FINWIRES · TerminalLIVE
FINWIRES

Market Chatter: Toms Capital Urges Devon to Explore Alternatives, Including Sale

By

Toms Capital Management is pushing Devon Energy (DVN) to review strategic alternatives, including a potential sale, after building a top-five stake in the oil and gas producer, CNBC reported on Wednesday, citing a letter from the activist hedge fund.

Toms, which manages over $4 billion in assets, sent a letter to Devon earlier this month and said it has become one of the company's five largest shareholders. The hedge fund was not among Devon's 10 largest shareholders at the end of June.

Toms Capital argues that Devon's May merger with Coterra Energy, which expanded its footprint in the Delaware Basin of West Texas and southeast New Mexico, added undue complexity to the business. The hedge fund said that complexity has resulted in a valuation discount of at least one multiple point compared with peers.

Devon is already facing friction from another shareholder. Energy-focused investment firm Kimmeridge has publicly pressed the company to streamline its portfolio and better articulate its post-merger strategy. Toms and Devon Energy did not immediately respond to' request for comment.

(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

What else is happening in Commodities?

Commodities

SEBI Settles With Five Adani Group Firms Over Disclosure Violations

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has settled adjudication proceedings against five Adani Group companies, which paid a total of 15.1 million Indian rupees for alleged violations related to the disclosure of related-party transactions and audit and limited review reports.The settlement follows an examination by the Indian capital markets regulator into allegations and corporate governance issues highlighted in a January 2023 report of Hindenburg Research, including possible violations of listing regulations and the erstwhile listing agreement.Under the terms of the settlement, Adani Enterprises (NSE:ADANIENT, BOM:512599) paid 7.6 million rupees, while Adani Green Energy (NSE:ADANIGREEN, BOM:541450) paid 4.6 million rupees, and Adani Total Gas (NSE:ATGL, BOM:542066), AWL Agri Business (NSE:AWL, BOM:543458) and Adani Energy Solutions (NSE:ADANIENSOL, BOM:539254) paid 975,000 rupees each.The companies settled the cases without admitting or denying the findings of fact or conclusions of law.

BOM:512599BOM:539254BOM:541450BOM:542066BOM:543458NSE:ADANIENSOLNSE:ADANIENTNSE:ADANIGREENNSE:ATGLNSE:AWL
Commodities

US Power Update: Prices Swing as PJM Hits $85.08/MWh Intraday High

US electricity markets saw significant price swings, with locational marginal prices varying widely across regions as power demand shifted.ISO New England led the markets at 5 p.m. ET with a locational marginal price of $34.71 per megawatt-hour, compared with $22.39/MWh for Midcontinent Independent System Operator, which posted the lowest price at that hour.For intraday peaks, PJM Interconnection reached $85.08/MWh at 8:15 a.m. ET, while ISONE recorded the lowest LMP in the negative territory at -$0.45/MWh at 11 a.m. ET.The National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center forecasts above-normal temperatures across most of the US from Sept. 30-Oct. 6, with near-normal readings in parts of the West.

Commodities

US Crude Oil Inventories Rise, API Says

Data from the American Petroleum Institute revealed Tuesday that US crude oil inventories increased by1.79 million barrels in the week ended Sept. 23, following a 7.14-mmbbl build the previous week, and compared with analysts' estimate of a 500,000-bbl decline, according to a Bloomberg-compiled survey.The oil market now awaits the US Energy Information Administration's petroleum inventory report, scheduled for release on Wednesday.