APA (NASDAQ:APA) Given New $44.00 Price Target at Morgan Stanley

APA (NASDAQ:APA) had its price target increased by investment analysts at Morgan Stanley from $43.00 to $44.00 in a research note issued on Thursday,MarketScreener reports. The firm currently has an “underweight” rating on the stock. Morgan Stanley’s target price points to a potential upside of 12.19% from the company’s current price.

A number of other research firms have also recently weighed in on APA. Wall Street Zen raised APA from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, May 16th. Susquehanna upped their target price on APA from $37.00 to $47.00 and gave the stock a “positive” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 21st. Zacks Research upgraded APA from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Monday, April 27th. Citigroup lifted their price target on shares of APA from $40.00 to $44.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of APA from $38.00 to $41.00 in a research report on Friday, May 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have given a Buy rating, seventeen have given a Hold rating and four have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, APA presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $40.12.

APA Stock Performance

NASDAQ APA traded down $0.10 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $39.22. 1,152,402 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 7,839,935. The company has a market capitalization of $13.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.15 and a beta of 0.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.58, a quick ratio of 0.92 and a current ratio of 0.92. The business’s 50 day moving average is $38.62 and its 200-day moving average is $30.45. APA has a 1 year low of $16.15 and a 1 year high of $45.66.

APA (NASDAQ:APA) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 6th. The company reported $1.38 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.11 by $0.27. APA had a net margin of 17.38% and a return on equity of 20.70%. The company had revenue of $2.33 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.13 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $1.06 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down 11.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts forecast that APA will post 5.2 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at APA

In related news, Director Matthew Regis Bob sold 23,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $36.23, for a total value of $833,290.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 6,634 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $240,349.82. This represents a 77.61% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 0.73% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On APA

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of APA. United Capital Management of KS Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of APA during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $1,214,000. Jackson Creek Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new position in APA in the third quarter worth approximately $2,337,000. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC grew its position in APA by 57.5% in the fourth quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 306,195 shares of the company’s stock worth $7,765,000 after acquiring an additional 111,777 shares during the period. AE Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in APA by 2,049.4% during the third quarter. AE Wealth Management LLC now owns 403,511 shares of the company’s stock worth $9,797,000 after acquiring an additional 384,738 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC raised its position in APA by 71.0% in the fourth quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 185,818 shares of the company’s stock valued at $4,437,000 after purchasing an additional 77,125 shares during the period. 83.01% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key APA News

Here are the key news stories impacting APA this week:

• Positive Sentiment: APA announced a quarterly cash dividend of $0.25 per share, reinforcing its shareholder return story and signaling confidence in cash generation. APA Corporation Declares Cash Dividend on Common Shares
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised multiple forward earnings estimates for APA, including Q2 2026, Q3 2026, Q1 2027, Q2 2027, Q4 2026, FY2027, and FY2028, suggesting improving longer-term earnings expectations.
• Positive Sentiment: Sanford C. Bernstein lifted its price target on APA to $40 from $37, which may have supported sentiment even though the firm kept a neutral stance. Bernstein adjusts price target on APA
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks Research maintained a Strong-Buy rating overall, but its latest note also cut its Q1 2028 EPS estimate to $1.15 from $1.24, a mixed signal for the stock.
• Neutral Sentiment: Goldman Sachs raised its price target to $34 from $31 but kept a Sell rating, highlighting ongoing skepticism about APA’s upside. Goldman Sachs adjusts price target on APA

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.