Shares of Concho Resources rose more than 12% in trading Wednesday following word that it was in talks to be acquired by rival ConocoPhillips.
As The Street reported, Concho shares jumped 12.49% to $49.65 and ConocoPhillips shares rose 1.06% to $35.25.
ConocoPhillips is in talks to acquire rival Concho Resources , Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
The move from one of America’s largest independent oil explorers would be a bold bet on shale during an historic industry downturn, noted Bloomberg in its report.
The companies may announce a deal in the next few weeks. No final decision has been made and talks could fall through.
Concho Resources has a market value of about $8.8 billion, while the market cap for ConocoPhillips is nearly $38.2 billion.
ConocoPhillips, Bloomberg said, has been hinting about a potential deal for months. In July, CEO Ryan Lance said the company was encouraged by the low premiums needed for acquisitions in the shale sector, citing Chevron’s deal to buy Noble Energy for about $5 billion.
“We’re looking at asset deals, we’re looking at asset deals, we’re looking at corporate deals, we look across the board,” Lance told Bloomberg at the time.
Chevron announced in July that it reached an agreement to acquire Noble Energy amid one of the most difficult routs in the oil patch in decades, sparked by the coronavirus pandemic.
Buying Houston-based Noble, which has both U.S. and international operations, compliments Chevron’s presence in the oil-rich deposits of the DJ Basin of Colorado and Permian Basin, which span West Texas and New Mexico.
It also gives Chevron assets in the eastern Mediterranean and West Africa.
Source: The Street