HOUSTON, TX - Occidental Petroleum Corp (NYSE:OXY) has been making significant strides in reducing its principal debt. The company has successfully reduced its debt by $3 billion in the third quarter of 2024, achieving nearly 85% of its $4.5 billion debt reduction target. Occidental's debt reduction efforts were aided by its robust cash flow and strategic divestitures, including the recent public offering of common units in Western Midstream Partners (NYSE:WES), which generated $700 million.
In a significant development, CrownRock Holdings intends to sell 29,560,619 shares of Occidental's common stock through an underwritten secondary public offering. Occidental is not selling any shares in this transaction, and all proceeds from the sale will go to CrownRock Holdings. This sale is being managed by financial institutions J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and RBC Capital Markets.
Goldman Sachs has resumed coverage on Occidental Petroleum with a Neutral rating following the completion of Occidental's acquisition of CrownRock. This acquisition has notably increased Occidental's presence in the Permian Basin and is expected to enhance the company's scale within this oil-rich region. However, the deal has also raised Occidental's Net debt to EBITDA ratio to 1.7x from the previous 1.2x, shifting the company's focus towards debt reduction.
On a different note, the escalating tensions in the Middle East have led to a significant rise in oil prices, which in turn has driven a premarket increase in shares of major U.S. energy companies, including Occidental Petroleum. Furthermore, the impending Hurricane Francine has prompted oil and gas producers to cease operations in the Gulf of Mexico, which could potentially disrupt oil supplies.
Lastly, Occidental Petroleum reported strong performance in its Q2 2024 earnings call with the highest quarterly production in four years, generating $1.3 billion in free cash flow.
InvestingPro Insights
As Occidental Petroleum Corp (NYSE:OXY) prepares to release its third-quarter 2024 results, InvestingPro data and tips offer additional context to the company's financial landscape. Despite recent challenges, OXY maintains a solid financial foundation with a market capitalization of $50.44 billion and a P/E ratio of 12.36, suggesting a relatively attractive valuation compared to industry peers.
InvestingPro Tips highlight that OXY has maintained dividend payments for an impressive 51 consecutive years, demonstrating a commitment to shareholder returns even in volatile market conditions. This consistency aligns with the company's current dividend yield of 1.62%, which may appeal to income-focused investors.
While the company faces some headwinds, with 10 analysts revising their earnings downwards for the upcoming period, it's worth noting that OXY remains profitable. The company's profitability over the last twelve months and analysts' predictions of continued profitability this year provide a counterbalance to near-term concerns.
For investors seeking a deeper dive into OXY's financials and prospects, InvestingPro offers 15 additional tips, providing a more comprehensive analysis of the company's position in the energy sector.
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