Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of presentation and accounting	Basis of presentation and accounting. The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or GAAP.
Business combinations	Business combinations. The Company accounts for business combinations in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 805, Business Combinations, or FASB ASC 805, which requires the acquisition method to be used for all business combinations. Under ASC 805, the assets and liabilities of an acquired company are reported at business fair value along with the fair value of acquired intangible assets at the date of acquisition. Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price of an acquired business over the amount assigned to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed, and the fair value assigned to identifiable intangible assets.
Business Divestitures	Business Divestitures. The Company accounts for business divestitures in accordance with FASB ASC 810, Consolidation. On the GSUSA Sale Date, APEI completed the sale of its membership interest in its wholly owned subsidiary, GSUSA, for $0.5 million, subject to customary adjustments, including for net working capital and cash, and recorded a $3.9 million loss on sale of subsidiary. Subsequent to the GSUSA Sale Date, APEI has no continuing involvement in GSUSA. The sale of its membership interest in GSUSA is not considered a significant shift in the strategic focus of APEI, nor is it considered material to APEI’s operations, cash flows, and financial position, and therefore the sale of GSUSA is not accounted for as a discontinued operation.
Principles of consolidation	Principles of consolidation. The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of APEI and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All material intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.
Use of estimates	Use of estimates. In preparing financial statements in conformity with GAAP, the Company is required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. The Company evaluates these estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis and bases its estimates on experience, current and expected future conditions and various other assumptions that the Company believes are reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from those estimates under different assumptions or conditions, and the impact of such differences may be material to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Cash and cash equivalents	Cash and cash equivalents. The Company considers all short-term highly liquid investments with maturities of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents consist of demand deposits with financial institutions, money market funds, and U.S. Treasury bills. Cash and cash equivalents are Level 1 assets in the fair value reporting hierarchy.
Restricted cash	Restricted cash. Restricted cash includes funds held for students for unbilled educational services that were received from Title IV programs. As a trustee of these Title IV program funds, the Company is required to maintain and restrict these funds pursuant to the terms of the program participation agreement with ED. As of December 31, 2024, restricted cash included a $25.4 million restricted certificate of deposit to secure a letter of credit for the benefit of ED on behalf of RU in connection with RU’s 2020 composite score, which was used by ED for determining compliance with financial responsibility standards, being below the minimum required.
Accounts receivable	Accounts receivable. The Company accounts for receivables in accordance with FASB ASC 310, Receivables. Tuition is recorded as accounts receivable and deferred revenue at the time students begin a course or term. Students may remit tuition payments upon enrollment in a course or term, or they may elect various other payment options with payment terms extending beyond the start of the course or term. These other payment options include ED Title IV programs, U.S. Department of Defense, or DoD, tuition assistance, or TA, programs, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, or VA, education benefits programs, payments by sponsors, or alternative loans, that remit payments directly to the subsidiary institution. HCN also offers extended payment plan options. When a student or third-party remits payment after a course or term has begun, accounts receivable is reduced. If payment is made prior to the start of a course or term, the payment is recorded as a student deposit, and the student is provided access to the course when courses start, in the case of APUS, or allowed to start the term, in the case of RU and HCN. If a payment option is confirmed, the student is allowed to start the course or term. Generally, if no receipt is confirmed or payment option secured, the student will be dropped from the course or not allowed to start the term. Therefore, billed accounts receivable represents charges that have been prepared and sent to students or the applicable third-party payor according to the terms agreed upon in advance. TA is billed by branch of service on a course-by-course basis when a student starts a course, whereas Title IV programs are billed based on the courses included in a student’s term. Effective January 1, 2024, APUS revised its billing policy for students utilizing TA, which previously ranged from two weeks to five weeks after course start date to nine weeks after the course start date. Billed accounts receivable are considered past due if the invoice has been outstanding for more than 30 days. Allowance for doubtful accounts. The allowance for doubtful accounts is based on management’s evaluation of the status of existing accounts receivable. Among other factors, management considers the age of the receivable, the anticipated source of payment, and historical allowance considerations. Consideration is also given to any specific known risk areas among the existing accounts receivable balances. Recoveries of receivables previously written off are recorded when received. APUS and RU do not charge interest on past due accounts receivable. HCN charges interest on payment plans when a student leaves the payment plan program upon graduation or exits the program. Interest charged by HCN on payment plans was not material for the periods presented.
