Comparing Rock Energy Resources (OTCMKTS:RCKE) & APA (NASDAQ:APA)

Rock Energy Resources (OTCMKTS:RCKE) and APA (NASDAQ:APA) are both energy companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, profitability, earnings, risk, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership and dividends.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

83.0% of APA shares are owned by institutional investors. 88.0% of Rock Energy Resources shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 1.3% of APA shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current ratings and target prices for Rock Energy Resources and APA, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Rock Energy Resources	0	0	0	0	0.00
APA	3	16	6	0	2.12

APA has a consensus price target of $26.64, indicating a potential upside of 11.52%. Given APA’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe APA is more favorable than Rock Energy Resources.

Profitability

This table compares Rock Energy Resources and APA’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Rock Energy Resources	N/A	N/A	N/A
APA	15.49%	19.86%	7.16%

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Rock Energy Resources and APA”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Rock Energy Resources	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
APA	$9.74 billion	0.87	$804.00 million	$4.16	5.74

APA has higher revenue and earnings than Rock Energy Resources.

Summary

APA beats Rock Energy Resources on 8 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Rock Energy Resources

Rock Energy Resources, Inc., through its subsidiary, engages in the development of gold and associated mineral assets. It holds interests in the Red Arrow mine. The company was founded on April 16, 2004 and is headquartered in Houston, TX.

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. APA Corporation was incorporated in 1954 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.