Buzz on the Bullboards: A $15 billion oil business combination, Trump, & everything in-between

This week, the TSX saw a mix of gains and losses. The index climbed higher on Monday, driven by strong performances in the energy, finance, and mining sectors. However, it lost some ground in subsequent sessions as losses in these sectors weighed on the market. Meanwhile, U.S. markets continued their downward trend, grappling with a four-week slump on Wall Street. This decline has been exacerbated by President Donald Trump’s erratic implementation of tariff policies and a drop in consumer confidence.

Whitecap Resources (TSX:WCP, Forum) announced a business combination with oil producer Veren (TSX:VRN, Forum) to create a leading light oil and condensate producer with concentrated assets in the Alberta Montney and Duvernay. The combined company will be the largest Alberta Montney and Duvernay landholder and a prominent light oil producer in Saskatchewan. This merger is expected to drive improved profitability and superior returns to shareholders.

Under the terms of the definitive business combination agreement, Veren shareholders will receive 1.05 common share of Whitecap for each Veren common share held. The transaction, valued at approximately C$15 billion inclusive of net debt, is expected to close before May 30, 2025. The combined company will have an enterprise value of C$15 billion and 370,000 boe/d (63 per cent liquids) of corporate production, making it the largest Canadian light oil-focused producer and the seventh largest producer in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin.

This comes as Whitecap recently confirmed that a cash dividend of $0.0608 per common share in respect of March 2025 operations will be paid on April 15th, to shareholders of record on March 31^st.

Whitecap Resources stock has risen more than 7 per cent this week.

Greenbriar Sustainable Living (TSXV:GRB, Forum) has reached a binding agreement with Ronnie Strasser to purchase 141,850 cubic metres of adjudicated and deeded water rights for US$1,250,000.

With this agreement, Greenbriar now controls 347,841 cubic metres of adjudicated pumping rights for Sage Ranch. The payment for this agreement will be made from the proceeds of the Voya construction loan. This acquisition is a significant step for Greenbriar as it continues to develop sustainable real estate and renewable energy projects.

Greenbriar Sustainable Living stock has climbed more than 7 per cent since the year began.

Trump Media and Technology Group (NASDAQ:DJT, Forum), operator no one’s favourite social media platform, Truth Social and the streaming platform, Truth+, announced the launch of an app for Roku TVs to access the Truth+.

Now available in the Roku Channel Store, Truth+ offers “family-friendly TV programming for patriotic Americans who want an alternative to mainstream entertainment and news channels” along with “non-woke TV and movies” … like “Sleepless in Seattle”? “Sleeping with the Enemy”?

People who fall asleep with the TV make up Trump’s main audience and since old people make up around 90 per cent of Roku’s subscriber base (this stat brought to you by Mark Zuckerberg’s school of not-sourced facts), this could be a win-win.

While the launch of this app is a notable development, it’s hard to take Trump-related ventures too seriously given their track record and the often-controversial nature of their operations (Trump steaks, anyone? Trump university, anyone? Trump crypto, anyone?). As if traumatizing Wall Street at large isn’t enough, Trump Media stock has lost more than 50 per cent of its value since this time last year. That’s a tumble only a Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA, Forum) shareholder could relate to.

Investors should keep a close eye on these developments and consider the potential impacts on their portfolios. As always, it is important to keep up with thorough due diligence to stay informed and make well-rounded investment decisions.

For previous editions of Buzz on the Bullboards, click here.

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(Top image generated with AI.)