Group 1 - APA Corporation (NASDAQ:APA) is ranked among the Top 15 Lowest P/E Ratios of the S&P 500 for 2025 [1] - Johnson Rice upgraded its rating on APA Corporation to Accumulate from Hold and increased its price target to $40 from $35 [1] - Goldman Sachs raised its price target for APA Corporation to $21 from $19 but maintained a Sell rating due to a slowdown in the U.S. shale oil market [2] Group 2 - As of December 5, the consensus rating for APA Corporation among 29 Wall Street analysts is Hold, with a one-year average share price target of $25.89, indicating a potential downside of 4% [3] - APA Corporation's shares have increased by 25% over the past month, driven by a strong third-quarter earnings report and production exceeding guidance [4] - The company reduced its net debt by $431 million in Q3, ending the quarter with $475 million in cash, and returned $154 million to investors through dividends and share repurchases [5] Group 3 - APA Corporation focuses on the exploration and production of oil and natural gas in the United States, the United Kingdom, Egypt, and offshore Suriname [5] - The stock has risen 17% year-to-date as of December 5 [5]

At the beginning of June of this year, I wrote a report about APA Corporation ( APA ). In that report, " APA Corporation: Great Margins and Deep Value ", I analyzed the company's strengths andI am an individual investor with over 10 years of trading. I have been developing as a stock analyst for the last five years. I am inclined to search for Value companies, mainly linked to the production of commodities. I mainly focus on companies that show sustained free cash flows over time, low levels of leverage, su ...

Core Insights - The report on APA Corporation highlights its strong margins and deep value, indicating a favorable investment opportunity in the oil and gas sector [1] Company Analysis - APA Corporation is characterized by sustained free cash flows, low leverage, and sustainable debt levels, making it an attractive option for value investors [1] - The company is positioned in the oil and gas industry, which is often overlooked by the market, presenting potential for high recovery [1] - APA Corporation demonstrates a solid pro-shareholder attitude through consistent buyback programs and dividend distributions [1] Market Focus - The analysis emphasizes a focus on companies in emerging markets, particularly those with high margins and good medium to long-term investment opportunities [1] - The report suggests that the oil and gas sector, along with metals and mining, offers significant value due to its underappreciation in the market [1]

Core Viewpoint - APA Corporation reported a strong performance in Q3 2025, with adjusted earnings of 93 cents per share, exceeding estimates despite lower oil prices [2]. Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings of 93 cents per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 74 cents, primarily due to higher production and lower costs [2] - Revenues totaled $2 billion, down 20.6% year-over-year and slightly below the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.3% [2] - The bottom line decreased from $1.00 in the previous year due to lower oil realizations [2] Production & Selling Prices - Average production was 463,815 BOE/d, with 67% being liquids, a slight decrease of 0.8% from the previous year but above expectations [4] - U.S. output fell 6.5% year-over-year to 281,145 BOE/d, while international production increased by 9.5% to 182,670 BOE/d [5] - Average realized crude oil price was $67.43 per barrel, down 13.6% from $78.06 a year ago, but above projections [6] - Average realized natural gas price rose to $2.25 per thousand cubic feet from $1.43 in the previous year, missing estimates [6] Costs & Financial Position - Lease operating expenses were $376 million, down 10.1% from $418 million a year ago [7] - Total operating expenses decreased nearly 48% year-over-year to $1.5 billion, significantly lower than expectations [7] - Generated $1.5 billion in cash from operating activities, with upstream capital expenditures of $542 million [8] - Free cash flow was $339 million, up from $219 million a year ago [8] - As of September 30, the company had approximately $475 million in cash and cash equivalents and $4.3 billion in long-term debt, with a debt-to-capitalization ratio of 41.7% [8] Guidance - APA expects production to average 446,000 BOE/d in Q4 and 461,000 BOE/d in 2025, reflecting a 1.4% year-over-year increase [9] - Oil volumes are projected to be 230,000 Bbl/d for Q4 and 234,000 Bbl/d for the full year [9] - Upstream capital expenditure for the year is estimated at around $2.34 billion [9] Market Sentiment - Estimates have trended downward, with a consensus estimate shift of -8.14% [11] - APA holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), indicating an expectation of in-line returns in the coming months [13] Industry Comparison - APA is part of the Zacks Oil and Gas - Exploration and Production - United States industry, which has seen Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp gain 9.3% over the past month [14] - Magnolia Oil & Gas reported revenues of $324.93 million, a year-over-year decline of 2.5%, with an EPS of $0.41 compared to $0.52 a year ago [15]