Assets held for sale	Assets held for sale. Assets held for sale at December 31, 2024, represented excess real property located in Charles Town, West Virginia for the Company’s APUS Segment. Long-lived assets are classified as held for sale when the assets are expected to be sold within the next 12 months and meet the other relevant held for sale criteria. As such, properties are recorded at the lower of the carrying value or fair value, less costs to sell, until such time the asset is sold. For additional details regarding assets held for sale, please refer to “Note 5. Assets Held For Sale” in these Consolidated Financial Statements.
Property and equipment	Property and equipment. All property and equipment is carried at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation and amortization are calculated on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Leasehold improvement depreciation is calculated on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the asset or the term of the lease. For tax purposes, different methods are used. Maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred, while other costs are capitalized if they extend the useful life of the asset. The Company capitalizes certain costs for software development in accordance with FASB ASC 350-40, Accounting for the Costs of Computer Software Developed or Obtained for Internal Use, and these costs are classified as property and equipment in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. These costs are amortized over the estimated useful life of five years. The Company also capitalizes certain costs for academic program development, and these costs are amortized over an estimated life not to exceed three years.
Leases	Leases. The Company accounts for lease arrangements in accordance with FASB ASC 842, Leases. The Company determines if there is a lease at inception. The Company analyzes each lease arrangement to determine whether it should be classified as an operating lease or a finance lease. Lease assets are right-of-use assets, or ROU assets, which represent the right to use an underlying asset for the lease term. Lease liabilities represent the obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. ROU assets and lease liabilities are recognized at the lease commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. When the lease does not provide an implicit interest rate, the Company uses an incremental borrowing rate based on information available at lease commencement to determine the present value of the lease payments. The ROU asset includes all lease payments and excludes lease incentives. Leases with a term of 12 months or less are not recorded on the balance sheet. The Company recognizes lease expense for these leases on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company has elected to combine lease and non-lease components as a single component when calculating the ROU asset and lease liability.
Goodwill and intangible assets	Goodwill and intangible assets. Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price of an acquired business over the amount assigned to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed, and the fair value of acquired intangible assets at the date of acquisition. Goodwill is not amortized. The Company accounts for goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets in accordance with FASB ASC 350, Intangibles Goodwill and Other, and Accounting Standards Update, or ASU 2017-04, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. The Company’s goodwill and intangible assets are deductible for tax purposes. The Company annually assesses goodwill for impairment, or more frequently if events and circumstances indicate that goodwill might be impaired. Goodwill impairment testing consists of an optional qualitative assessment as well as a quantitative test. The quantitative test compares the fair value of a reporting unit to its carrying value. If the carrying value of the reporting unit is greater than zero and its fair value is greater than its carrying amount, there is no impairment. If the carrying value is greater than the fair value, the difference between the two values is recorded as an impairment. Indefinite-lived and finite-lived intangible assets acquired in business combinations are recorded at fair value on the acquisition date. Finite-lived intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the asset. The Company reviews its indefinite-lived and finite-lived intangible assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. If such assets are not recoverable, a potential impairment loss is recognized to the extent the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets. For additional details regarding goodwill and intangible assets, please refer to “Note 6. Goodwill and Intangible Assets” in these Consolidated Financial Statements.
Valuation of long-lived assets	Valuation of long-lived assets. The Company accounts for the valuation of long-lived assets under FASB ASC 360, Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets. ASC 360 requires that long-lived assets be reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of the long-lived asset is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of the asset to future undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If such assets are considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the estimated fair value of the assets. Assets to be disposed of are reported at the lower of the carrying amount or fair value, less costs to sell.
Investments	Investments. Prior to December 31, 2024, the Company accounted for its investments in less than majority owned companies in accordance with FASB ASC 323, Investments – Equity Method and Joint Ventures and FASB ASC 321, Investments - Equity Securities. The Company applies ASC 323 to investments when it has the ability to exercise significant influence but does not control the operating and financial policies of the company. This is generally represented by equity ownership of at least 20 percent but not more than 50 percent. Investments accounted for under the equity method are initially recorded at cost and subsequently adjusted by the Company’s share of equity in income or losses after the date of acquisition. The pro-rata share of the operating results of the investee is reported in the Consolidated Statements of Income as equity investment income or loss. Investments that do not meet the equity method requirements are accounted for using the cost method under ASC 321 with changes in the fair value of the investment reported in the Consolidated Statements of Income as equity investment income or loss. During the third quarter of 2023, the Company evaluated its equity investments for indicators of impairment and concluded the fair value of a cost method investment was less than its carrying amount and recorded an investment loss of $5.2 million in the same period, on a 2012 cost method