Shell talked internally and with bankers about merging with BP and BG Group PLC, said people involved in those talks. Such deals are complicated, but also offer the most potential upside, said Oppenheimer’s Mr. Gheit, because of potentially economies of scale.
(FROM THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: FRIDAY 5 DECEMBER 2014)
Will Cheap Oil Lead To A New Merger Wave?
By Justin Scheck and Shayndi Raice
When oil prices hit a trough, history points to a likely energy industry response: mergers and acquisitions.
Price crashes in the early 1980s and late 1990s sparked a rash of deal-making that reshaped the industry. A decline in the mid-2000s led the giant firms to pick up smaller companies. Now, with oil’s price down 40% since June, bankers and investors are hoping for a repeat.
Traders are betting on it: BP PLC shares jumped by close to 5% Tuesday after an anonymous Twitter user claimed rival Royal Dutch Shell PLC was going to make a bid. Spokesmen for BP and Shell declined to comment.
The TRUTH will set you FREE.
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