Morgan Stanley Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for APA (NASDAQ:APA) Stock

APA (NASDAQ:APA) had its target price raised by analysts at Morgan Stanley from $22.00 to $43.00 in a report issued on Friday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an “underweight” rating on the stock. Morgan Stanley’s price objective suggests a potential downside of 3.13% from the stock’s current price.

A number of other research analysts also recently issued reports on the company. Zacks Research upgraded APA from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, February 26th. Capital One Financial upped their price objective on APA from $32.00 to $51.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday. UBS Group raised their price objective on APA from $30.00 to $34.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday, March 2nd. Wolfe Research boosted their target price on shares of APA from $39.00 to $45.00 in a report on Monday, March 9th. Finally, Raymond James Financial increased their price target on shares of APA from $31.00 to $45.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Seven 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’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, APA presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $33.81.

APA Trading Up 3.7%

NASDAQ:APA opened at $44.39 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $30.70 and a 200-day simple moving average of $26.51. APA has a one year low of $13.58 and a one year high of $44.54. The firm has a market cap of $15.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.13 and a beta of 0.67. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a current ratio of 0.82.

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

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Matthew Regis Bob sold 23,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $36.23, for a total transaction of $833,290.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 6,634 shares in the company, valued at $240,349.82. The trade was a 77.61% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 0.69% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On APA

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators increased 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 valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 891 shares in the last quarter. Summit Securities Group LLC boosted its stake in APA by 115.1% in the 4th 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 purchased a new stake in APA during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $34,000. Camelot Portfolios LLC purchased a new stake in APA during the 4th quarter worth approximately $37,000. Finally, Spire Wealth Management increased its stake in APA by 179.6% during the 3rd quarter. Spire Wealth Management now owns 1,521 shares of the company’s stock valued at $37,000 after purchasing an additional 977 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.01% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about APA

Here are the key news stories impacting APA this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Capital One raised its price target on APA to $51 and kept an overweight rating, implying meaningful upside vs. recent levels; this analyst upgrade helped lift investor sentiment. Capital One adjusts price target on APA to $51
• Positive Sentiment: Raymond James published a forecast calling for strong price appreciation in APA, adding institutional bullishness that can attract momentum buyers. Raymond James Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for APA
• Positive Sentiment: APA reported a new gas discovery in Egypt, which could accelerate production, lower unit costs and strengthen the company’s natural‑gas exposure—key fundamentals for energy-sector upside. APA’s New Gas Discovery Strengthens Egypt’s Energy Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Unusual options activity: investors bought ~17,525 call contracts (about 55% above typical call volume), signaling short‑term bullish positioning that can amplify upside intraday.
• Positive Sentiment: Ariel Investments’ Charles Bobrinskoy (vice chairman) publicly noted APA is well positioned for rising natural‑gas demand, reinforcing investor narratives around long‑term commodity tailwinds. Ariel’s Charles Bobrinskoy: APA is very well positioned for increased demand in natural gas
• Neutral Sentiment: Truist initiated coverage of APA (coverage initiation often increases visibility and volume; impact depends on the assigned rating and price target). Truist Financial Initiates Coverage on APA
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks noted APA is up ~47% since the last earnings report and asks whether that run can continue—this is discussion of momentum rather than new fundamental data. APA Up 47.1% Since Last Earnings Report
• Negative Sentiment: Morgan Stanley raised its price target from $22 to $43 but kept an “underweight” rating — the firm’s cautious stance (despite a higher PT) can cap some upside and introduces a near‑term bearish signal. Morgan Stanley raises PT but keeps underweight
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage and analyst activity have driven APA to a new 52‑week high after upgrades, attracting momentum and technical buyers. APA Sets New 52-Week High After Analyst Upgrade

About APA

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.