investment. This investment loss was due to the investee entering into an agreement to be sold which resulted in no sales proceeds to the Company, and the loss reduced the book value of the cost method investment to zero. During the first quarter of 2024, the Company evaluated its equity investments for indicators of impairment and concluded the fair value of a cost method investment was less than its carrying amount and recorded an investment loss of $3.3 million in the same period, on a 2015 cost method investment. This investment loss was due to the investee entering into a new convertible debt agreement that resulted in the conversion of the Company’s preferred stock holdings in the investee into common shares, and the dilution of the Company’s ownership percentage. The investment loss recorded reduced the book value of the cost method investment to zero. During the second quarter of 2024, the Company sold its remaining equity method investment back to the investee, as it was no longer considered a strategic investment and recorded an investment loss of $1.1 million in the same period, on a 2013 equity method investment. The investment loss recorded reduced the book value of the equity method investment to zero. These investment losses are included in equity investment loss on the Consolidated Statements of Income. There were no indicators of impairment during the year ended December 31, 2023. Prior to December 31, 2024, the Company’s equity method and cost method investments were included in Other assets, net on the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of December 31, 2024, and 2025, the Company no longer has any investments accounted for under ASC 323 and ASC 321.
Derivatives and hedging	Derivatives and hedging. Derivative financial instruments are recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheets as assets or liabilities and re-measured at fair value at each reporting date. For derivatives designated as cash flow hedges, the effective portion of the gain or loss on the derivative is reported as other comprehensive income and reclassified into earnings in the same period during which the hedged transaction affects earnings.
Deferred revenue and student deposits and Revenue recognition	Deferred revenue and student deposits. Deferred revenue and student deposits at December 31, 2024, and 2025, was $23.5 million and $23.0 million, respectively. Deferred revenue includes payments that have been received from students for courses or terms that are in process, and student deposits represent cash received from students prior to the commencement of a course or term and are refundable to the student in the event the student withdrawals before the start of the course or term. Series A Senior Preferred Stock. Prior to the redemption of all 400 outstanding shares of the Series A Senior Preferred Stock in June 2025, the Company accounted for preferred equity in accordance with FASB ASC 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity, and classified its Series A Senior Preferred Stock as permanent equity on the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Series A Senior Preferred Stock was recorded net of issuance costs. Dividends on the Series A Senior Preferred Stock are presented in preferred stock dividends on the Consolidated Statements of Income. The Series A Senior Preferred Stock was a cumulative, perpetual, redeemable instrument. Dividends accrued as contractually obligated and were paid upon approval by the Company’s Board of Directors. Please refer to “Note 12. Preferred Stock” in these Consolidated Financial Statements. Revenue recognition. The Company recognizes revenue in accordance with accounting standard, FASB ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. Under ASC 606, revenue is recognized when evidence of a contract exists, delivery has occurred or as instructional services are delivered, the price is determinable, and collectability is reasonably assured. Revenue from fees is recognized as information or services are delivered to students, assuming all other revenue recognition criteria are met. For additional information regarding revenue recognition, please refer to “Note 3. Revenue” in these Consolidated Financial Statements.
Advertising costs	Advertising costs. Advertising costs are expensed as incurred during the year.
Income taxes	Income taxes. Deferred taxes are determined using the liability method, whereby deferred tax assets are recognized for deductible temporary differences and deferred tax liabilities are recognized for taxable temporary differences. Temporary differences are the differences between the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and their tax basis. As these differences reverse, they will enter into the determination of future taxable income. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are adjusted for the effects of changes in tax laws and rates on the date of enactment of such changes. Under FASB ASC 740, Income Taxes, the Company is required to determine whether uncertain tax positions should be recognized within the Company’s financial statements. The Company recognizes interest and penalties, if any, related to uncertain tax positions in income tax expense. Uncertain tax positions are recognized when a tax position, based solely on its technical merits, is determined more likely than not to not be sustained upon examination. Upon determination, uncertain tax positions are recorded in the amount of benefit that is greater than 50% likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement with a taxing authority that has full knowledge of all relevant information. An uncertain tax position is reversed if it no longer meets the more likely than not threshold of being sustained.
