APOL Investment Analysis Report & Stock Research, Apollo Group, Inc.- Shares A

Apollo Group, Incorporated- Shares A (APOL)

APOL Stock Report

2-Year Price History

View Larger APOL Chart
NASDAQ:APOL
$59.02
(2/9 1:04PM)
-0.4%
Open$59.47 Mkt Cap$9.2 Billion
High$59.95 52Wk High$81.20
Low$58.7 52Wk Low$52.79
Volume1.9 Million Avg Vol 10D3.0 Million

A Word Of Caution

The Ockham Research Team has placed an alert on this security because there have been significant developments associated with Apollo Group, Inc. Cl A (APOL). Eventually, these externalities may have an impact on our valuation but these recent events have not yet been fully factored into our analysis.

Please take a moment to look at the RazorWire feed on the right hand side of the report. Each mention of Apollo Group, Inc. Cl A on business television or influential blogs will be displayed to the right of the report. This should help bring you up to speed on any major issues they are facing right now.

Of course, you may proceed to review our research report for this security, but please be aware that our model may not reflect these significant factors surrounding this company as our data sources are still being updated. This alert shall remain in effect until the situation surrounding this security normalizes substantially.

Therefore, (and as always), check additional sources and available information regarding APOL before making an investment decision.

Ockham's Rating/Recommendation Summary

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APOL Revenue

Cash earnings is the most important factor in our analysis, but it goes without saying that if a company cannot produce sales then there is no ability to generate cash flow. By that logic we look very closely at revenue numbers as our second most important factor in valuing a company's stock. We have established reasonable Price to Sales per share ranges based on historical data of the last 10 years. For, APOL the high and low end of the Price to Sales per share ratios are 6.13x and 3.44x respectively.

Notice that APOL's current Price to Sales per share ratio is 2.17x, which is quite a bit below what we consider a normal Price to Sales ratio for this stock. Given normal conditions and a price of $59.93, APOL is 55% below where we would expect to see it. This will beneficially factor into our final analysis of APOL as it is not often that this stock sinks to these levels.

APOL Cash Earnings

Looking at APOL specifically in their Cash Earnings capabilities, Ockham views APOL as significantly below its historical average multiple of Cash Earnings. Looking at the last 10 years we can get a good understanding of what investors have grown to expect from APOL. For example, APOL's Cash Earnings ratio per share has fluctuated between 17.90 and 32.14 over this historical timeframe. This range is based upon a proprietary weighted methodology at Ockham, but can clearly show an investor where APOL is with respect to prior business periods.

So with APOL's current price (latest close of $59.93) and most recent level of Cash Earnings reported, we see significant opportunity from a value perspective. At its current price level, APOL is 52% below its average level of Price to Cash Earnings on a historical basis. This means that investors were willing to pay for a much higher stock price than currently for the same level of Cash in the past, on a relative basis. There are a couple of important things to remember, however. First, value doesn't exist in a vacuum. So if the market doesn't recognize this value, even a great disparity in Price to Cash Earnings cannot force an immediate stock price reaction. Second, patience is key when looking at securities that have reached these levels of Price to Cash Earnings versus their historical norms. So be patient with APOL.

APOL Dividends

A strong dividend payment history is looked upon as a favorable characteristic on a company’s future and potentially can receive a positive Ockham rating. That being said, we don't require dividend payments for company's whose management has elected to forgo them entirely. As of the time of this report, our data provider does not have historical data for APOL. Therefore, we are not utilizing the dividends portion in our study. So, we do not know whether APOL currently pays a dividend at present or not, we have an "expected dividend" payment listed in key fundamentals but cannot varify it.

Peer Comparison

:

Apollo Group, Inc.- Shares A Industry Grouping

(2/8/2010)
Company Ticker Market Cap (Ml) Latest
Price
Price/Cash Earnings Price/Sales 5-Yr. Rev.
Growth Rate
5-Yr.
Avg. ROE.
Current 10-Yr. Range* Current 10-Yr. Range*
Peer Company Averages (not including APOL) 13.33 6.91 » 31.25 2.47 1.35 » 7.28 14.20% 97.54%
*10 year range does not include current year values
The Western Union Company WU $11.2 Billion $16.16 12.70 6.88 » 19.10 2.78 1.42 » 4.17 n/a 401.88%
Paychex, Inc. PAYX $10.4 Billion $28.86 16.83 11.39 » 77.55 4.51 3.65 » 26.30 10.11% 33.80%
Apollo Group, Inc.- Shares A APOL $9.2 Billion $59.28 12.13 10.73 » 56.33 2.17 1.88 » 10.25 17.18% 60.96%
Fidelity National Information Services Inc FIS $8.5 Billion $22.92 14.49 3.04 » 16.35 2.59 0.51 » 1.63 27.68% 18.96%
H&R Block, Inc. HRB $7.0 Billion $20.96 12.58 6.60 » 15.80 2.03 0.92 » 3.20 -1.05% 17.78%
Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. JEC $4.5 Billion $36.23 10.04 6.65 » 27.46 0.42 0.26 » 1.13 20.07% 15.30%
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Mad Money

Apollo Group, Incorporated- Shares A Was Talked About by Mad Money

Staying informed on the news is invaluable for investors, and RazorWire has captured a recently discussion on APOL from Mad Money.

