APA Co. (NASDAQ:APA) Given Consensus Recommendation of "Hold" by Brokerages

Shares of APA Co. (NASDAQ:APA - Get Free Report) have earned a consensus rating of "Hold" from the twenty brokerages that are covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have given a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average 1-year price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $32.81.

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on APA shares. Mizuho dropped their price target on APA from $35.00 to $28.00 and set an "underperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, September 16th. Bernstein Bank cut their target price on shares of APA from $30.00 to $28.00 in a report on Friday, October 18th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of APA from $29.00 to $25.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, November 13th. UBS Group reduced their target price on shares of APA from $29.00 to $28.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Monday. Finally, Scotiabank lowered their price target on APA from $30.00 to $27.00 and set a "sector perform" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 10th.

APA Stock Down 2.4 %

APA stock traded down $0.54 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $21.92. 7,200,143 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 6,270,996. The stock's 50-day simple moving average is $24.46 and its 200 day simple moving average is $27.60. APA has a 1-year low of $21.15 and a 1-year high of $37.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.03, a quick ratio of 1.24 and a current ratio of 1.24. The company has a market cap of $8.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 3.17 and a beta of 3.24.

APA Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 22nd. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, October 22nd will be paid a dividend of $0.25 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, October 22nd. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.56%. APA's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 14.12%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On APA

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. TD Private Client Wealth LLC raised its holdings in APA by 84.1% in the 3rd quarter. TD Private Client Wealth LLC now owns 1,182 shares of the company's stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 540 shares during the last quarter. Covestor Ltd lifted its position in APA by 75.4% during the first quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,093 shares of the company's stock valued at $38,000 after buying an additional 470 shares in the last quarter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of APA by 386.7% during the 2nd quarter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. now owns 1,358 shares of the company's stock valued at $40,000 after acquiring an additional 1,079 shares in the last quarter. Rothschild Investment LLC purchased a new stake in shares of APA in the second quarter worth about $42,000. Finally, Huntington National Bank boosted its holdings in APA by 48.8% in the 3rd quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 1,710 shares of the company's stock worth $42,000 after acquiring an additional 561 shares during the period. 83.01% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

APA Company Profile

APA Corporation, an independent energy company, explores for, develops, and produces natural gas, crude oil, and natural gas liquids. It has oil and gas operations in the United States, Egypt, and North Sea. The company also has exploration and appraisal activities in Suriname, as well as holds interests in projects located in Uruguay and internationally.