APA (NASDAQ:APA) Stock Rating Upgraded by Wall Street Zen

by · The Markets Daily

APA (NASDAQ:APA – Get Free Report) was upgraded by stock analysts at Wall Street Zen from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Saturday, Wall Street Zen reports.

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. Scotiabank assumed coverage on shares of APA in a research report on Wednesday, October 14th. They issued a “sector perform” rating and a $44.00 target price for the company. Stifel Nicolaus assumed coverage on shares of APA in a research report on Wednesday, September 9th. They set a “buy” rating and a $62.00 price target on the stock. Roth Capital set a $39.00 price target on shares of APA in a research report on Thursday, August 6th. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a “sell” rating and issued a $43.00 price objective on shares of APA in a research note on Monday, September 7th. Finally, Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of APA from $40.00 to $44.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Hold rating and four have issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $44.97.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on APA

APA Stock Performance

NASDAQ:APA opened at $44.63 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $45.91 and a 200 day simple moving average of $38.08. The stock has a market cap of $14.98 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.25, a PEG ratio of 0.68 and a beta of 0.29. APA has a 1-year low of $23.06 and a 1-year high of $52.96. The company has a current ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41.

APA (NASDAQ:APA – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 4th. The company reported $1.94 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.60 by $0.34. The firm had revenue of $2.77 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.48 billion. APA had a return on equity of 28.34% and a net margin of 23.08%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 30.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.93 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that APA will post 6.52 earnings per share for the current year.

APA declared that its Board of Directors has approved a share buyback program on Wednesday, September 16th that authorizes the company to buy back 40,000,000 outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the company to purchase shares of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are generally a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On APA

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Hollencrest Capital Management boosted its position in APA by 520.8% during the first quarter. Hollencrest Capital Management now owns 596 shares of the company’s stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 500 shares during the period. CENTRAL TRUST Co increased its holdings in shares of APA by 623.0% in the third quarter. CENTRAL TRUST Co now owns 629 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 542 shares during the period. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of APA in the first quarter worth about $28,000. Elevated Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of APA in the third quarter worth about $30,000. Finally, MidFirst Bank purchased a new position in shares of APA in the second quarter worth about $33,000. 83.01% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting APA

Here are the key news stories impacting APA this week:

  • Positive Sentiment: APA’s Q3 adjusted earnings more than doubled year over year, with revenue and EPS beating analyst estimates. Higher oil prices and U.S. production helped drive the results. APA Q3 Earnings Beat on Strong Oil Prices and U.S. Output
  • Positive Sentiment: The company raised its 2026 free-cash-flow outlook by $600 million to $2.9 billion, strengthening the case for debt reduction and financial flexibility. APA Q3 Earnings Call Highlights Higher Cash Flow and 2027 Plans
  • Neutral Sentiment: APA is advancing exploration in Uruguay and considering a second FPSO for Suriname. These projects offer potential longer-term growth, but their eventual returns remain uncertain. APA charters rig for Uruguay well and hints at a second Suriname FPSO
  • Negative Sentiment: Management expects higher spending in 2027 to advance Suriname development and exploration. While intended to support future growth, the investment could limit near-term cash available for debt reduction or shareholder returns.

APA Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

APA Corporation is an independent energy company that explores for, develops and produces crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. Its activities include operating wells and related infrastructure, as well as evaluating and developing oil and natural gas resources.

The company’s principal operating areas include the United States and Egypt. APA also has offshore exploration interests in Suriname, where it has worked with partners to assess resources in the region.

APA traces its history to Apache Corporation, founded in 1954.

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