Hess Corp shareholders will vote on Tuesday on Chevron's proposed $53 billion acquisition of the company, after many investors have called for a delay in hopes of obtaining a better offer for their shares. The deal has been stalled in part by a regulatory review and clouded by an arbitration dispute with Exxon Mobil, which could push the deal's closing to 2025 or result in its termination. Chevron is counting on approval to win a foothold in oil-rich Guyana's lucrative offshore fields.
The agreement Chevron signed last year to buy Hess for $53 billion was expected to transform the oil giant, giving it new assets in fast-growing regions of the world. Everything comes down to a Hess shareholder vote on Tuesday. “It’s trading as a coin toss,” said Roy Behren, co-chief investment officer of Westchester Capital Management, which owns 2.1 million Hess shares, worth about $315 million.
Chevron (CVX) and Rhino Resources plan offshore Namibia drilling by late 2024 or early 2025, sparking interest in the hydrocarbon-rich Orange Basin.