NEW YORK - Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) Energy Partners has completed the sale of Durango Permian LLC, a gas gathering and processing business, to Kinetik Holdings Inc. (NYSE: KNTK), the companies announced today. The deal includes a mix of cash and equity, with additional contingent consideration tied to the launch of the Kings Landing Gas Gathering and Processing Development.
Durango Permian, a subsidiary of Durango Midstream LLC and majority-owned by funds managed by Morgan Stanley Energy Partners, operates in the Permian Basin of southeast New Mexico. The business specializes in gas gathering, processing, and carbon dioxide sequestration.
Richard Cargile, President and CEO of Durango, expressed pride in the company's growth and its potential synergies with Kinetik's operations. "The Company’s assets are complementary to Kinetik’s existing operating footprint, expand Kinetik’s presence in New Mexico, and reinforce Kinetik’s value proposition as a pure-play midstream provider across the entire Delaware Basin," Cargile said.
John Moon, Managing Director and Head of Morgan Stanley Energy Partners, highlighted Durango Permian's transformation into a leading midstream platform under Cargile's leadership. He also noted the anticipated growth opportunities in New Mexico through the partnership with Kinetik.
The transaction was advised by Greenhill (NYSE:GHL) & Co. and Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) Securities, with Sidley Austin LLP providing legal counsel to Durango Midstream and Morgan Stanley Energy Partners.
The sale is expected to bring operational synergies and economies of scale to Kinetik, as well as stable earnings and significant growth potential with the commissioning of the Kings Landing project.
This move marks a new chapter for Durango Permian as it joins Kinetik, a company poised to leverage substantial growth opportunities in the region. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed in the press release statement.
In other recent news, APA Corporation has seen a series of adjustments by various analyst firms. Evercore ISI downgraded Apache Corp (NASDAQ:APA)'s stock from Outperform to In Line and reduced its price target to $39.00. This decision was influenced by several factors, including the acquisition of CPE and disappointing performance in Egypt and the North Sea (NYSE:SE). In contrast, Wells Fargo Securities has assigned an Overweight rating with a price target of $52.00, while RBC (TSX:RY) Capital Markets and The Benchmark Company have given APA Corp. a Sector Perform and Buy rating respectively. Mizuho Securities and Piper Sandler have maintained an Underperform and Neutral rating on the company's stock, respectively.
APA Corp. recently sold its non-core assets in two separate transactions, amassing over $700 million. The company intends to use the proceeds primarily to reduce its near-term borrowings. These transactions are expected to close early in the third quarter of 2024.
Analysts from different firms have expressed varying views on APA Corp.'s future. RBC Capital anticipates the company will improve capital efficiencies by focusing on its Permian assets and by selling non-core assets to address high leverage. On the other hand, Mizuho Securities remains reserved about the company's prospects despite an uptick in asset valuation. Roth MKM analysts note that the company's oil assets have upside potential in the context of higher oil prices, which could lead to strong free cash flow and the ability to return significant capital to shareholders. These are recent developments that investors should be aware of when considering APA Corp. for their portfolio.
InvestingPro Insights
As Kinetik Holdings Inc. (NYSE: KNTK) acquires Durango Permian, investors and industry watchers are closely monitoring the financial health and market performance of the involved companies. In the context of this transaction, certain metrics from InvestingPro provide a snapshot of the current financial landscape:
- The market capitalization of Kinetik Holdings Inc. stands at $10.72 billion, signifying its substantial size in the midstream sector.
- A low P/E ratio of 3.2, adjusted to 3.65 for the last twelve months as of Q1 2024, suggests that Kinetik's shares might be undervalued relative to its earnings, which could interest value investors.
- The company's dividend yield is currently at 3.41%, reflecting a commitment to returning value to shareholders, especially notable as Kinetik has maintained dividend payments for 54 consecutive years.
Among the InvestingPro Tips, two are particularly relevant to Kinetik's current situation:
- Analysts have revised their earnings expectations downwards for the upcoming period, which could impact investor sentiment and future stock performance.
- The stock is trading near its 52-week low, indicating a potential entry point for investors who believe in the company's long-term value proposition and synergy gains from the Durango Permian acquisition.
These insights could be invaluable for investors considering the impact of the Durango Permian sale on Kinetik's future. For more detailed analysis and additional InvestingPro Tips, visit https://www.investing.com/pro/KNTK. There are currently 6 more tips available on InvestingPro, which could further inform investment decisions. To access these insights, use the coupon code PRONEWS24 to get an additional 10% off a yearly or biyearly Pro and Pro+ subscription.
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