APA Co. (NASDAQ:APA) Receives $32.52 Average PT from Analysts

APA Co. (NASDAQ:APA - Get Free Report) has received a consensus recommendation of "Hold" from the twenty analysts that are covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating, five have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 1 year target price among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $32.52.

Several equities research analysts recently commented on the stock. Piper Sandler cut their price target on shares of APA from $28.00 to $26.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Monday, November 18th. UBS Group reduced their price target on shares of APA from $28.00 to $27.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, December 9th. Scotiabank lowered their price objective on APA from $30.00 to $27.00 and set a "sector perform" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 10th. Truist Financial cut their price objective on APA from $36.00 to $33.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, November 8th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on APA from $29.00 to $25.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, November 13th.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Juliet S. Ellis purchased 4,391 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 12th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $22.78 per share, for a total transaction of $100,026.98. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 12,436 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $283,292.08. The trade was a 54.58 % increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 1.30% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. TD Private Client Wealth LLC increased its holdings in shares of 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 purchasing an additional 540 shares in the last quarter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. boosted its stake 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 worth $40,000 after acquiring an additional 1,079 shares in the last quarter. Rothschild Investment LLC acquired a new stake in shares of APA in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $42,000. Huntington National Bank increased its stake in APA by 48.8% in the 3rd quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 1,710 shares of the company's stock valued at $42,000 after purchasing an additional 561 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. raised its holdings in APA by 164.2% during the third quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 2,581 shares of the company's stock worth $63,000 after purchasing an additional 1,604 shares during the last quarter. 83.01% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

APA Stock Performance

APA traded down $0.08 on Friday, reaching $22.86. The stock had a trading volume of 4,064,586 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,271,859. The business's 50-day moving average price is $23.51 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $26.60. The company has a market cap of $8.46 billion, a P/E ratio of 3.23 and a beta of 3.18. APA has a 12-month low of $20.95 and a 12-month high of $37.82. The company has a current ratio of 1.24, a quick ratio of 1.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.03.

APA Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 21st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, January 22nd will be issued a dividend of $0.25 per share. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.37%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, January 22nd. APA's payout ratio is 14.12%.

About APA

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.