Let's talk a little bit about this deal, how it came together, and $9.7% billion in cash. What do you plan to do with it. >> Well, with the cash, we're going to take about $6.5% billion of the cash, and we're going to apply it to debt reduction. And that debt reduction amount will get us to below our target uh debt of $15 billion that we laid out after the uh Crown Rock acquisition.That then will reduce our interest payments by $350 million. And uh that will enable us then to start adding back parts of our ...

Joining us this morning to break it all down is Roth Capital Partners senior research analyst Leo Mariani. Has a neutral rating and a 46 target on Oxy. Uh Lou L, good to have you.Um been in the works for seems a while here. We've been learning about it via reports for the past several days. Implications for Oxy and and overall uh concerns about debt load.Yeah. Yeah. So, I think that was one of the the key reasons they pulled the trigger on the transaction here is that amongst the the larger EMP companies in ...

Core Viewpoint - The company is undertaking a significant asset sale to reduce its high debt levels, with a target to bring debt below $15 billion by the end of the year [2][3]. Group 1: Debt Management - The asset sale proceeds will be used immediately to pay down debt, addressing one of the highest debt levels among larger EMP companies in the sector [2]. - The leverage ratio is expected to decrease from approximately 1.4 times net debt to EBITDA to around 0.8 times, which reduces the overall risk of the business [9]. Group 2: Business Model Changes - The transaction will transform the company into a more capital-intensive pure play EMP company by divesting its chemicals business, necessitating more capital investment per unit of growth [3][4]. - The market reaction to the stock has been volatile, with initial outperformance followed by relative underperformance due to softer deal terms and higher tax leakage than anticipated [6]. Group 3: Market Conditions - Oil prices have been declining throughout the year, and expectations from the upcoming OPEC meeting suggest further increases in production, potentially leading to an oversupplied market [7][8]. - Despite current market conditions, the price target for the stock has been raised by 2% to $46, reflecting the positive impact of leverage reduction [8].

Occidental Petroleum CEO Vicki Hollub said she’s all for doing away with three-month financial reporting cycles if the US Securities and Exchange Commission allows it https://t.co/bt5s7QkWBH ...

Group 1: Acquisition Details - Berkshire Hathaway is acquiring Occidental Petroleum's chemical division, OxyChem, for $9.7 billion, marking a significant transaction as Warren Buffett prepares to transition leadership to Vice Chair Greg Abel [1][5] - OxyChem produces various chemicals, including chlorine for water treatment and vinyl chloride for plastics, and generated $213 million in pretax earnings for Occidental in the second quarter, down from nearly $300 million the previous year [5][10] - The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year [12] Group 2: Financial Context - Berkshire Hathaway's cash reserves exceed $344 billion, having grown due to Buffett's difficulty in finding major acquisitions at attractive prices since the $11.6 billion acquisition of Alleghany Insurance in 2022 [2][4] - Occidental has been selling off assets, including approximately $4 billion worth, to reduce its debt, which stands at $7.5 billion, and plans to use $6.5 billion from the Berkshire deal to lower this debt [6][8] Group 3: Berkshire's Investment Strategy - Berkshire Hathaway holds over 28% of Occidental's stock and has warrants to purchase additional shares, alongside $8.5 billion in preferred shares acquired in 2019 [7][11] - Buffett has indicated a commitment to maintaining Berkshire's stake in Occidental, although he has no plans to acquire the entire company [10]

Core Insights - Berkshire Hathaway has announced a $9.7 billion all-cash acquisition of Occidental Petroleum's petrochemical division, OxyChem, marking the largest acquisition since 2022 [2][5] - The deal is seen as a significant move by Warren Buffett before his retirement as CEO at the end of the year, and it reflects a strategic bet on the chemicals industry [4][5] - The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025, and it is anticipated to strengthen Occidental's financial position by allowing the company to reduce its debt levels [4][6] Company Strategy - Berkshire Hathaway has been focusing on increasing its cash reserves by divesting shares in companies like Apple and Bank of America, rather than pursuing large acquisitions in recent years [5][6] - The acquisition of OxyChem represents Berkshire's second major investment in the chemicals sector, following the purchase of Lubrizol in 2011 [5] Market Reaction - Following the announcement, Occidental's shares experienced a decline of approximately 7%, while Berkshire Hathaway's shares remained relatively stable [6]