Stock-based compensation	Stock-based compensation. The Company accounts for stock-based compensation in accordance with FASB ASC 718, Stock Compensation, which requires companies to expense share-based compensation based on fair value, and ASU 2016-09, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting. Stock-based payments may include incentive stock options or non-qualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, dividend equivalent rights, performance shares, performance units, cash-based awards, other stock-based awards, including unrestricted shares, or any combination of the foregoing. Stock-based compensation cost is recognized as expense generally over a three-year vesting period using the straight-line method for employees and the graded-vesting method for members of the Company’s Board of Directors. It is measured using the Company’s closing stock price on the date of the grant. An accelerated one-year period is used to recognize stock-based compensation cost for employees who have reached certain service and retirement eligibility criteria on the date of grant. The fair value of each option award is estimated at the date of grant using a Black-Scholes option-pricing model that uses certain assumptions. The Company makes assumptions with respect to expected stock price volatility based on the average historical volatility of the Company’s common stock. In addition, the Company determines the risk-free interest rate by selecting the U.S. Treasury constant maturity for the same maturity as the estimated life of the option quoted on an investment basis in effect at the time of grant for that business day. Judgment is required in estimating the percentage of share-based awards that are expected to vest, and in the case of performance stock units, or PSUs, the level of performance that will be achieved and the number of shares that will be earned. The Company estimates forfeitures of share-based awards at the time of grant and revises such estimates in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from original estimates. The forfeiture assumption is ultimately adjusted to the actual forfeiture rate. If actual results differ significantly from these estimates, stock-based compensation expense could be higher or lower and have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Estimates of fair value are subjective and are not intended to predict actual future events, and subsequent events are not indicative of the reasonableness of the original estimates of fair value made under ASC 718. For additional information regarding stock-based compensation, please refer to “Note 11. Stockholders’ Equity” in these Consolidated Financial Statements.
Net (loss) income per common share	Net (loss) income per common share. Net (loss) income per common share is calculated by dividing net (loss) income available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. Net (loss) income available to common stockholders is net (loss) income adjusted for preferred stock dividends declared. Diluted (loss) income per common share is calculated by dividing net (loss) income available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding, increased by the shares used in the per share calculation by the dilutive effects of restricted stock and option awards.
Fair value of financial instruments	Fair value of financial instruments. The Company measures certain financial assets at fair value for disclosure purposes, as well as on a nonrecurring basis when they are deemed to be other-than-temporary impairments. Fair value represents the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. As such, fair value is a market-based measurement that is determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability. Assets and liabilities recorded at fair value are measured and classified in accordance with a three-tier fair value hierarchy based on the observability of the inputs available in the market used to measure fair value: Level 1 - inputs to the valuation techniques that are quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities; Level 2 - inputs to the valuation techniques that are other than quoted prices but are observable for the assets or liabilities, either directly or indirectly; or Level 3 - inputs to the valuation techniques that are unobservable for the assets or liabilities. The fair value hierarchy requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. The Company’s cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued liabilities are all short-term in nature. As such, their carrying amounts approximate fair value and fall within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy. The valuation of the interest rate cap was measured as the present value of all expected future cash flows based on the Term Secured Overnight Financing Rate, or Term SOFR. The present value calculation uses discount rates that have been adjusted to reflect the credit quality of the Company and its counterparty. As such, the Company’s interest rate cap falls within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. The carrying value of long-term debt approximates fair value as it is based on a variable rate index.
Concentration of credit risk	Concentration of credit risk. The Company maintains its cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash in bank deposit accounts with various financial institutions. Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash balances may exceed the FDIC insurance limit. The Company has historically not experienced any losses in such accounts.
Recent accounting pronouncements	Recent Accounting Pronouncements. The Company considers the applicability and impact of all ASUs issued by the FASB. ASUs issued but not listed were assessed and determined to be either not applicable or expected to have minimal impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position and/or results of operations. In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures, which requires, among other things, the following for public business entities: (i) enhanced disclosures of specific categories of reconciling items included in the rate reconciliation, as well as additional information for any of these items meeting certain qualitative and quantitative thresholds; (ii) disclosure of the nature, effect and underlying causes of each individual reconciling item disclosed in the rate reconciliation and the judgment used in categorizing them if not otherwise evident; and (iii) enhanced disclosures for income taxes paid, which includes federal, state, and foreign taxes, as well as for individual jurisdictions over a certain quantitative threshold. The Company adopted this standard effective for the year ended December 31, 2025, using the retrospective approach. The Company’s adoption of this ASU did not have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures. In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU No. 2024-03, Income Statement – Reporting Comprehensive Income – Expense Disaggregation Disclosures, which requires disaggregated disclosure of certain costs and expenses, including purchases of inventory, employee compensation, depreciation, amortization, and depletion, within relevant income statement captions. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2026, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2027. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating this ASU to determine the impact of adoption on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2025

