Chevron's Hess Megadeal Is Quickly Paying Off

Core Insights - Chevron successfully completed its $60 billion acquisition of Hess in July, leading to increased production and free cash flow in Q3 [1][3] Financial Performance - Chevron reported $3.6 billion in adjusted earnings and $9.4 billion in cash from operations for Q3, with adjusted free cash flow reaching $7 billion, despite a decline in earnings from $4.5 billion in the previous year due to lower oil prices [3] - The average Brent crude price fell from $80 to $69 per barrel, impacting earnings but allowing free cash flow to soar by 50% [3] Production Growth - The company achieved a record production of 4.1 million barrels of oil equivalent (BOE) per day, a 21% increase year-over-year, driven by the Hess acquisition and developments in the Permian Basin and Gulf of Mexico [4] - U.S. production saw a 27% increase, primarily attributed to the Hess acquisition and ongoing projects [4] Shareholder Returns - Chevron returned $6 billion to shareholders in Q3, including $3.4 billion in dividends and $2.6 billion in share repurchases, totaling $78 billion returned over the past three years [5] Future Outlook - Chevron anticipates significant free cash flow growth heading into 2026, with an expected additional $10 billion in annualized free cash flow at $70 oil due to ongoing projects [6] - The Hess acquisition is projected to contribute an additional $2.5 billion in annual free cash flow next year at the same oil price [7] - The merger is expected to generate $1 billion in cost savings by the end of the year [8]