Based on our methodology, Apollo Group, Incorporated- Shares A should hold some appeal to value investors as we view it as Undervalued. While bearish sentiment on a stock is not always a bad thing, it is something you need to be aware of. The Motley Fool survey of crowd sentiment shows that many investors believe this stock will underperform. We noticed recently that in comparison to all other stocks we analyze in the news; APOL has received less coverage from the financial media in business television and blogs.

“… my stock is apoll o group, APOL. > > going to the dogs. Going to the dogs. We are not buyers in any of those online education stocks. They have had their day. …”

Countdown to the Closing Bell

See Why Apollo Group, Incorporated- Shares A News Was Discussed on Countdown to the Closing Bell

As always, the latest news on APOL is available to Ockham clients through RazorWire, and it was mentioned recently on Countdown to the Closing Bell.

A significant sell off of $3.42 is underway right now, so investors in APOL should pay close attention to the news. Interestingly, overall sentiment looks bearish according to the Motley Fool's CAPS survey, as most of their users see Apollo Group, Incorporated- Shares A underperforming. At present, Ockham has a valuation stance of Undervalued on APOL, as we could see significant price appreciation based on current fundamentals like cash earnings and revenue. When taking into account the amount of news coverage each stock normally sees as a percentage of the total, Apollo Group, Incorporated- Shares A has actually sunk a bit in comparison to the others.

“… Number 60, APOLLO GROUP has been up and down. It is very volatile. This is down today. First quarter profits is up by 1 third as the company continues to boost enrollment. …”

Squawk On The Street

APOL's Debt Load is the Topic on Squawk On The Street

Leverage is not necessarily a bad thing for APOL or any other company, but staying informed on their debt is important. A recent story from Squawk On The Street discusses APOL's debt.

At present, Ockham has a valuation stance of Undervalued on APOL, as we could see significant price appreciation based on current fundamentals like cash earnings and revenue. When taking into account the amount of news coverage each stock normally sees as a percentage of the total, Apollo Group, Incorporated- Shares A has actually sunk a bit in comparison to the others. Investors are headed for the exit following today's news as the stock is trading down $3.79. Interestingly, overall sentiment looks bearish according to the Motley Fool's CAPS survey, as most of their users see Apollo Group, Incorporated- Shares A underperforming.

“… They say the estimates are too check out APOLLO GROUP. After the close the earnings came out a penny better than expected but the company reporting they might face $1. …”

The Opening Bell on Fox Business

The Opening Bell on Fox Business Has News on APOL

The latest news from The Opening Bell on Fox Business on APOL is available through Ockham's news analytics platform RazorWire.

The crowd at The Motley Fool does not like APOL and believes that it will Underperform. We consider APOL as Undervalued at the current price of $59.50. According to our methodology, this stock has appreciation potential based on current fundamentals which only improves if earnings or revenue surprise. Please be aware that APOL is trading off $4.44 today, and is clearly being affected by the latest news. As we analyze the results from RazorWire, one thing we do is rank each stock in terms of amount of news coverage. Recently, APOL has been less covered in the news compared to the rest of our universe of stocks.

“… stock getting a little bit of a boost on that news this morning. Number three, APOLLO GROUP. The largest for-profit provider …”

Closing Bell

Closing Bell Looked at Apollo Group, Incorporated- Shares A in Extended Trading

Check out the news on APOL because their stock is active in post market trading. This could be because of quarterly earnings or some other breaking news.

The crowd at The Motley Fool does not like APOL and believes that it will Underperform. As we analyze the results from RazorWire, one thing we do is rank each stock in terms of amount of news coverage. Recently, APOL has been less covered in the news compared to the rest of our universe of stocks. Please be aware that APOL is trading off $3.85 today, and is clearly being affected by the latest news. We consider APOL as Undervalued at the current price of $59.85. According to our methodology, this stock has appreciation potential based on current fundamentals which only improves if earnings or revenue surprise.

“… reporter: maria, thanks so APOLLO GROUP coming out. Their first quarter and they were relatively benign, $1. 47 versus $1. 36. …”

Power Lunch

Power Lunch Looked at Apollo Group, Incorporated- Shares A in Extended Trading

There may be significant news on APOL that is causing them to be talked about in after hours trading on Power Lunch.

