Value Investing

Vladimir Dimitrov, CFA

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>The current energy crisis highlights the need for increased investment in both renewable and the so-called bridge fuels.</li>
<li>Chevron is well-positioned to be a leader in both of these areas, while continuing to generate high return on capital.</li>
<li>Fundamentally, Chevron is also characterized by high dividend yield, improving margins and conservative valuation.</li>
</ul>


The current energy crisis highlights the need for increased investment in both renewable and the so-called bridge fuels.
Chevron is well-positioned to be a leader in both of these areas, while continuing to generate high return on capital.
Fundamentally, Chevron is also characterized by high dividend yield, improving margins and conservative valuation.


Chevron: The Fallacy Of Predicting The Future

Independent research on the U.S. markets, Baptista Research

Baptista Research

Independent research on the U.S. markets

Baptista Research is an independent financial research house focused on the U.S. markets. We provide equity research as well as credit research reports on the top-listed U.S. companies with most of our focus on technology, consumer goods and services, automobiles, industrials, oil and gas, pharma, and healthcare. Our research has served more than 3000 institutional investors including mutual funds, hedge funds, banks, family offices, and various buy-side firms. We operate a research subscription service where institutions, as well as retail investors, can have priority access to all our research. We also have a wide distribution of our research reports across some of the top global financial platforms. Apart from equity research and credit research, we also provide advisory services with respect to mergers & acquisitions (M&A), private equity/ venture capital fundraising, valuation reports, and investment management services for corporates.
Baptista Research is owned and managed by Ishan Majumdar, an ex-Venture Capitalist/ Investment Banker, a Chartered Accountant, and a Masters’ degree holder in Management from HEC Paris. Ishan has nearly a decade of experience in Mergers and Acquisitions, Leveraged Buyouts (LBOs), Venture Capital Investing, Corporate Strategy, and Valuation in front-office roles at the likes of BNP Paribas CIB, Credit Agricole CIB, Groupe Danone, and TIW Private Equity. He has worked on and closed multiple acquisition deals, leveraged buyouts, and start-up investment transactions.

Equity Capital Markets

<ul><li>Chevron Corp delivered strong financial results in Q2, with the highest reported earnings in over a year.</li><li>Their Q2 results included special items totaling $235 million, including a remediation charge in the Gulf of Mexico and pension settlement costs and still its adjusted earnings were as high as $3.3 billion or $1.71 per share.</li><li>The company witnessed a sharp rise in upstream earnings from an augmented production coupled with a rise in crude oil prices.</li></ul>

Chevron Corp delivered strong financial results in Q2, with the highest reported earnings in over a year.Their Q2 results included special items totaling $235 million, including a remediation charge in the Gulf of Mexico and pension settlement costs and still its adjusted earnings were as high as $3.3 billion or $1.71 per share.The company witnessed a sharp rise in upstream earnings from an augmented production coupled with a rise in crude oil prices.

IPOs and Catalysts/Events, Global Equity Research Ltd

Arun George

IPOs and Catalysts/Events

Uncompromised, Independent, Conflict-Free Research

Global Equity Research Ltd

Global Equity Research was started in 2017 by a group of experienced research professionals. It was founded on a passionate belief in the importance and the need for uncompromised, independent, conflict-free research. We aim to provide differentiated and actionable primary and bottom up fundamental research.