Basis of presentation and accounting. The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or GAAP.

Business combinations

Business combinations. The Company accounts for business combinations in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 805, Business Combinations, or FASB ASC 805, which requires the

acquisition method to be used for all business combinations. Under ASC 805, the assets and liabilities of an acquired company are reported at business fair value along with the fair value of acquired intangible assets at the date of acquisition. Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price of an acquired business over the amount assigned to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed, and the fair value assigned to identifiable intangible assets.

Business Divestitures

Business Divestitures. The Company accounts for business divestitures in accordance with FASB ASC 810, Consolidation. On the GSUSA Sale Date, APEI completed the sale of its membership interest in its wholly owned subsidiary, GSUSA, for $0.5 million, subject to customary adjustments, including for net working capital and cash, and recorded a $3.9 million loss on sale of subsidiary. Subsequent to the GSUSA Sale Date, APEI has no continuing involvement in GSUSA. The sale of its membership interest in GSUSA is not considered a significant shift in the strategic focus of APEI, nor is it considered material to APEI’s operations, cash flows, and financial position, and therefore the sale of GSUSA is not accounted for as a discontinued operation.

Principles of consolidation

Principles of consolidation. The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of APEI and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All material intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of estimates

Use of estimates. In preparing financial statements in conformity with GAAP, the Company is required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. The Company evaluates these estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis and bases its estimates on experience, current and expected future conditions and various other assumptions that the Company believes are reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from those estimates under different assumptions or conditions, and the impact of such differences may be material to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents. The Company considers all short-term highly liquid investments with maturities of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents consist of demand deposits with financial institutions, money market funds, and U.S. Treasury bills. Cash and cash equivalents are Level 1 assets in the fair value reporting hierarchy.

Restricted cash

Restricted cash. Restricted cash includes funds held for students for unbilled educational services that were received from Title IV programs. As a trustee of these Title IV program funds, the Company is required to maintain and restrict these funds pursuant to the terms of the program participation agreement with ED. As of December 31, 2024, restricted cash included a $25.4 million restricted certificate of deposit to secure a letter of credit for the benefit of ED on behalf of RU in connection with RU’s 2020 composite score, which was used by ED for determining compliance with financial responsibility standards, being below the minimum required.

Accounts receivable

Accounts receivable. The Company accounts for receivables in accordance with FASB ASC 310, Receivables. Tuition is recorded as accounts receivable and deferred revenue at the time students begin a course or term. Students may remit tuition payments upon enrollment in a course or term, or they may elect various other payment options with payment terms extending beyond the start of the course or term. These other payment options include ED Title IV programs, U.S. Department of Defense, or DoD, tuition assistance, or TA, programs, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, or VA, education benefits programs, payments by sponsors, or alternative loans, that remit payments directly to the subsidiary institution. HCN also offers extended payment plan options.

When a student or third-party remits payment after a course or term has begun, accounts receivable is reduced. If payment is made prior to the start of a course or term, the payment is recorded as a student deposit, and the student is provided access to the course when courses start, in the case of APUS, or allowed to start the term, in the case of RU and HCN. If a

payment option is confirmed, the student is allowed to start the course or term. Generally, if no receipt is confirmed or payment option secured, the student will be dropped from the course or not allowed to start the term. Therefore, billed accounts receivable represents charges that have been prepared and sent to students or the applicable third-party payor according to the terms agreed upon in advance.

TA is billed by branch of service on a course-by-course basis when a student starts a course, whereas Title IV programs are billed based on the courses included in a student’s term. Effective January 1, 2024, APUS revised its billing policy for students utilizing TA, which previously ranged from two weeks to five weeks after course start date to nine weeks after the course start date. Billed accounts receivable are considered past due if the invoice has been outstanding for more than 30 days.

Allowance for doubtful accounts. The allowance for doubtful accounts is based on management’s evaluation of the status of existing accounts receivable. Among other factors, management considers the age of the receivable, the anticipated source of payment, and historical allowance considerations. Consideration is also given to any specific known risk areas among the existing accounts receivable balances. Recoveries of receivables previously written off are recorded when received. APUS and RU do not charge interest on past due accounts receivable. HCN charges interest on payment plans when a student leaves the payment plan program upon graduation or exits the program. Interest charged by HCN on payment plans was not material for the periods presented.