Based on our methodology, Apollo Group, Incorporated- Shares A should hold some appeal to value investors as we view it as Undervalued. While bearish sentiment on a stock is not always a bad thing, it is something you need to be aware of. The Motley Fool survey of crowd sentiment shows that many investors believe this stock will underperform. We noticed recently that in comparison to all other stocks we analyze in the news; APOL has received less coverage from the financial media in business television and blogs.

“… But APOLLO GROUP, big name reporting after the close today. 1. 46 on 1. 2 billion in revenues. > > > one of biggest players in technology is indeed making its presence felt at ... …”

Power Lunch

After the Close: APOL on Power Lunch

There may be significant news on APOL that is causing them to be talked about in after hours trading on Power Lunch.

The crowd at The Motley Fool does not like APOL and believes that it will Underperform. As we analyze the results from RazorWire, one thing we do is rank each stock in terms of amount of news coverage. Recently, APOL has been less covered in the news compared to the rest of our universe of stocks. We consider APOL as Undervalued at the current price of $64.33. According to our methodology, this stock has appreciation potential based on current fundamentals which only improves if earnings or revenue surprise.

“… Shares of APOLLO GROUP, reporting their fiscal first quarter results after the close. The stock is strong. It's had a very good run in the near term, after a choppy start. …”

Street Signs

See More News on APOL from Street Signs

The latest news on Street Signs in regards to APOL came through on RazorWire recently.

The crowd at The Motley Fool does not like APOL and believes that it will Underperform. We consider APOL as Undervalued at the current price of $61.22. According to our methodology, this stock has appreciation potential based on current fundamentals which only improves if earnings or revenue surprise. As we analyze the results from RazorWire, one thing we do is rank each stock in terms of amount of news coverage. Recently, APOL has been less covered in the news compared to the rest of our universe of stocks.

“… As far as worst performing stocks of the nasdaq 100, bottom three, two bioteches, exception the APOLLO GROUP which owns university of phoenix, down 20%. …”

Closing Bell

News on APOL From the Pundits on Closing Bell

Apollo Group, Incorporated- Shares A is one of the thousands of companies that Ockham has news analytics on, and it was recently discussed on Closing Bell.

Take notice of the news on this stock because it is up $3.78 since the close of trading yesterday. When taking into account the amount of news coverage each stock normally sees as a percentage of the total, Apollo Group, Incorporated- Shares A has actually sunk a bit in comparison to the others. At present, Ockham has a valuation stance of Undervalued on APOL, as we could see significant price appreciation based on current fundamentals like cash earnings and revenue. Interestingly, overall sentiment looks bearish according to the Motley Fool's CAPS survey, as most of their users see Apollo Group, Incorporated- Shares A underperforming.

“… 9% move and APOLLO GROUP that entire sector is hot here today. Investors apparently comfortable. And expecting student default rates to go higher, which they if you take a look ... …”

Street Signs

RazorWire has Detected News About APOL on Street Signs

The latest news from business television and influential blogs is always available through Ockham's RazorWire, and this news is in relation to Apollo Group, Incorporated- Shares A.

In comparison to the other stocks that we follow, Apollo Group, Incorporated- Shares A has seen more discussion in relation to its normal ranking among the group. Be aware that the news sources we track are focusing on this stock more often these days. Interestingly, overall sentiment looks bearish according to the Motley Fool's CAPS survey, as most of their users see Apollo Group, Incorporated- Shares A underperforming. At present, Ockham has a valuation stance of Undervalued on APOL, as we could see significant price appreciation based on current fundamentals like cash earnings and revenue.

“… APOLLO GROUP, 7% higher. Entire private education sector is rallying here today. Invest offers more comfortable than originally feared with rising student loan default chuck ... …”

View All Apollo Group, Inc.- Shares A Stock News

Key Fundamentals

APOL - Apollo Group, Incorporated- Shares A Fundamentals
Price (2/9 1:04PM) $59.02
Volume (2/9 1:04PM) 1.9 Million
Last Close Price $59.28
10 Day Average Volume 3.0 Million
13 Week Price Range $53.59 - $65.72
52 Week Price Range $52.79 - $81.20
LTM Revenue $4.3 Billion
 
Shares Outstanding (08/2009) 154.9 Million
Market Capitalization $9.2 Billion
Shares Held By Institutions 135.5 Million
Institutional Holders 663
% Shares Held By Institutions 88.40%
Earnings Per Share (EPS) $3.75
P/E Ratio 14.20
Book Value Per Share $9.36
 
Gross Margin 61.40%
Annual Dividend 0.00
Dividend Yield 0.00%
Beta -0.12
Fiscal Year Ends August

About Apollo Group, Inc.- Shares A

Apollo Group, Incorporated- Shares A is considered to operate in the Services sector. They specifically operate in the Education & Training Services business segment contained within the Diversified Services industry.

An education provider for more than 35 years operates through its subsidiaries, offers innovative and distinctive educational programs and services at the high school, undergraduate and graduate levels online and on-campus.