OXY(US:OXY) Sou Hu Cai Jing·2025-10-01 00:10Core Viewpoint - Berkshire Hathaway, led by Warren Buffett, is in talks to acquire Occidental Petroleum's chemical business, OxyChem, for approximately $10 billion, which would be its largest acquisition since 2022 [1][2]. Group 1: Acquisition Details - The potential acquisition of OxyChem could be finalized within days and would mark Berkshire's largest deal since acquiring Alleghany for $11.6 billion in 2022 [2][6]. - Occidental Petroleum, headquartered in Houston, has a market capitalization of about $46 billion and is primarily known for its oil and gas operations. Berkshire is already the largest shareholder, holding over $11 billion in Occidental stock, representing a 28.2% stake [2][7]. - OxyChem, the chemical division of Occidental, generated nearly $5 billion in sales over the past 12 months, producing various chemical products used in water chlorination, battery recycling, and papermaking [2]. Group 2: Historical Context - This would be Buffett's second significant investment in the chemical sector, following the nearly $10 billion acquisition of specialty chemicals producer Lubrizol in 2011 [5]. - Buffett began investing in Occidental Petroleum in 2019, initially purchasing $10 billion in preferred stock to assist CEO Vicki Hollub in acquiring Anadarko Petroleum [7]. Group 3: Financial Position - Occidental has been actively selling non-core assets to reduce its debt, having repaid $7.5 billion in debt as of August [9]. - Berkshire Hathaway holds a record $344 billion in cash and U.S. Treasury securities, indicating a strong liquidity position and a preference for acquisitions over holding cash [10][11].