APA (NASDAQ:APA) Hits New 1-Year High on Analyst Upgrade

Key Points

• APA hit a new 52-week high after Evercore raised its price target to $40 (maintaining a neutral rating) and several other firms boosted targets, yet the analyst consensus remains a "Hold" with an average target of $31.69.
• Insider selling: a director sold 23,000 shares for about $833,290, cutting their stake sharply; insiders own 1.30% while institutional investors hold roughly 83% of the company.
• Fundamentals and shareholder return: APA beat quarterly EPS estimates ($0.91 vs. $0.62) and revenue ($1.99B vs. $1.89B) despite year‑over‑year revenue decline, and announced a $0.25 quarterly dividend (annualized $1.00, ~2.4% yield) with an ex‑dividend date of April 22.

APA Corporation (NASDAQ:APA - Get Free Report)'s stock price reached a new 52-week high during trading on Tuesday after Evercore raised their price target on the stock from $25.00 to $40.00. Evercore currently has a neutral rating on the stock. APA traded as high as $41.27 and last traded at $41.2190, with a volume of 2316708 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $39.03.

APA has been the topic of several other reports. UBS Group boosted their target price on shares of APA from $30.00 to $34.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Truist Financial began coverage on APA in a research report on Tuesday. They set a "hold" rating and a $38.00 price objective for the company. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their target price on shares of APA from $26.00 to $29.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Wolfe Research lifted their price target on shares of APA from $39.00 to $45.00 in a research report on Monday, March 9th. Finally, Citigroup boosted their price target on shares of APA from $24.00 to $25.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 26th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twenty have issued a Hold rating and four have given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, APA currently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $31.69.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Matthew Regis Bob sold 23,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $36.23, for a total value of $833,290.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 6,634 shares of the company's stock, valued at $240,349.82. This represents a 77.61% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 1.30% of the company's stock.

Key APA News

Here are the key news stories impacting APA this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Barclays upgraded APA from "underweight" to "equal weight" citing a better gas‑marketing outlook and LNG‑linked price contracts — a catalyst investors see as supporting near‑term cash flow and contract upside. Barclays upgrades APA stock rating on gas marketing outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Another note raised APA’s price target to $38.00, reflecting some analysts updating models after recent strength — this supports arguments that analyst estimates are moving higher. APA NASDAQ: APA Price Target Raised to $38.00
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage piece examines whether APA’s recent multi‑year run (YTD and 1‑year gains large) leaves value fully priced; useful context for investors weighing further upside vs. valuation risk. Is It Too Late To Consider APA (APA) After Its Strong Multi‑Year Share Price Run?
• Neutral Sentiment: Technical/trader commentary highlights APA’s strong uptrend and notes that momentum reversals would be used as exit signals by some traders — relevant for short‑term trading decisions. Stock Of The Day: When Will APA Corp Reverse?
• Neutral Sentiment: Reported short interest data is effectively zero in the latest print (appears anomalous); low reported shorts would limit short‑squeeze dynamics but may reflect reporting quirks — treat as uncertain.
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling reported: an APA director sold roughly $833k of stock, which can be interpreted as a near‑term negative signal for sentiment among insiders. Insider Selling: APA NASDAQ: APA Director Sells $833,290.00 in Stock
• Negative Sentiment: Goldman Sachs raised its price target to $30 but kept a "sell" rating, and Barclays’ $35 target also sits below the current share price — these conservative targets and lingering sell ratings signal continued analyst caution and cap upside in some models. Goldman Sachs adjusts APA's price target to $30 from $29, keeps sell rating

Institutional Trading of APA

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in APA. Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators increased its position in shares of APA by 276.7% during the third quarter. Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators now owns 1,213 shares of the company's stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 891 shares in the last quarter. Summit Securities Group LLC grew its stake in APA by 115.1% during the 4th quarter. Summit Securities Group LLC now owns 1,327 shares of the company's stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 710 shares during the last quarter. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp acquired a new position in APA during the third quarter worth approximately $34,000. Camelot Portfolios LLC purchased a new stake in APA in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $37,000. Finally, Spire Wealth Management boosted its holdings in shares of APA by 179.6% in the third quarter. Spire Wealth Management now owns 1,521 shares of the company's stock valued at $37,000 after acquiring an additional 977 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.01% of the company's stock.

APA Trading Up 5.2%

The business's 50-day moving average price is $29.40 and its 200-day moving average price is $25.98. The firm has a market capitalization of $14.50 billion, a PE ratio of 10.30 and a beta of 0.67. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 0.82 and a quick ratio of 0.82.

APA (NASDAQ:APA - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 25th. The company reported $0.91 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.62 by $0.29. APA had a net margin of 15.55% and a return on equity of 19.89%. The firm had revenue of $1.99 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.89 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.79 EPS. APA's revenue for the quarter was down 26.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts expect that APA Corporation will post 4.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

APA Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 22nd. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, April 22nd will be issued a $0.25 dividend. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 22nd. APA's dividend payout ratio is presently 25.06%.

APA Company Profile

APA Corporation NASDAQ: APA is an independent exploration and production company engaged in the acquisition, development and production of oil and natural gas resources. The company operates through three core regions: the United States, Egypt and the North Sea. Through its integrated approach, APA combines geological and geophysical expertise with technical innovation to identify and develop hydrocarbons in both onshore and offshore settings.

In the United States, APA's largest position is in the Permian Basin of West Texas and southeastern New Mexico, where it holds substantial acreage dedicated to oil-focused drilling and production.

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