.74 (near median its 10-year median of 2.80)
GF Value™: $20.39 vs. price of $56.72 (178.2% above fair value)
Industry Position: 44.5% below the Education median (#102 of 120)
No single metric tells the full story. See the APEI stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
American Public Education Inc provides online and campus based postsecondary education including various undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The fields of study include business administration, health science, technology, criminal justice, education, liberal arts, national security, military studies, intelligence, and homeland security. There are three reporting segments: the American Public University segment which is the key revenue generator, provides online postsecondary education as a distance-learning, graduate-level institution for military officers seeking a degree in military studies; the Rasmussen University Segment and the Hondros College of Nursing segment. The revenue is generated from net course registrations and enrollment, tuition rate, net tuition, and other fees.
69GF Score
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