Is American Public Education, Inc. overvalued or undervalued?

As of 12 September 2025, the valuation grade for American Public Education, Inc. has moved from very attractive to attractive. Based on the current metrics, the company appears to be fairly valued. The P/E ratio stands at 19, the EV to EBITDA ratio is 6.84, and the Price to Book Value is 1.64, indicating a reasonable valuation relative to its earnings and asset base.
In comparison to peers, American Public Education, Inc. has a P/E ratio of 19.55, which is lower than Despegar.com Corp. at 51.86, but higher than Carriage Services, Inc. at 26.47. The EV to EBITDA ratio of 6.84 is also competitive when compared to its peers, with Despegar.com Corp. at 8.14. Notably, the company has outperformed the S&P 500 significantly over multiple periods, with a year-to-date return of 68.43% compared to the S&P 500's 12.22%, reinforcing its attractiveness as an investment.