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APA vs CNQ
Which Stock Would AI Choose? APA Corporation (APA) vs. Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- APA Corporation (APA) has significantly outperformed CNQ with year-to-date (YTD) gains of approximately 67% compared to CNQ's 40%.
- CNQ boasts a higher dividend yield of 3.83% versus APA's 2.49%, appealing to income-focused investors.
- APA trades at a lower price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 10.06 compared to CNQ's 12.46, suggesting relative value.
- Both stocks benefited from strong Q4 earnings beats, with APA up over 150% in the past year amid oil price recovery.
- APA exhibits lower volatility with a beta of 0.37 versus CNQ's 0.91, offering stability in turbulent energy markets.
- CNQ's larger market capitalization of $98 billion provides scale advantages over APA's $14 billion.
Introduction
APA Corporation (APA) and Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNQ) are prominent players in the oil and gas exploration and production (E&P) sector, both capitalizing on global energy demand amid fluctuating commodity prices. This stock comparison analyzes their business models, recent performance, and market positioning, aiding energy sector investors and traders navigating volatility. Dividend seekers may lean toward CNQ's yield, while growth-oriented portfolios could eye APA's momentum. With upcoming earnings and oil market shifts, understanding relative strengths helps inform portfolio decisions in the current environment.
APA Overview and Recent Performance
APA Corporation is an independent energy company engaged in exploring, developing, and producing natural gas, crude oil, and natural gas liquids, with operations in the United States, Egypt, and the North Sea, plus exploration in Suriname. In recent market activity, APA stock has shown robust gains, with YTD returns around 67% and over 150% in the past year, driven by oil price rallies and a strong Q4 earnings beat where EPS reached $0.91 against estimates of $0.64. Despite a modest pullback in recent weeks, momentum persists, bolstered by positive analyst revisions and Zacks Rank #1 status, reflecting upward earnings estimate trends. Sentiment has improved on exploration updates in Suriname and favorable energy sector rotation, though upcoming earnings on May 6, 2026, loom as a key catalyst.
CNQ Overview and Recent Performance
Canadian Natural Resources Limited acquires, explores, develops, produces, and sells crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids primarily in Western Canada, the UK North Sea, and Offshore Africa. CNQ shares have delivered solid YTD gains of about 40%, supported by record production levels and a Q4 EPS of $0.82 beating estimates of $0.70. Recent weeks have seen steady performance amid broader energy uptrends, though with some analyst caution on earnings declines ahead. Dividend hikes and price target raises, such as Goldman Sachs' to $49, have sustained positive sentiment, influenced by high oil prices and operational efficiencies. Earnings are due May 7, 2026, potentially driving further movement in a commodity-sensitive landscape.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
Both APA and CNQ operate in oil and gas E&P, but APA's international diversification contrasts CNQ's heavy Western Canada exposure, offering APA broader geopolitical risk but growth via Suriname. CNQ's scale drives consistent production growth, while APA emphasizes high-impact assets. Recent momentum favors APA with 159% 12-month returns versus CNQ's 63%, though CNQ provides superior dividends and free cash flow stability. Risks include commodity volatility for both, amplified by CNQ's regulatory hurdles in Canada and APA's emerging market ventures. Market sentiment tilts bullish on APA's value metrics and lower beta, positioning it for upside in risk-on environments, while CNQ suits conservative yield plays amid sector uncertainties.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI models currently lean toward APA over CNQ, driven by superior trend consistency, lower P/E valuation, and stronger relative momentum in recent energy rotations. APA's Zacks #1 rank and exploration catalysts suggest higher probabilistic upside, though CNQ's dividend resilience offers balance in downturns. This positioning reflects observable data patterns rather than guarantees.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full Disclaimers and Limitations.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is APA is a Hold and CNQ is a Hold.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
APA’s FA Score shows that 2 FA rating(s) are green whileCNQ’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s).
- APA’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
- CNQ’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
APA’s TA Score shows that 2 TA indicator(s) are bullish while CNQ’s TA Score has 3 bullish TA indicator(s).
- APA’s TA Score: 2 bullish, 5 bearish.
- CNQ’s TA Score: 3 bullish, 5 bearish.
Price Growth
APA (@Oil & Gas Production) experienced а +0.38% price change this week, while CNQ (@Oil & Gas Production) price change was +0.73% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Oil & Gas Production industry was +0.16%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -5.61%, and the average quarterly price growth was +13.47%.
Reported Earning Dates
APA is expected to report earnings on Aug 05, 2026.
CNQ is expected to report earnings on Jul 30, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Oil & Gas Production (+0.16% weekly)The oil and gas production segment includes companies that specialize in exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas. These companies are focused on upstream operations. Companies typically identify deposits, drill wells, and extract raw materials from underground. The industry also includes related services like rig operations, feasibility studies, machinery rentals etc. Several operators in this industry work with various types of contractors such as engineering procurement and construction contractors, as well as with joint-venture partners and oil field service companies. Oil and gas often involves large fixed costs of production; so, declining crude oil prices, for example, is a potential negative for this industry. Conoco Phillips, EOG Resources, Inc. and Pioneer Natural Resources Company are some examples of companies operating in this space.
| APA | CNQ | APA / CNQ | |
| Capitalization | 13.5B | 99.4B | 14% |
| EBITDA | 5.32B | 17.5B | 30% |
| Gain YTD | 51.941 | 35.007 | 148% |
| P/E Ratio | 8.52 | 11.80 | 72% |
| Revenue | 8.61B | 44.5B | 19% |
| Total Cash | 293M | 113M | 259% |
| Total Debt | 4.54B | 17.3B | 26% |
APA | CNQ | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 72 | 71 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 31 Undervalued | 46 Fair valued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 66 | 25 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 37 | 53 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 40 | 43 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 26 | 52 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 75 | 85 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
APA's Valuation (31) in the Oil And Gas Production industry is in the same range as CNQ (46). This means that APA’s stock grew similarly to CNQ’s over the last 12 months.
CNQ's Profit vs Risk Rating (25) in the Oil And Gas Production industry is somewhat better than the same rating for APA (66). This means that CNQ’s stock grew somewhat faster than APA’s over the last 12 months.
APA's SMR Rating (37) in the Oil And Gas Production industry is in the same range as CNQ (53). This means that APA’s stock grew similarly to CNQ’s over the last 12 months.
APA's Price Growth Rating (40) in the Oil And Gas Production industry is in the same range as CNQ (43). This means that APA’s stock grew similarly to CNQ’s over the last 12 months.
APA's P/E Growth Rating (26) in the Oil And Gas Production industry is in the same range as CNQ (52). This means that APA’s stock grew similarly to CNQ’s over the last 12 months.
| APA | CNQ | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | N/A | N/A |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 80% | 2 days ago 61% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 70% | 2 days ago 70% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 72% | 2 days ago 67% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 76% | 2 days ago 64% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 74% | 2 days ago 64% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 74% | 4 days ago 66% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 71% | 2 days ago 71% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | N/A | N/A |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | N/A | 2 days ago 65% |
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