American Public EducationAPEI +0.71%69 ROA % is 13.39% as of Mar. 2026, which is 217% above its 10-year median of 4.22. GuruFocus rates APEI with a GF Score™ of 69/100 and a GF Value™ of $20.36 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 3 warning signs investors should review. Among 266 Education companies, American Public Education ranks better than 70.68% on this metric.
ROA % is calculated as Net Income divided by its average Total Assets over a certain period of time. American Public Education's annualizedNet Income for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was $70.9 Mil.
American Public Education's average Total Assets over the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was $529.7 Mil. Therefore, American Public Education's annualized ROA % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 13.39%.
The historical rank and industry rank for American Public Education's ROA % or its related term are showing as below:
APEI'
s ROA % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -17.15 Med: 4.22 Max: 7.85
Current: 7.48
During the past 13 years, American Public Education's highest ROA % was 7.85%. The lowest was -17.15%. And the median was 4.22%.
APEI's ROA % is ranked better than 70.68% of 266
companies
in the Education industry
Industry Median: 3.825
vs APEI: 7.48
American Public Education (NAS:APEI) ROA % Explanation
ROA % measures the rate of return on the total assets (shareholder equity plus liabilities). It measures a firm's efficiency at generating profits from shareholders' equity plus its liabilities. ROA % shows how well a company uses what it has to generate earnings. ROA %s can vary drastically across industries. Therefore, ROA % should not be used to compare companies in different industries. For retailers, a ROA % of higher than 5% is expected. For example, Wal-Mart (WMT) has a ROA % of about 8% as of 2012. For banks, ROA % is close to their interest spread. A banks ROA % is typically well under 2%.
Similar to ROE, ROA % is affected by profit margins and asset turnover. This can be seen from the Du Pont Formula:
Note:
The Net Income data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) net income data. The Revenue data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) revenue data.
* 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.
Be Aware
Like ROE, ROA % is calculated with only 12 months data. Fluctuations in the company's earnings or business cycles can affect the ratio drastically. It is important to look at the ratio from a long term perspective. ROA % can be affected by events such as stock buyback or issuance, and by goodwill, a company's tax rate and its interest payment. ROA % 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 ROA % may indicate vulnerability in the durability of the competitive advantage.
E.g. Raising $43b to take on KO is impossible, but $1.7b to take on Moody's is. Although Moody's ROA % and underlying economics is far superior to Coca Cola, the durability is far weaker because of lower entry cost.
* 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.
For the Education & Training Services subindustry, American Public Education's ROA %, along with its competitors' market caps and ROA % 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 ROA % vs Education Industry
For the Education industry and Consumer Defensive sector, American Public Education's ROA % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where American Public Education's ROA % 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 ROA %, the net income of the last fiscal year and the average total 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.
ROA % is displayed in the 30-year financial page.
American Public Education (APEI) has a ROA % of 13.39% as of Mar. 2026. Return on assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period total assets. View historical data on American Public Education and its competitors. This is 217% above median its historical median of 4.22. According to the industry distribution chart, American Public Education ranks #78 out of 266 companies in the Education industry, placing it in the top 29.3%.
Is American Public Education's ROA % too high?
American Public Education's current ROA % of 13.39% is 217% above median its 10-year median of 4.22. The Education industry median ROA % is 3.83. American Public Education's value of 13.39% is 250.1% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, American Public Education ranks #78 out of 266 companies in the Education industry, which is above the industry midpoint. 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 ROA % compare to PXED and AFYA?
According to the Education industry distribution chart, American Public Education ranks #78 out of 266 companies for ROA %. This puts American Public Education in the upper half of its industry. The industry median ROA % is 3.83. American Public Education's value of 13.39% is 250.1% above this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 4.22 vs. the industry median of 3.83, 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 ROA % for an Education company?
The median ROA % among Education companies is 3.83, based on 266 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a ROA % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, ROA % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. American Public Education's current ROA % of 13.39% is 250.1% 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 ROA % mean?
A high ROA % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Return on assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period total assets. View historical data on American Public Education and its competitors. For the Education industry, the median ROA % is 3.83 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. American Public Education's current ROA % is 13.39%, which is 217% above median its own 10-year median of 4.22. 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 $20.36, compared to a current price of $52.18 — trading 156.3% above its estimated fair value. The current ROA % is 13.39%, which is 217% above median its 10-year median of 4.22 and 250.1% above the Education industry median of 3.83. American Public Education's overall GF Score™ is 69/100 with 3 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is ROA % calculated?
ROA % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For American Public Education (APEI), the current ROA % is 13.39% 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 $52.18 is trading 156.3% above its estimated GF Value™ of $20.36.
GuruFocus considers American Public Education to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for APEI:
ROA %: 13.39% (217% above median its 10-year median of 4.22)
GF Value™: $20.36 vs. price of $52.18 (156.3% above fair value)
Industry Position: 250.1% above the Education median (#78 of 266)
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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