Group 1: Company Overview - APA Corporation (NASDAQ: APA) is a significant player in the oil and gas industry, focusing on exploration and production globally, with key operations in the United States, Egypt, and the North Sea [1] - The company competes with major energy firms such as ExxonMobil and Chevron [1] - APA's market capitalization is approximately $9.48 billion, indicating its substantial presence in the industry [5] Group 2: Stock Performance and Investor Sentiment - On December 4, 2025, APA's stock price was $26.71, experiencing a decrease of 0.89% or $0.24 [4] - The stock fluctuated between a low of $26.615 and a high of $27.19 on the same day, reflecting market volatility [4] - Over the past year, APA's stock reached a high of $27.185 and a low of $13.58 [4] Group 3: Investor Activity - There was a notable surge in options trading activity, with investors purchasing 21,526 call options, marking an 85% increase from the average volume of 11,614 call options [2] - Institutional investors are showing confidence in APA, with Howard Capital Management Inc. increasing its stake by 0.5% to 94,848 shares valued at approximately $2.3 million [3] - one8zero8 LLC boosted its position by 1.2%, holding 42,254 shares valued at around $1 million [3] Group 4: Analyst Insights - Johnson Rice set a price target of $40 for APA, suggesting a potential increase of nearly 50% from its current price of $26.71 [6] - The increase in call options trading signals growing investor optimism about APA's future performance [6]

Core Insights - APA Corporation is a significant player in the oil and gas industry, focusing on exploration and production, with operations in the United States, Egypt, and the North Sea, competing with major companies like ExxonMobil and Chevron [1] Stock Performance - On December 4, 2025, APA's stock price was $26.71, reflecting a slight decrease of 0.89% or $0.24, with fluctuations between $26.61 and $27.19 during the day [2] - Over the past year, APA's stock has experienced a high of $27.18 and a low of $13.58, indicating significant volatility [2] Options Trading Activity - APA experienced a notable surge in options trading activity, with investors purchasing 21,526 call options, an 85% increase compared to the average volume of 11,614 call options, suggesting heightened investor interest [3] Institutional Investor Activity - Institutional investors have been actively adjusting their holdings in APA, with Howard Capital Management Inc. increasing its stake by 0.5%, now owning 94,848 shares valued at approximately $2.3 million [4] - one8zero8 LLC boosted its position by 1.2%, holding 42,254 shares valued at around $1 million, while the Arizona State Retirement System also increased its holdings by 0.5% [4] Market Capitalization and Trading Volume - APA's market capitalization is approximately $9.48 billion, reflecting its substantial presence in the energy sector [5] - Today's trading volume on the NASDAQ exchange is 6,462,109 shares, indicating active trading and investor engagement with the stock [5]

Core Viewpoint - The Suriname government has officially approved the $10.5 billion oil field development plan submitted by TotalEnergies and APA, marking the country's entry into large-scale oil production after a five-year wait [1] Group 1: Project Details - The project aims for a daily production of 220,000 barrels of crude oil by 2028 [1] - The GranMorgu project will develop over 750 million barrels of recoverable reserves [1] Group 2: Regional Developments - Malaysia's national oil company has made significant natural gas discoveries in a nearby block and plans to commence production by 2030, indicating a dual-driven oil and gas development in Suriname [1] - The Malaysian company announced that the Sloanea gas field in Block 52 has commercial development value, with a final investment decision expected in the second half of 2026 [1] - The Block 52 area also contains two oil discoveries, estimated to hold at least 500 million barrels of crude oil [1]

Core Points - The company has signed a joint development agreement with CS Energy to develop and own the Brigalow Peaking power plant, marking its first major GPG project in some time [1][2] - APA will develop and own 80% of the Brigalow power plant, while CS Energy will own the remaining 20%, indicating a strategic partnership [2]

Group 1: Apache Corporation (APA.US) - Analyst Neal Dingmann from William Blair initiates coverage on Apache Corporation, highlighting its unique investment value despite previous concerns about asset quality in the Permian Basin [1] - The report emphasizes significant growth potential in the Egyptian gas sector due to prior underdevelopment and improved pricing structures [1] - Apache is projected to generate nearly $1.4 billion in free cash flow by 2026, increasing to $1.7 billion by 2027 [1] Group 2: Coterra Energy (CTRA.US) - Coterra Energy demonstrates operational efficiency through the Windham Row project, which includes a total of 73 wells across six drilling units [2] - The company is expected to produce approximately $2.9 billion in free cash flow in 2026, with an increase to $3.9 billion in 2027, assuming stable oil and gas prices [2] Group 3: Ovintiv (OVV.US) - Ovintiv has established a high-quality asset portfolio centered around the Permian Basin and Montney formation, focusing on internal growth and external acquisitions [2] - The company aims to optimize its balance sheet, with net debt potentially falling below $4 billion if land block assets are successfully sold [2] - Free cash flow projections for Ovintiv are estimated at $1.7 billion in 2026, rising to $2.4 billion in 2027 [2]

Core Thesis - The article presents a thesis for buying APA Corporation, focusing on stock valuation, dividend analysis, and technical review of price action, momentum, volume, and relative strength [1] Investment Strategy - The investor aims to build financial assets for retirement, employing both long and short trading strategies, including the use of inverse ETFs to capitalize on market declines [1] Trading Goals - The primary goals include proper execution of the trading plan and achieving absolute investing results, with the articles serving as a tool for maintaining focus on developing successful trades [1]