American Public Education (APEI) vs Carriage Services (CSV)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 7, 2026.
Summary
American Public Education (APEI) has outperformed Carriage Services (CSV) over the past year, gaining 24.4% versus a loss of 26.3%. Over five years, APEI leads with a +82.9% price change compared with -23.5% for CSV. American Public Education is the larger company by market cap ($842.8 million vs $536.8 million), about 1.6 times the size.
On valuation, Carriage Services trades at a lower forward P/E (9.3x vs 12.2x for American Public Education). Carriage Services pays a dividend yielding 1.33%, while American Public Education does not currently pay one.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | APEI | CSV |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $46.05 | $33.80 |
| Market cap | $842.79M | $536.82M |
| 1-day change | -0.37% | +2.77% |
| YTD return | +21.83% | -20.09% |
| 1-year return | +24.43% | -26.31% |
| 5-year return | +82.88% | -23.46% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 18.57 | 12.07 |
| Forward P/E | 12.25 | 9.29 |
| EPS (TTM) | $2.48 | $2.80 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 1.33% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.45 |
| 52-week high | $61.59 | $52.10 |
| 52-week low | $30.20 | $30.11 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -25.23% | -35.12% |
| Average volume | 300.22K | 168.34K |
| Shares outstanding | 18.30M | 15.88M |
| Sector | Real Estate | Consumer Discretionary |
| Industry | Other Consumer Services | Other Consumer Services |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- APEI has outperformed CSV by 50.7 percentage points over the past year.
- American Public Education trades at a higher earnings multiple (18.6x vs 12.1x trailing P/E).
- Carriage Services offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (1.33% vs 0.00%).
- The two companies sit in different sectors: American Public Education in Real Estate and Carriage Services in Consumer Discretionary.
APEI vs CSV FAQ
Which is bigger, American Public Education or Carriage Services?
American Public Education (APEI) is larger, with a market capitalization of $842.79M compared with $536.82M for Carriage Services (CSV).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, APEI or CSV?
APEI returned +24.43% over the past 12 months, compared with -26.31% for CSV (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, APEI or CSV?
CSV has the lower trailing P/E at 12.1, versus 18.6 for APEI. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, American Public Education or Carriage Services?
Carriage Services pays a dividend yielding 1.33%, while American Public Education does not currently pay a regular dividend.
Are American Public Education and Carriage Services in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Other Consumer Services industry within the Real Estate sector.