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American Public EducationAPEI -12.10%69 Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 16.05% as of Mar. 2026, which is 206% above its 10-year median of 5.24. GuruFocus rates APEI with a GF Scoreâ„¢ of 69/100 and a GF Valueâ„¢ of $20.43 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 6 warning signs investors should review. Among 263 Education companies, American Public Education ranks better than 69.58% on this metric.
Return-on-Tangible-Asset is calculated as Net Income divided by its average total tangible assets. Total tangible assets equals to Total Assets minus Intangible Assets. American Public Education's annualizedNet Income for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was $70.9 Mil. American Public Education's average total tangible assets for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was $441.9 Mil. Therefore, American Public Education's annualized Return-on-Tangible-Asset for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 16.05%.
The historical rank and industry rank for American Public Education's Return-on-Tangible-Asset or its related term are showing as below:
APEI'
s Return-on-Tangible-Asset Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -27.22 Med: 5.24 Max: 8.93
Current: 8.93
During the past 13 years, American Public Education's highest Return-on-Tangible-Asset was 8.93%. The lowest was -27.22%. And the median was 5.24%.
APEI's Return-on-Tangible-Asset is ranked better than 69.58% of 263
companies
in the Education industry
Industry Median: 4.45
vs APEI: 8.93
American Public Education (NAS:APEI) Return-on-Tangible-Asset Explanation
Return-on-Tangible-Asset measures the rate of return on the average total tangible assets (total assets minus intangible assets). Tangible means physical in nature. Intangible Assets are assets that are not physical in nature, and typically "derive their value from legal or intellectual rights." Return-on-Tangible-Asset measures a firm's efficiency at generating profits from its tangible assets. It shows how well a company uses what it has to generate earnings. Return-on-Tangible-Assets can vary drastically across industries. Therefore, Return-on-Tangible-Asset should not be used to compare companies in different industries.
Be Aware
Like ROE and ROA, Return-on-Tangible-Asset is calculated with only 12 months data. Fluctuations in the companyÂ’s earnings or business cycles can affect the ratio drastically. It is important to look at the ratio from a long term perspective. Return-on-Tangible-Asset can be affected by events such as stock buyback or issuance, and by a companyÂ’s tax rate and its interest payment. Return-on-Tangible-Asset may not reflect the true earning power of the assets. A more accurate measurement is ROC % (ROC).
Many analysts argue the higher return the better. Buffett states that really high Return-on-Tangible-Asset may indicate vulnerability in the durability of the competitive advantage.
American Public Education Return-on-Tangible-Asset Related Terms
American Public Education Return-on-Tangible-Asset Historical Data
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The historical data trend for American Public Education's Return-on-Tangible-Asset 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 Return-on-Tangible-Asset Chart
APEI vs PXED, DAO, AFYA: Return-on-Tangible-Asset Comparison
For the Education & Training Services subindustry, American Public Education's Return-on-Tangible-Asset, along with its competitors' market caps and Return-on-Tangible-Asset 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 Return-on-Tangible-Asset vs Education Industry
For the Education industry and Consumer Defensive sector, American Public Education's Return-on-Tangible-Asset distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where American Public Education's Return-on-Tangible-Asset 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.
In the calculation of annual Return-on-Tangible-Asset, the net income of the last fiscal year and the average total tangible assets over the fiscal year are used. In calculating the quarterly data,
the Net Income data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) net income data.
What does a Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 16.05% mean?
American Public Education (APEI) has a Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 16.05% as of Mar. 2026. Return on tangible assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period tangible assets. View historical data on American Public Education and its competitors. This is 206% above median its historical median of 5.24. According to the industry distribution chart, American Public Education ranks #80 out of 263 companies in the Education industry, placing it in the top 30.4%.
Is American Public Education's Return-on-Tangible-Asset too high?
American Public Education's current Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 16.05% is 206% above median its 10-year median of 5.24. The Education industry median Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 4.45. American Public Education's value of 16.05% is 260.7% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, American Public Education ranks #80 out of 263 companies in the Education industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, American Public Education has a GF Scoreâ„¢ of 69/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does American Public Education's Return-on-Tangible-Asset compare to PXED and DAO?
According to the Education industry distribution chart, American Public Education ranks #80 out of 263 companies for Return-on-Tangible-Asset. This puts American Public Education in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 4.45. American Public Education's value of 16.05% is 260.7% above this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 5.24 vs. the industry median of 4.45, American Public Education has consistently been above 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 Return-on-Tangible-Asset for an Education company?
The median Return-on-Tangible-Asset among Education companies is 4.45, based on 263 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Return-on-Tangible-Asset significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Return-on-Tangible-Asset should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. American Public Education's current Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 16.05% is 260.7% above 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 Return-on-Tangible-Asset mean?
A high Return-on-Tangible-Asset can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Return on tangible assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period tangible assets. View historical data on American Public Education and its competitors. For the Education industry, the median Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 4.45 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. American Public Education's current Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 16.05%, which is 206% above median its own 10-year median of 5.24. 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 $20.43, compared to a current price of $51.04 — trading 149.8% above its estimated fair value. The current Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 16.05%, which is 206% above median its 10-year median of 5.24 and 260.7% above the Education industry median of 4.45. 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 Return-on-Tangible-Asset calculated?
Return-on-Tangible-Asset is calculated from a company's financial statements. For American Public Education (APEI), the current Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 16.05% 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 $51.04 is trading 149.8% above its estimated GF Value™ of $20.43.
GuruFocus considers American Public Education to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for APEI:
Return-on-Tangible-Asset: 16.05% (206% above median its 10-year median of 5.24)
GF Value™: $20.43 vs. price of $51.04 (149.8% above fair value)
Industry Position: 260.7% above the Education median (#80 of 263)
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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