APA (NASDAQ:APA) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Royal Bank Of Canada Analyst Says

APA (NASDAQ:APA) had its target price upped by investment analysts at Royal Bank Of Canada from $29.00 to $45.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday,MarketScreener reports. The brokerage currently has a “sector perform” rating on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada’s price objective suggests a potential upside of 15.47% from the company’s previous close.

A number of other research analysts have also weighed in on the company. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on APA from $22.00 to $43.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a report on Friday, March 27th. Capital One Financial lifted their target price on APA from $32.00 to $51.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 25th. Zacks Research raised APA from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, February 26th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their target price on APA from $29.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a report on Monday, March 23rd. Finally, Barclays raised APA from an “underweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and set a $35.00 target price for the company in a report on Monday, March 23rd. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twenty have assigned a Hold rating and four have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $37.23.

APA Stock Up 0.6%

APA stock opened at $38.97 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.82, a current ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61. The firm has a market capitalization of $13.77 billion, a PE ratio of 9.77 and a beta of 0.49. APA has a twelve month low of $14.10 and a twelve month high of $45.66. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $33.56 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $27.63.

APA (NASDAQ:APA) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 25th. The company reported $0.91 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.62 by $0.29. The business had revenue of $1.99 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.89 billion. APA had a return on equity of 19.89% and a net margin of 15.55%.The company’s quarterly revenue was down 26.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.79 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that APA will post 4.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at APA

In other news, Director Matthew Regis Bob sold 23,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $36.23, for a total transaction of $833,290.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 6,634 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $240,349.82. The trade was a 77.61% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.69% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators grew its holdings 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 holdings in shares of APA by 115.1% during the fourth quarter. Summit Securities Group LLC now owns 1,327 shares of the company’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 710 shares in the last quarter. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp bought a new stake in APA in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $34,000. Camelot Portfolios LLC purchased a new stake in APA in the fourth quarter worth approximately $37,000. Finally, Spire Wealth Management boosted its stake in APA by 179.6% in the third quarter. Spire Wealth Management now owns 1,521 shares of the company’s stock worth $37,000 after buying an additional 977 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 83.01% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting APA

Here are the key news stories impacting APA this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Several brokerages lifted price targets this week, signaling improved analyst views and potential upside to shares. RBC raised its target to $45 from $29. RBC Raises Price Target on APA
• Positive Sentiment: BMO Capital Markets bumped its target to $47 (from $35), reflecting a more constructive view on APA’s outlook. BMO Raises Price Target on APA
• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo raised its price target to $39 (from $21) and kept an “equal weight” rating — a sign of renewed analyst confidence supporting the rally. Wells Fargo Raises APA Target
• Positive Sentiment: Fundamental/coverage lift: Wolfe Research and other outlets have published bullish takes or upward revisions, adding to constructive analyst momentum for APA. Wolfe Research Coverage
• Positive Sentiment: Operational upside: APA reported a new onshore gas discovery in Egypt’s Western Desert, which could help diversify production and support longer‑term value. APA Egypt Gas Find
• Neutral Sentiment: Momentum and valuation stories are circulating — coverage notes APA’s strong year-to-date gains and questions about whether the run-up leaves the stock stretched for some investors. Valuation Discussion
• Negative Sentiment: Macro/commodity risk: APA dropped sharply on a one-day move tied to a US–Iran two-week ceasefire announcement that sent crude prices plunging; energy peers also fell, underscoring oil-price sensitivity. APA Tumbles on Oil Plunge
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction: broader market articles highlight that some energy stocks are sliding despite overall market rallies after the ceasefire — this demonstrates the continued volatility APA faces from geopolitical and oil-price shocks. Investopedia on Post-Ceasefire Slippage

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.