Shale oil drillers gave stock shareholders what they wanted, then investors punished them anyway

  • 📰 CNBC
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 36 sec. here
  • 2 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 18%
  • Publisher: 72%

Finance Finance Headlines News

Finance Finance Latest News,Finance Finance Headlines

Oil companies drilling in shale basins like the Bakken have cut back on spending to increase return to shareholders as oil prices are pressured, but investors are punishing the stocks anyway, since it is leading to lower production-growth forecasts.

In recent months U.S. shale drillers have answered investors' calls to tighten their belts, showing they are finally willing to do what's necessary to return cash to shareholders.The latest episode in the American shale revolution shows that shale drillers — and their stock prices — are entering a transition period.

Though it's rallying this week, the SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration and Production exchange-traded fund tumbled 8 percent between the start of the drillers' earnings season in February and the end of last week. During the same time, the S&P 500 rose 1.4 percent. Investors have good reason to be wary. Throughout much of the last decade, shale drillers borrowed heavily to underwrite spectacular production growth. But few companies have proven they can reliably generate free cash flow or meaningful returns for investors.

"I'd say there's a recalibration of stock prices going on with the shale drillers," Hess CEO John Hess told CNBC at CERAWeek.

 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.
We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 12. in FİNANCE

Finance Finance Latest News, Finance Finance Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Oil rises on OPEC-led supply cuts, but slowing economy restricts gainsOil prices rose on Monday, lifted by Saudi oil minister Khalid al-Falih saying a... DrillBabyDrill We need more American exports. AS OIL CONSUMPTION DECREASES HOPE FOR HEALTH AND FUTURE GENERATIONS INCREASES
Source: Reuters - 🏆 2. / 97 Read more »

Shale drillers may be singing oil’s swan songCash is flooding into Texas wells, attracted by quick investment returns. Yet the Permian’s short production cycles may hasten the arrival of peak oil. With sustainability investors pressing for cleaner fuels, some industry executives are already planning for a post-crude future.
Source: Breakingviews - 🏆 470. / 51 Read more »