American Public Education, Inc. (APEI) vs Krispy Kreme, Inc. (DNUT)
A side-by-side comparison of American Public Education, Inc. and Krispy Kreme, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of October 6, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
APEI
American Public Education, Inc.
$44.41Consumer DefensiveDelayed quote: Oct 6, 2026, 10:04 AM EDT
DNUT
Krispy Kreme, Inc.
$2.96Consumer DefensiveDelayed quote: Oct 6, 2026, 10:05 AM EDT
Total return — APEI vs DNUT
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 5yAPEI +56.6% (+9.4%/yr)DNUT -85.6% (-32.1%/yr)APEI compounded faster over this window
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
APEI DNUT
APEI vs DNUT: by the numbers
- •APEI is the larger company ($815M vs $510M market cap).
- •APEI is profitable (6.84% net margin) while DNUT runs a net loss (-6.53%).
- •APEI grew revenue faster over the past five years (15.04% vs 4.18% CAGR).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | APEI | DNUT |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 18.27 | N/A |
| Forward P/E | 16.92 | N/A |
| PEG ratio | 10.75 | N/A |
| P/S ratio | 1.22 | 0.35 |
| P/B ratio | 2.59 | 0.83 |
| EV / EBITDA | 11.99 | 8.54 |
| FCF yield | 8.60% | 7.32% |
Profitability
| Metric | APEI | DNUT |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 54.61% | 14.05% |
| Operating margin | 9.59% | -0.98% |
| Net margin | 6.84% | -6.53% |
| ROE | 14.54% | -15.49% |
| ROIC | 10.85% | -0.72% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | APEI | DNUT |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 15.04% | 4.18% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 1.97% | N/A |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 32.90% | N/A |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 10.80% | -26.27% |
Frequently asked
- Which has grown faster, APEI or DNUT?
- Over the past five years, APEI grew revenue faster — APEI at a 15.04% CAGR versus DNUT at 4.18%.
- Is APEI or DNUT more profitable?
- APEI runs the higher net margin — APEI at 6.84% versus DNUT at -6.53%.
- How have APEI and DNUT total returns compared?
- Over the past 5 years, APEI delivered 10.80% and DNUT delivered -26.27% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
American Public Education P/E ratioAmerican Public Education ROEKrispy Kreme ROEAmerican Public Education operating marginKrispy Kreme operating marginAmerican Public Education revenue growthKrispy Kreme revenue growthAmerican Public Education free cash flowKrispy Kreme free cash flow
American Public Education & Krispy Kreme appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified October 6, 2026.