Zhi Tong Cai Jing·2025-10-02 13:02Group 1 - Berkshire Hathaway announced its largest acquisition in years, acquiring Occidental Petroleum's chemical division, OxyChem, for $9.7 billion [1] - This acquisition may be one of Warren Buffett's last major transactions before handing over the CEO position to Vice Chairman Greg Abel in January [1] - The deal indicates Buffett's return to the M&A market after years of minimal large-scale acquisitions and gradual divestment from major holdings like Apple [1] Group 2 - The acquisition is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter, with Berkshire's cash reserves reaching approximately $344 billion, close to historical highs [1] - Occidental Petroleum has announced nearly $4 billion in asset sales since early last year to reduce debt incurred from acquiring CrownRock LP for $10.8 billion [1] - OxyChem produces basic chemicals such as chlorine and sodium hydroxide, and its sale marks the end of a long chapter for Occidental in the chemical industry [2] Group 3 - Occidental's chemical division has seen declining sales in recent years, with a 15% reduction in expected pre-tax profits for the year due to market oversupply of key products [2] - The company plans to use $6.5 billion from the sale of OxyChem to reduce its main debt below $15 billion [1][2]