FTSE 250 movers: Harbour gushes on Wintershall deal

(Sharecast News) - FTSE 250: 19,558.10, -0.36%

Harbour Energy surged on Thursday after saying it has agreed to buy the upstream assets of German oil and gas producer Wintershall Dea from shareholders BASF and LetterOne for $11.2bn.

The target portfolio includes all of Wintershall's upstream assets in Norway, Germany, Denmark, Argentina, Mexico, Egypt, Libya and Algeria as well as its CO2 Capture and Storage (CCS) licences in Europe. The Russian assets are excluded.

Harbour said the deal is expected to transform it into "one of the world's largest and most geographically diverse independent oil and gas companies", adding material gas-weighted portfolios in Norway and Argentina and complementary growth projects in Mexico.

The company will also benefit from an increased reserve life and improved margins with lower operating costs and greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity.

Harbour Energy chief executive Linda Z Cook said: "Today's announcement marks Harbour's fourth major acquisition and the most transformational step yet in our journey to build a uniquely positioned, large-scale, geographically diverse independent oil and gas company.

"The addition of Wintershall Dea's assets will increase our production to over 500 kboepd, extend our reserves life, and enhance our margins and cash flow, all supporting enhanced shareholder returns over the longer run.

"Importantly, the acquisition also advances our energy transition objectives by shifting our portfolio towards natural gas, lowering our GHG emissions intensity and expanding our CCS interests into new European markets."

Carnival released its fourth quarter and full-year earnings on Thursday, reporting record-breaking revenues, reaching an all-time high of $21.6bn.

The FTSE 250 cruise giant said cash from operations for the year totalled $4.3bn, with adjusted free cash flow of $2.1bn.

Despite a US GAAP net loss of $74m, the company outperformed its guidance range from September.

Additionally, it achieved a positive adjusted net income of $1m.

Carnival said it made debt payments of $6bn in the year, thus reducing its debt balance by $4.6bn from its peak in the first quarter of the year and ending the year with $5.4bn of liquidity.

Heading into 2024, Carnival said it was in its best booking position ever regarding price and occupancy.

Looking at the fourth quarter specifically, Carnival achieved record revenue of $5.4bn.

Net per diems in constant currency exceeded 2019 levels, surpassing the September guidance range, and record net yields at constant exchange rates.

The firm's performance around Black Friday and Cyber Monday was described as exceptional, with booking volumes reaching an all-time high for the period.

Total customer deposits in the fourth quarter also set a new record of $6.4bn.

That marked a 25% increase over the prior fourth quarter record of $5.1bn as of 30 November.

"We ended the year on a high note with another record-breaking quarter that exceeded expectations and achieved positive full year adjusted net income," said chief executive officer Josh Weinstein.

"In fact, we consistently outperformed in all four quarters of the year, buoyed by a strengthening demand environment across all our brands.

"Net yields for the fourth quarter continued on a positive trajectory, were significantly higher than a very strong 2019 and even higher than we had anticipated, enabling us to overcome four years of high-cost inflation to deliver five per cent higher per unit EBITDA than 2019, holding fuel and currency constant."

After the decisive second half, Weinstein said Carnival was already ahead of its plan to achieve 'SEA Change', its three-year financial targets calling for the highest adjusted ROIC and adjusted EBITDA per ALBD in nearly two decades.

"Based on our 2024 guidance, we expect to deliver another big step forward, positioning us more than halfway toward realising all our 2026 SEA Change targets.

"With nearly two-thirds of 2024 on the books already, we are well positioned to obtain another year of record revenues and adjusted EBITDA."

At 1425 GMT, shares in Carnival were down 0.86% in London at 1,319.5p.

FTSE 250 - Risers

Harbour Energy (HBR) 300.00p 22.95% Carnival (CCL) 1,384.00p 3.98% Tullow Oil (TLW) 37.70p 2.72% NextEnergy Solar Fund Limited Red (NESF) 89.20p 2.53% Future (FUTR) 761.50p 2.49% Baltic Classifieds Group (BCG) 238.50p 2.13% easyJet (EZJ) 518.40p 2.01% RIT Capital Partners (RCP) 1,836.00p 1.67% Telecom Plus (TEP) 1,602.00p 1.65% Drax Group (DRX) 483.20p 1.64%

FTSE 250 - Fallers

Darktrace (DARK) 349.80p -6.99% HGCapital Trust (HGT) 427.00p -4.79% Syncona Limited NPV (SYNC) 116.20p -4.63% Tritax Eurobox (GBP) (EBOX) 59.90p -4.01% Trustpilot Group (TRST) 143.40p -3.17% Britvic (BVIC) 845.00p -2.98% RHI Magnesita N.V. (DI) (RHIM) 3,366.00p -2.72% Just Group (JUST) 83.50p -2.68% Tyman (TYMN) 308.00p -2.68% Mitie Group (MTO) 98.90p -2.66%