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Stock Comparison · Industry comparison · Oil & Gas E&P

APA vs ConocoPhillips: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

The structural profiles are close, with APA carrying a narrow edge on stability. ConocoPhillips still has the edge on stability, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. On the market side, APA is in better shape — its trend is intact while ConocoPhillips's trend has broken down. That puts structure and market broadly in agreement — APA's lead looks more confirmed than conflicted.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels. Both peer scores are relative to the S&P 500 universe, making them directly comparable.

Updated 2026-07-05

On stability, the clearer edge sits with ConocoPhillips, while the overall score remains tighter and points the other way.

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Oil & Gas E&P

This comparison is based on industry proximity, not on functional trajectory similarity. APA and COP share the same industry classification.

For a similarity-based comparison, see how APA and ConocoPhillips each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.

Peer-Relative Score
APA
APA Corporation
61
Peer-Score
Signal qualityMedium
Peer basis: S&P 500
vs
COP
ConocoPhillips
59
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500

Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.

The clearest separation appears in stability.

Dimension spread: APA vs COP Profitability 77 53 Stability 25 72 Valuation 88 81 Growth 32 25 APA COP
Gap Ranking
#1 Stability +47
#2 Profitability +24
#3 Growth +7
#4 Valuation +7
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for APA and COP Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer APACOP Relative valuation Structural strength

Structure stays fairly close here, while current pricing still looks more supportive for APA Corporation.

Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.

Entry today — historical context

Where APA and COP each sit in their own 5-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY APA Neutral · above norm 0th 50th 100th 3 pct gap COP Neutral · above norm 0th 50th 100th 65th 69th
APA (65th percentile) and COP (69th percentile) both sit in the upper-middle of their own 5-year ranges. The historical entry context is broadly similar for both. This reflects entry timing, not which company is structurally stronger.

Describes historical entry positioning only. Descriptive — not investment advice.

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Stability
On stability, ConocoPhillips ranks near the top of the group; APA Corporation sits in the weaker half.
Profitability
On profitability, the edge still sits with APA Corporation, even though both profiles look solid.
Stability — Dominant Gap
APA
25
COP
72
Gap+47in favour of COP

The clearest distance comes from a steadier profile over time.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

Stability is the one area where ConocoPhillips still pushes back materially — it is the steadier name on this dimension, which keeps the result from reading as one-way.

What this means for the comparison

Stability is the clearest driver of the lead, with profitability adding further support — though stability still provides a real counterweight.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the APA vs COP comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Other comparisons with conflicting dimension signals

Explore how APA and COP each compare against other companies in their peer groups.

Rule-based, descriptive analysis only. Derived from peer percentile dimensions. Not investment advice. Peer groups are determined algorithmically based on structural similarity — not by sector classification alone.

How AssetNext Peer Scores Work

AssetNext scores reflect each company's structural position within its functional peer group — not a ranking against all stocks simultaneously. Peers are identified by similarity across eight financial dimensions, including revenue growth trajectory, margin structure, capital intensity, and earnings stability. A score of 75 means the company ranks in the top quartile within its own peer group, not the entire market.

Four dimension scores drive the overall peer score: Growth (revenue trajectory and expansion dynamics), Quality (margin structure and capital efficiency), Valuation (peer-relative pricing on standard multiples), and Stability (earnings consistency and financial predictability). Each dimension is scored 0–100 relative to the peer group, then combined into an overall peer score using equal weighting.

Because scores are peer-relative, the same company can have slightly different scores in different index universes. On comparison pages, both companies are shown within their shared peer universe wherever possible — so the scores are directly comparable. The peer basis is stated on each score card.

Scores are recalculated periodically as underlying financial data is updated. All analysis is descriptive and rule-based — AssetNext describes structural realities and never issues buy, sell or hold recommendations.