Assenagon Asset Management S.A. Purchases New Shares in APA Corporation $APA

Assenagon Asset Management S.A. acquired a new stake in APA Corporation (NASDAQ:APA) during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor acquired 210,933 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,159,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of APA by 157.1% in the second quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 3,060,135 shares of the company’s stock valued at $55,970,000 after acquiring an additional 1,869,891 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its position in APA by 13.6% during the third quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 14,030,230 shares of the company’s stock worth $340,657,000 after acquiring an additional 1,674,739 shares during the period. Northern Trust Corp raised its stake in APA by 29.6% in the 3rd quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 4,462,476 shares of the company’s stock worth $108,349,000 after purchasing an additional 1,018,326 shares in the last quarter. Evergreen Capital Management LLC raised its stake in APA by 7,627.3% in the 3rd quarter. Evergreen Capital Management LLC now owns 1,013,516 shares of the company’s stock worth $24,608,000 after purchasing an additional 1,000,400 shares in the last quarter. Finally, SG Americas Securities LLC boosted its holdings in APA by 160.5% in the 3rd quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 336,277 shares of the company’s stock valued at $8,165,000 after purchasing an additional 892,438 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.01% of the company’s stock.

APA Stock Up 3.7%

NASDAQ APA opened at $44.39 on Friday. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $30.70 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $26.51. The stock has a market capitalization of $15.68 billion, a PE ratio of 11.13 and a beta of 0.67. APA Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $13.58 and a fifty-two week high of $44.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 0.82 and a quick ratio of 0.82.

APA (NASDAQ:APA) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 25th. The company reported $0.91 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.62 by $0.29. APA had a return on equity of 19.89% and a net margin of 15.55%.The business had revenue of $1.99 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.89 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.79 EPS. APA’s revenue for the quarter was down 26.6% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts expect that APA Corporation will post 4.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

APA Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 22nd. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, April 22nd will be paid a $0.25 dividend. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, April 22nd. APA’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 25.06%.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Matthew Regis Bob sold 23,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $36.23, for a total transaction of $833,290.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 6,634 shares in the company, valued at $240,349.82. This represents a 77.61% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.69% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

APA has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Roth Mkm lifted their price target on shares of APA from $23.00 to $27.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 26th. Piper Sandler increased their price target on APA from $30.00 to $37.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, March 12th. Capital One Financial lifted their price objective on APA from $32.00 to $51.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday. Susquehanna upped their target price on APA from $32.00 to $37.00 and gave the company a “positive” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 3rd. Finally, Zacks Research raised APA from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, February 26th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twenty have assigned a Hold rating and four have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $33.81.

APA News Roundup

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

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.