Core Insights - Berkshire Hathaway, led by Warren Buffett, has made a significant move by acquiring Occidental Petroleum's chemical business for $9.7 billion in cash, marking Buffett's largest transaction since the acquisition of Alleghany [1][2] - This acquisition indicates a potential shift in strategy as Buffett prepares to step down as CEO, with Greg Abel set to take over, suggesting a new direction for the company [3][6] Company Strategy - The deal reflects Buffett's ongoing interest in Occidental Petroleum, where Berkshire Hathaway currently holds about one-third of the company, although Buffett has clarified that they will not acquire the entire firm [5][9] - The integration of Occidental's business into Berkshire's non-insurance operations may create synergies, particularly with Berkshire Hathaway Energy [4][6] Leadership Transition - Greg Abel, who will become CEO, is expected to steer the company differently than Buffett, potentially adopting a more aggressive investment strategy given the substantial cash reserves of over $300 billion [10][17] - The absence of Buffett's name in the press release signals a shift in leadership and strategy, raising questions about how Abel will manage capital allocation moving forward [2][11] Market Reaction - Following the announcement, Occidental Petroleum's stock experienced a decline, as investors interpreted the deal as a signal that Berkshire Hathaway would not pursue a full acquisition of the company [7][9] - Berkshire Hathaway's shares have performed well, up approximately 10% this year, although they have not outperformed the S&P 500 [11][12] Future Outlook - The transition from Buffett to Abel raises uncertainty about the future direction of Berkshire Hathaway, particularly regarding investment strategies and communication with investors [13][14] - Analysts are keen to observe how Abel's leadership will shape the company's identity, moving away from the Buffett-centric narrative that has defined it for decades [16][17]

Market Overview - The three major U.S. stock indices showed mixed performance, with the Nasdaq slightly up by 0.07%, while the Dow Jones and S&P 500 fell by 0.23% and 0.19% respectively [2] Tesla - Tesla's stock initially rose over 2% but later dropped by 2.3%, closing at $448.91 per share [3] - In Q3 2025, Tesla produced over 447,000 electric vehicles and delivered over 497,000, with record installation of energy products at 12.5 GWh [5] Occidental Petroleum - Occidental Petroleum's stock fell over 6% amid reports that Berkshire Hathaway is spending $10 billion to acquire a subsidiary of Occidental [6] - This potential acquisition would be Berkshire's largest since 2022 [6] Chinese Stocks - The Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index saw a rise of over 2%, closing up 0.85% [9] - Notable gains were observed in Chinese stocks, with companies like Canaan rising over 22%, and others like WeRide and BeiGene increasing by over 6% and 4% respectively [11]

Core Insights - Occidental Petroleum Corp. has completed its major deal-making phase after selling its chemical unit to Berkshire Hathaway for $9.7 billion, achieving its asset-sales target [1][2] - The company aims to enhance liquidity and reduce debt, with plans to use approximately $6.5 billion from the sale proceeds to lower its principal debt to below $15 billion [4][5] Company Strategy - The CEO of Occidental, Vicki Hollub, indicated that the focus will now shift to organic growth following the significant asset sale [4] - The company had received multiple unsolicited offers for its OxyChem unit and opted for the all-cash offer from Berkshire due to its certainty to close [5] Industry Context - The U.S. shale sector is undergoing a phase of portfolio pruning, with over $200 billion in consolidation as companies seek to improve cash flow amid declining crude prices [3] - Other companies in the sector, such as ConocoPhillips, are also increasing their asset-sale targets to adapt to the current market conditions [3]

Core Viewpoint - Occidental Petroleum Corp is experiencing significant market volatility following Berkshire Hathaway's $9.7 billion acquisition of its chemical business, OxyChem, which has impacted its stock performance and investor sentiment [1]. Group 1: Stock Performance - OXY shares are currently trading down 6.2% at $44.77, reversing earlier gains and testing the 80-day moving average [2]. - The stock has declined 9.5% in 2025 and 16.4% year over year, with a risk of breaching a channel of higher highs established since its three-year low of $34.78 on April 9 [2]. - Short-term traders are exhibiting bearish sentiment, as indicated by a Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 1.18, which is in the 96th percentile of the past 12 months [2]. Group 2: Options Activity - The current options market shows a preference for calls, with 118,000 options traded, of which 82,000 are calls, representing five times the average intraday volume [3]. - The most popular contract is the weekly 10/3 46-strike, where new positions are being opened [3]. Group 3: Volatility and Strategy - The premium for options is currently affordably priced, with a Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 33% ranking in the 12th percentile of its annual range [4]. - A premium-selling strategy may be advantageous moving forward, as OXY's Schaeffer's Volatility Scorecard (SVS) is at 19 out of 100, indicating that the stock has consistently realized lower volatility than what its options have priced in [4].