Event-Driven

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/z-energy-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9838:1" rel="noopener">Z Energy Ltd (ZEL NZ)</a> is a fuel distribution and retailing business which owns and manages over 300 fuel stations in New Zealand under the Z and Caltex brands. Z Energy revealed a non-binding indicative proposal from <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ampol-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:345:1" rel="noopener">Caltex Australia (ALD AU)</a>/Ampol to acquire it via a scheme of arrangement. Ampol is offering NZ$3.78 per share. The bid represents a 22% premium to the share price on 12 August (prior to receipt of the announced proposal), a 35% premium to the share price on 26 July (prior to media speculation regarding a bid) and a 47% premium to the share price on 1 June (prior to Ampol’s first rejected proposal).Z Energy has agreed to grant Ampol a four-week exclusivity period to conduct due diligence. The indicative offer permits Z Energy to pay dividends up to NZ 10 cents on the scheme implementation to accommodate any regulatory-driven delays. Subject to discussions, Ampol’s offer may include a scrip component and a secondary New Zealand listing.  Pushing for a better price is part of the M&amp;A game. The Board had rejected Ampol’s previous three offers as they did not represent compelling value. The Board was able to secure a sweetened bid which offers a 12.8% bump to Ampol’s first offer of NZ$3.35 per share.  Ampol’s offer is a premium to Z Energy's historical EV/EBITDA multiples but a discount to pre-COVID-19 share prices. Z Energy’s CEO opines that Ampol’s bid could be a catalyst for other bidders that had previously signalled interest to make a move for Z Energy. Potential bidders could be <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/chevron-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11091:1" rel="noopener">Chevron Corp (CVX US)</a>, Vitol, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/glencore-plc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:764:1" rel="noopener">Glencore Plc (GLEN LN)</a>, Trafigura and Japanese refiners.<div class="content-highlight">Overall, we think Ampol’s offer is a good starting point to lay down a valuation benchmark and suspect that there is some upside to the final offer price. At the last close price of NZ$3.48, Z Energy’s shares are trading at an 8.6% gross spread to the indicative offer.</div>

Z Energy Ltd (ZEL NZ) is a fuel distribution and retailing business which owns and manages over 300 fuel stations in New Zealand under the Z and Caltex brands. Z Energy revealed a non-binding indicative proposal from Caltex Australia (ALD AU)/Ampol to acquire it via a scheme of arrangement. Ampol is offering NZ$3.78 per share. The bid represents a 22% premium to the share price on 12 August (prior to receipt of the announced proposal), a 35% premium to the share price on 26 July (prior to media speculation regarding a bid) and a 47% premium to the share price on 1 June (prior to Ampol’s first rejected proposal).Z Energy has agreed to grant Ampol a four-week exclusivity period to conduct due diligence. The indicative offer permits Z Energy to pay dividends up to NZ 10 cents on the scheme implementation to accommodate any regulatory-driven delays. Subject to discussions, Ampol’s offer may include a scrip component and a secondary New Zealand listing.  Pushing for a better price is part of the M&amp;A game. The Board had rejected Ampol’s previous three offers as they did not represent compelling value. The Board was able to secure a sweetened bid which offers a 12.8% bump to Ampol’s first offer of NZ$3.35 per share.  Ampol’s offer is a premium to Z Energy's historical EV/EBITDA multiples but a discount to pre-COVID-19 share prices. Z Energy’s CEO opines that Ampol’s bid could be a catalyst for other bidders that had previously signalled interest to make a move for Z Energy. Potential bidders could be Chevron Corp (CVX US), Vitol, Glencore Plc (GLEN LN), Trafigura and Japanese refiners.Overall, we think Ampol’s offer is a good starting point to lay down a valuation benchmark and suspect that there is some upside to the final offer price. At the last close price of NZ$3.48, Z Energy’s shares are trading at an 8.6% gross spread to the indicative offer.

Alpha-Centric ESG Research

Kyle Rudden

Shortly after publishing <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/engine-versus-exxon-activist-hedge-fund-s-proxy-fight-win-reverberates-through-big-oil-boardrooms" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:52318" rel="noopener">Engine Versus Exxon: Activist Hedge Fund's Proxy Fight Win Reverberates Through "Big Oil" Boardrooms</a>, I decided that a follow-up report (such as this one) would be a good supplement. So, consider this an addendum of sorts to that first Insight.Whereas "Engine Versus Exxon" was a mostly qualitative discussion of recent events for Exxon and six other supermajors, this is a more data-driven look of a much larger universe of oil stocks; 50 in total, representing 24 countries (mainly in the Americas, Asia Pacific, and Europe).Together, they are a good proxy for the broader Energy sector – an aggregate market capitalisation of US$4.6 trillion, and responsible for an astounding 20.5 billion MtCO2e in emissions, about 65% of all energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.This is a relatively focused Insight, covering four related areas:<ol>
<li>
Carbon Footprints: Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions for each (ranked and sorted).</li>
<li>
Climate Policies: Where each stands vis-à-vis implementation of climate-related policies.</li>
<li>
Emissions Targets: Which companies are claiming to go net-zero emissions, and by when.</li>
<li>
Capital Investment: How future CapEx is (or is not) aligned with global warming targets.</li>
</ol>