Assets held for sale

Assets held for sale. Assets held for sale at December 31, 2024, represented excess real property located in Charles Town, West Virginia for the Company’s APUS Segment. Long-lived assets are classified as held for sale when the assets are expected to be sold within the next 12 months and meet the other relevant held for sale criteria. As such, properties are recorded at the lower of the carrying value or fair value, less costs to sell, until such time the asset is sold. For additional details regarding assets held for sale, please refer to “Note 5. Assets Held For Sale” in these Consolidated Financial Statements.

Property and equipment

Property and equipment. All property and equipment is carried at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation and amortization are calculated on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Leasehold improvement depreciation is calculated on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the asset or the term of the lease. For tax purposes, different methods are used. Maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred, while other costs are capitalized if they extend the useful life of the asset.

The Company capitalizes certain costs for software development in accordance with FASB ASC 350-40, Accounting for the Costs of Computer Software Developed or Obtained for Internal Use, and these costs are classified as property and equipment in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. These costs are amortized over the estimated useful life of five years. The Company also capitalizes certain costs for academic program development, and these costs are amortized over an estimated life not to exceed three years.

Leases

Leases. The Company accounts for lease arrangements in accordance with FASB ASC 842, Leases. The Company determines if there is a lease at inception. The Company analyzes each lease arrangement to determine whether it should be classified as an operating lease or a finance lease. Lease assets are right-of-use assets, or ROU assets, which represent the right to use an underlying asset for the lease term. Lease liabilities represent the obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. ROU assets and lease liabilities are recognized at the lease commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. When the lease does not provide an implicit interest rate, the Company uses an incremental borrowing rate based on information available at lease commencement to determine the present value of the lease payments. The ROU asset includes all lease payments and excludes lease incentives.

Leases with a term of 12 months or less are not recorded on the balance sheet. The Company recognizes lease expense for these leases on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company has elected to combine lease and non-lease components as a single component when calculating the ROU asset and lease liability.

Goodwill and intangible assets

Goodwill and intangible assets. Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price of an acquired business over the amount assigned to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed, and the fair value of acquired intangible assets at the date of acquisition. Goodwill is not amortized. The Company accounts for goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets in accordance with FASB ASC 350, Intangibles Goodwill and Other, and Accounting Standards Update, or ASU 2017-04, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. The Company’s goodwill and intangible assets are deductible for tax purposes.

The Company annually assesses goodwill for impairment, or more frequently if events and circumstances indicate that goodwill might be impaired. Goodwill impairment testing consists of an optional qualitative assessment as well as a

quantitative test. The quantitative test compares the fair value of a reporting unit to its carrying value. If the carrying value of the reporting unit is greater than zero and its fair value is greater than its carrying amount, there is no impairment. If the carrying value is greater than the fair value, the difference between the two values is recorded as an impairment.

Indefinite-lived and finite-lived intangible assets acquired in business combinations are recorded at fair value on the acquisition date. Finite-lived intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the asset.

The Company reviews its indefinite-lived and finite-lived intangible assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. If such assets are not recoverable, a potential impairment loss is recognized to the extent the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets.

For additional details regarding goodwill and intangible assets, please refer to “Note 6. Goodwill and Intangible Assets” in these Consolidated Financial Statements.

Valuation of long-lived assets

Valuation of long-lived assets. The Company accounts for the valuation of long-lived assets under FASB ASC 360, Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets. ASC 360 requires that long-lived assets be reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of the long-lived asset is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of the asset to future undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If such assets are considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the estimated fair value of the assets. Assets to be disposed of are reported at the lower of the carrying amount or fair value, less costs to sell.

Investments

Investments. Prior to December 31, 2024, the Company accounted for its investments in less than majority owned companies in accordance with FASB ASC 323, Investments – Equity Method and Joint Ventures and FASB ASC 321, Investments - Equity Securities. The Company applies ASC 323 to investments when it has the ability to exercise significant influence but does not control the operating and financial policies of the company. This is generally represented by equity ownership of at least 20 percent but not more than 50 percent. Investments accounted for under the equity method are initially recorded at cost and subsequently adjusted by the Company’s share of equity in income or losses after the date of acquisition. The pro-rata share of the operating results of the investee is reported in the Consolidated Statements of Income as equity investment income or loss. Investments that do not meet the equity method requirements are accounted for using the cost method under ASC 321 with changes in the fair value of the investment reported in the Consolidated Statements of Income as equity investment income or loss.

During the third quarter of 2023, the Company evaluated its equity investments for indicators of impairment and concluded the fair value of a cost method investment was less than its carrying amount and recorded an investment loss of $5.2 million in the same period, on a 2012 cost method investment. This investment loss was due to the investee entering into an agreement to be sold which resulted in no sales proceeds to the Company, and the loss reduced the book value of the cost method investment to zero.

