APA Co. (NASDAQ:APA) Director Buys $100,026.98 in Stock

APA Co. (NASDAQ:APA) Director Juliet S. Ellis acquired 4,391 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 12th. The stock was bought at an average price of $22.78 per share, for a total transaction of $100,026.98. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 12,436 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $283,292.08. The trade was a 54.58 % increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link.

APA Price Performance

Shares of APA stock opened at $22.86 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.03, a quick ratio of 1.24 and a current ratio of 1.24. APA Co. has a fifty-two week low of $20.95 and a fifty-two week high of $37.82. The firm has a market cap of $8.46 billion, a P/E ratio of 3.23 and a beta of 3.18. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $23.51 and its 200-day moving average price is $26.60.

APA Dividend Announcement

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

Institutional Investors Weigh In On APA

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. TD Private Client Wealth LLC increased its position in shares of APA by 84.1% during the third quarter. TD Private Client Wealth LLC now owns 1,182 shares of the company’s stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 540 shares during the period. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. boosted its position in 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 position in shares of APA during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $42,000. Huntington National Bank raised its position in shares of 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 in the last quarter. Finally, GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of APA by 1,325.0% in the 2nd quarter. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC now owns 1,710 shares of the company’s stock valued at $50,000 after purchasing an additional 1,590 shares during the period. 83.01% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

APA has been the subject of a number of research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut 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. Evercore ISI lowered their price target on APA from $39.00 to $33.00 and set an “in-line” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, September 30th. Royal Bank of Canada cut their price objective on APA from $34.00 to $32.00 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, November 11th. Susquehanna decreased their price objective on APA from $52.00 to $48.00 and set a “positive” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 18th. Finally, Citigroup cut their target price on APA from $29.00 to $24.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, November 26th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have issued a hold rating, five have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, APA currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $32.52.

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.