Shortly after publishing Engine Versus Exxon: Activist Hedge Fund's Proxy Fight Win Reverberates Through "Big Oil" Boardrooms, I decided that a follow-up report (such as this one) would be a good supplement. So, consider this an addendum of sorts to that first Insight.Whereas "Engine Versus Exxon" was a mostly qualitative discussion of recent events for Exxon and six other supermajors, this is a more data-driven look of a much larger universe of oil stocks; 50 in total, representing 24 countries (mainly in the Americas, Asia Pacific, and Europe).Together, they are a good proxy for the broader Energy sector – an aggregate market capitalisation of US$4.6 trillion, and responsible for an astounding 20.5 billion MtCO2e in emissions, about 65% of all energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.This is a relatively focused Insight, covering four related areas:

Carbon Footprints: Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions for each (ranked and sorted).

Climate Policies: Where each stands vis-à-vis implementation of climate-related policies.

Emissions Targets: Which companies are claiming to go net-zero emissions, and by when.

Capital Investment: How future CapEx is (or is not) aligned with global warming targets.


Greenhouse Gas Emissions Profiles of 50 of the World's Largest Oil Companies

Here it comes, the David-and-Goliath metaphor. Cliché is an understatement, but who cares – it is a most fitting allegory for the epic proxy battle between a diminutive activist investor you've never heard of and a "Big Oil" Behemoth that you know all too well... <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/exxon-mobil-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:811:1" rel="noopener">Exxon Mobil (XOM US)</a>.Guess who won?Well, that depends on perspective. The activist hedge fund (Engine No. 1) gained three Board seats so one could certainly say that Engine won. As did the shareholders that backed Engine in its proxy (BlackRock, Vanguard, State Street, CalPERS, CalSTRS). But the biggest winner of all?Planet Earth.Engine's improbable win – in conjunction with similar (albeit less spectacular) shareholder actions at other supermajors – appears to signify a seismic shift in how Big Oil's shareholders view climate change, and could portend real change (e.g., accelerated decarbonisation and better reporting).

Here it comes, the David-and-Goliath metaphor. Cliché is an understatement, but who cares – it is a most fitting allegory for the epic proxy battle between a diminutive activist investor you've never heard of and a "Big Oil" Behemoth that you know all too well... Exxon Mobil (XOM US).Guess who won?Well, that depends on perspective. The activist hedge fund (Engine No. 1) gained three Board seats so one could certainly say that Engine won. As did the shareholders that backed Engine in its proxy (BlackRock, Vanguard, State Street, CalPERS, CalSTRS). But the biggest winner of all?Planet Earth.Engine's improbable win – in conjunction with similar (albeit less spectacular) shareholder actions at other supermajors – appears to signify a seismic shift in how Big Oil's shareholders view climate change, and could portend real change (e.g., accelerated decarbonisation and better reporting).

Engine Versus Exxon: Activist Hedge Fund's Proxy Fight Win Reverberates Through "Big Oil" Boardrooms

United States

Chevron Corporation is an integrated energy company with operations in countries located around the world.  The Company produces and transports crude oil and natural gas.  Chevron also refines, markets, and distributes fuels as well as is involved in chemical operations, mining operations, power generation and energy services.

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Chevron Corp (CVX US)

Chevron: The Fallacy Of Predicting The Future

The current energy crisis highlights the need for increased investment in both renewable and the so-called bridge fuels. Chevron is...

Vladimir Dimitrov, CFA

Chevron Corporation - Investment Thesis

Chevron Corp delivered strong financial results in Q2, with the highest reported earnings in over a year. Their Q2 results included special items...

Baptista Research

Ampol Lobs an Offer for Z Energy

Z Energy revealed a non-binding indicative proposal from Ampol at NZ$3.78 per share. We suspect that there is some upside to the final offer price....

Arun George

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Profiles of 50 of the World's Largest Oil Companies

A quick overview of the carbon footprints and climate policies of 50 of the world's largest oil stocks (mainly Asia Pacific, Americas, and Europe...

Kyle Rudden

Engine Versus Exxon: Activist Hedge Fund's Proxy Fight Win Reverberates Through "Big Oil" Boardrooms

May 26, 2021. Black Wednesday. A day that changed Big Oil forever. From Exxon's proxy fight loss to an activist fund you've never heard of, to...

Kyle Rudden

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