During the first quarter of 2024, the Company evaluated its equity investments for indicators of impairment and concluded the fair value of a cost method investment was less than its carrying amount and recorded an investment loss of $3.3 million in the same period, on a 2015 cost method investment. This investment loss was due to the investee entering into a new convertible debt agreement that resulted in the conversion of the Company’s preferred stock holdings in the investee into common shares, and the dilution of the Company’s ownership percentage. The investment loss recorded reduced the book value of the cost method investment to zero.

During the second quarter of 2024, the Company sold its remaining equity method investment back to the investee, as it was no longer considered a strategic investment and recorded an investment loss of $1.1 million in the same period, on a 2013 equity method investment. The investment loss recorded reduced the book value of the equity method investment to zero.

These investment losses are included in equity investment loss on the Consolidated Statements of Income. There were no indicators of impairment during the year ended December 31, 2023.

Prior to December 31, 2024, the Company’s equity method and cost method investments were included in Other assets, net on the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of December 31, 2024, and 2025, the Company no longer has any investments accounted for under ASC 323 and ASC 321.

Derivatives and hedging

Derivatives and hedging. Derivative financial instruments are recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheets as assets or liabilities and re-measured at fair value at each reporting date. For derivatives designated as cash flow hedges, the effective portion of the gain or loss on the derivative is reported as other comprehensive income and reclassified into earnings in the same period during which the hedged transaction affects earnings.

Deferred revenue and student deposits and Revenue recognition

Deferred revenue and student deposits. Deferred revenue and student deposits at December 31, 2024, and 2025, was $23.5 million and $23.0 million, respectively. Deferred revenue includes payments that have been received from students for courses or terms that are in process, and student deposits represent cash received from students prior to the commencement of a course or term and are refundable to the student in the event the student withdrawals before the start of the course or term.

Series A Senior Preferred Stock. Prior to the redemption of all 400 outstanding shares of the Series A Senior Preferred Stock in June 2025, the Company accounted for preferred equity in accordance with FASB ASC 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity, and classified its Series A Senior Preferred Stock as permanent equity on the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Series A Senior Preferred Stock was recorded net of issuance costs. Dividends on the Series A Senior Preferred Stock are presented in preferred stock dividends on the Consolidated Statements of Income. The Series A Senior Preferred Stock was a cumulative, perpetual, redeemable instrument. Dividends accrued as contractually obligated and were paid upon approval by the Company’s Board of Directors. Please refer to “Note 12. Preferred Stock” in these Consolidated Financial Statements.

Revenue recognition. The Company recognizes revenue in accordance with accounting standard, FASB ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. Under ASC 606, revenue is recognized when evidence of a contract exists, delivery has occurred or as instructional services are delivered, the price is determinable, and collectability is reasonably assured. Revenue from fees is recognized as information or services are delivered to students, assuming all other revenue recognition criteria are met. For additional information regarding revenue recognition, please refer to “Note 3. Revenue” in these Consolidated Financial Statements.

Advertising costs

Advertising costs. Advertising costs are expensed as incurred during the year.

Income taxes

Income taxes. Deferred taxes are determined using the liability method, whereby deferred tax assets are recognized for deductible temporary differences and deferred tax liabilities are recognized for taxable temporary differences. Temporary differences are the differences between the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and their tax basis. As these differences reverse, they will enter into the determination of future taxable income. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are adjusted for the effects of changes in tax laws and rates on the date of enactment of such changes.

Under FASB ASC 740, Income Taxes, the Company is required to determine whether uncertain tax positions should be recognized within the Company’s financial statements. The Company recognizes interest and penalties, if any, related to uncertain tax positions in income tax expense. Uncertain tax positions are recognized when a tax position, based solely on its technical merits, is determined more likely than not to not be sustained upon examination. Upon determination, uncertain tax positions are recorded in the amount of benefit that is greater than 50% likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement with a taxing authority that has full knowledge of all relevant information. An uncertain tax position is reversed if it no longer meets the more likely than not threshold of being sustained.

Stock-based compensation

Stock-based compensation. The Company accounts for stock-based compensation in accordance with FASB ASC 718, Stock Compensation, which requires companies to expense share-based compensation based on fair value, and ASU 2016-09, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting. Stock-based payments may include incentive stock options or non-qualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, dividend equivalent rights, performance shares, performance units, cash-based awards, other stock-based awards, including unrestricted shares, or any combination of the foregoing.

