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Ovintiv's Twin Deals: What Are the Key Takeaways for Investors?

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Ovintiv Inc. (OVV - Free Report) has announced two major deals on Nov. 14, 2024 — one for the acquisition of premium Montney assets from Paramount Resources Ltd. for about $2.4 billion and the other for the sale of almost all its Uinta Basin assets to FourPoint Resources, LLC, for about $2.0 billion.

An Insight Into OVV’s Purchase Agreement

OVV, per the terms of the purchase agreement, will acquire 109,000 net acres, 70,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day and 900 total net well locations in the oil-rich Alberta Montney.

The $2.4-billion deal, which is expected to be closed by the first quarter of 2025, will be funded through cash and the ownership transfer of certain properties in the Horn River Basin, British Columbia, to Paramount Resources.

The acquired assets have been identified as the undeveloped oil resource that can deliver the highest value and returns. The acquired assets also display leading well performance, which can lead to high volume growth and solidify the company’s position as the premier operator in the oil and gas sector.

OVV’s Sale Agreement for Uinta Basin Assets

As part of its strategic move, OVV has also decided to sell 126,000 net acres of the Uinta Basin in Utah to FourPoint Resources for a consideration of about $2.0 billion in cash. The said divestiture supports Ovintiv’s strategy to streamline its portfolio, wherein the company can focus on its core operations in the high-valued Montney and Permian basins.

Impact of Combined Transaction on OVV

The combined buy and sell transactions are expected to be accretive across all key financial metrics and expand the company’s premium oil inventory to around 15 years. The combined transactions are also likely to generate cost synergies of around $125 million per year. The transactions should enable OVV to maintain a strong investment-grade balance sheet by decreasing its debt. Therefore, the company can expect a high rating from the investment firms.

Financial Gains and Outlook

The transactions should boost OVV’s cash flow by approximately $300 million in 2025. After the transactions, the company will allocate around 85-90% of its 2025 capital to its core Permian and Montney basins. OVV's average oil production is expected to reach 205,000 barrels per day. The deal is also expected to provide strong financial returns, growth in production volumes and long-term shareholder value.

OVV’s Zacks Rank and Key Picks

Ovintiv is an independent energy producer that explores and churns out oil and natural gas from diverse assets located in the United States and Canada. Currently, OVV has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Investors interested in the energy sector might look at some better-ranked stocks like Mach Natural Resources LP (MNR - Free Report) , Enerflex Ltd. (EFXT - Free Report) and Flotek Industries, Inc. (FTK - Free Report) . While Mach currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Enerflex and Flotek Industries carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) each. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Mach Natural Resources LP is an independent upstream oil and gas company that focuses on the acquisition, development and production of oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids reserves. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MNR’s 2024 earnings indicates 200% year-over-year growth.

Canada-based Enerflex Ltd. provides oilfield services for natural gas and petroleum producers. EFXT’s expected EPS (earnings per share) growth rate for the next quarter is 188.89%, which compares favorably with the industry loss of 22.45%.

Flotek Industries develops and delivers prescriptive chemistry-based technology, including specialty chemicals, to clients in the energy, consumer industrials and food & beverage industries. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for FTK’s 2024 earnings indicates 125% year-over-year growth.


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