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

APA vs Coterra Energy: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

The structural profiles are close, with Coterra Energy carrying a narrow edge on stability. APA still has the edge on profitability, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. The market setup is broadly comparable for both — no clear directional signal from price behavior. The market is not adding a decisive signal either way — the structural read carries the weight.

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

The clearest separation starts in stability, with growth adding a second layer of support.

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Oil & Gas E&P

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

For a similarity-based comparison, see how APA and Coterra Energy 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
CTRA
Coterra Energy Inc.
66
Peer-Score
Signal qualityMedium
Peer basis: S&P 500

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

The largest gaps do not all point in the same direction.

Dimension spread: APA vs CTRA Profitability 77 53 Stability 25 74 Valuation 88 80 Growth 32 58 APA CTRA
Gap Ranking
#1 Stability +49
#2 Growth +26
#3 Profitability +24
#4 Valuation +8
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for APA and CTRA Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer APACTRA Relative valuation Structural strength

Coterra Energy Inc. occupies the cheaper side of the setup map, although APA Corporation still holds the stronger structural profile.

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

Entry today — historical context

Where APA and CTRA each sit in their own 4.9-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 4.9-YEAR HISTORY APA Neutral · above norm 0th 50th 100th 32 pct gap CTRA Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 65th 98th
Today APA sits in the upper-middle of its own 5-year history (65th percentile), while CTRA sits higher in its own history (98th). Within each stock's own 5-year context, APA is at a historically more favourable entry position than CTRA. This reflects entry timing, not which company is structurally stronger — peer-relative analysis is a separate question addressed above.

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

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Stability
On stability, Coterra Energy Inc. ranks near the top of the group; APA Corporation sits in the weaker half.
Growth
Coterra Energy Inc. sits in the stronger part of the group on growth, while APA Corporation is closer to mid-pack.
Stability — Dominant Gap
APA
25
CTRA
74
Gap+49in favour of CTRA

The clearest distance comes from a steadier profile over time.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

Profitability still favours APA, with a 10.2-point operating margin advantage keeping the comparison from looking fully resolved.

What this means for the comparison

The lead is built on both stability and growth — though profitability still provides a counterweight.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

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

Explore full breakdown →
Other comparisons with conflicting dimension signals

Explore how APA and CTRA 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.