Stock-based compensation cost is recognized as expense generally over a three-year vesting period using the straight-line method for employees and the graded-vesting method for members of the Company’s Board of Directors. It is measured using the Company’s closing stock price on the date of the grant. An accelerated one-year period is used to recognize stock-based compensation cost for employees who have reached certain service and retirement eligibility criteria on the date of grant. The fair value of each option award is estimated at the date of grant using a Black-Scholes option-pricing model that uses

certain assumptions. The Company makes assumptions with respect to expected stock price volatility based on the average historical volatility of the Company’s common stock. In addition, the Company determines the risk-free interest rate by selecting the U.S. Treasury constant maturity for the same maturity as the estimated life of the option quoted on an investment basis in effect at the time of grant for that business day.

Judgment is required in estimating the percentage of share-based awards that are expected to vest, and in the case of performance stock units, or PSUs, the level of performance that will be achieved and the number of shares that will be earned. The Company estimates forfeitures of share-based awards at the time of grant and revises such estimates in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from original estimates. The forfeiture assumption is ultimately adjusted to the actual forfeiture rate. If actual results differ significantly from these estimates, stock-based compensation expense could be higher or lower and have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Estimates of fair value are subjective and are not intended to predict actual future events, and subsequent events are not indicative of the reasonableness of the original estimates of fair value made under ASC 718. For additional information regarding stock-based compensation, please refer to “Note 11. Stockholders’ Equity” in these Consolidated Financial Statements.

Net (loss) income per common share

Net (loss) income per common share. Net (loss) income per common share is calculated by dividing net (loss) income available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. Net (loss) income available to common stockholders is net (loss) income adjusted for preferred stock dividends declared. Diluted (loss) income per common share is calculated by dividing net (loss) income available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding, increased by the shares used in the per share calculation by the dilutive effects of restricted stock and option awards.

Fair value of financial instruments

Fair value of financial instruments. The Company measures certain financial assets at fair value for disclosure purposes, as well as on a nonrecurring basis when they are deemed to be other-than-temporary impairments.

Fair value represents the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. As such, fair value is a market-based measurement that is determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability. Assets and liabilities recorded at fair value are measured and classified in accordance with a three-tier fair value hierarchy based on the observability of the inputs available in the market used to measure fair value:

Level 1 - inputs to the valuation techniques that are quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;

Level 2 - inputs to the valuation techniques that are other than quoted prices but are observable for the assets or liabilities, either directly or indirectly; or

Level 3 - inputs to the valuation techniques that are unobservable for the assets or liabilities.

The fair value hierarchy requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value.

The Company’s cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued liabilities are all short-term in nature. As such, their carrying amounts approximate fair value and fall within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy. The valuation of the interest rate cap was measured as the present value of all expected future cash flows based on the Term Secured Overnight Financing Rate, or Term SOFR. The present value calculation uses discount rates that have been adjusted to reflect the credit quality of the Company and its counterparty. As such, the Company’s interest rate cap falls within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. The carrying value of long-term debt approximates fair value as it is based on a variable rate index.

Concentration of credit risk

Concentration of credit risk. The Company maintains its cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash in bank deposit accounts with various financial institutions. Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash balances may exceed the FDIC insurance limit. The Company has historically not experienced any losses in such accounts.

Recent accounting pronouncements

Recent Accounting Pronouncements. The Company considers the applicability and impact of all ASUs issued by the FASB. ASUs issued but not listed were assessed and determined to be either not applicable or expected to have minimal impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position and/or results of operations.

In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures, which requires, among other things, the following for public business entities: (i) enhanced disclosures of specific categories of reconciling items included in the rate reconciliation, as well as additional information for any of these items meeting certain qualitative and quantitative thresholds; (ii) disclosure of the nature, effect and underlying causes of each individual reconciling item disclosed in the rate reconciliation and the judgment used in categorizing them if not otherwise evident; and (iii) enhanced disclosures for income taxes paid, which includes federal, state, and foreign taxes, as well as for individual jurisdictions over a certain quantitative threshold. The Company adopted this standard effective for the year ended December 31, 2025, using the retrospective approach. The Company’s adoption of this ASU did not have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU No. 2024-03, Income Statement – Reporting Comprehensive Income – Expense Disaggregation Disclosures, which requires disaggregated disclosure of certain costs and expenses, including purchases of inventory, employee compensation, depreciation, amortization, and depletion, within relevant income statement captions. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2026, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2027. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating this ASU to determine the impact of adoption on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures.