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Investing.com -- S&P Global Ratings has upgraded Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp. to ’BB-’ from ’B+’ with a stable outlook, citing the company’s track record of maintaining strong credit measures and prudent financial policies. The rating agency noted that Magnolia targets leverage below 1.0x (debt to EBITDAX) and follows a disciplined capital allocation strategy, limiting capital spending to 55% of annual EBITDAX while returning capital to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases. This approach has enabled Magnolia to generate strong free cash flow, even during periods of lower commodity prices, while increasing production by approximately 60% since 2018. S&P expects the company’s funds from operations (FFO) to debt to remain above 100% and debt to EBITDA below 1.0x over the next two years. Magnolia maintains a conservative balance sheet with $400 million of 6.875% senior unsecured notes due 2032, an undrawn $450 million reserve-based lending facility maturing in 2029, and approximately $252 million in cash as of the end of the second quarter of 2025. S&P projects Magnolia will expand production by 10% this year, reaching approximately 99,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (about 69% liquids), with capital expenditure of $430 million-$470 million. The company plans to defer roughly six well completions into 2026 to maintain operational flexibility. Magnolia has demonstrated a disciplined approach to shareholder returns, with long-term annual dividend growth averaging about 10% and a goal of repurchasing at least 1% of outstanding shares each quarter. The company returned about 90% of excess cash flow in 2024 and approximately 72% of free operating cash flow in the second quarter of 2025. S&P anticipates Magnolia will return about 85% of its annual free operating cash flow going forward, with remaining discretionary cash flow likely allocated toward small accretive bolt-on acquisitions in South Texas. The company has completed about $40 million of acquisitions year to date, bringing total acquisition spending to about $650 million since 2022. Despite steady production expansion, Magnolia’s size and scale remain smaller than similarly rated peers. As of year-end 2024, the company had 192 million barrels of oil equivalent of proved reserves, with about 78% classified as proved developed. All reserves and production are located in South Texas, specifically in the Eagle Ford Shale and Austin Chalk formations. The stable outlook reflects S&P’s view that Magnolia will maintain strong credit measures over the next two years while expanding its production base and demonstrating a conservative financial policy. This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C. With MGY making headlines, savvy investors are asking: Is it truly valued fairly? In a market full of overpriced darlings, identifying true value can be challenging. InvestingPro's advanced AI algorithms have analyzed MGY alongside thousands of other stocks to uncover hidden gems. These undervalued stocks, potentially including MGY, could offer substantial returns as the market corrects. In 2024 alone, our AI identified several undervalued stocks that later surged by 30 or more. Is MGY poised for similar growth? Don't miss the opportunity to find out.

Justicia Shipena  Namibia will not tolerate practices in the oil and gas industry that deny citizens their fair share of benefits, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has warned.  She said the government will strictly monitor activities to ensure compliance with laws, regulations, and the local content policy. Nandi-Ndaitwah made the remarks at the Namibia Oil and Gas Conference on Wednesday in a speech delivered on her behalf by Kornelia Shilunga, head of the Upstream Petroleum Unit in the Presidency. The third edition of the conference draws 1,161 delegates and 73 exhibitors and takes place in Windhoek under the theme “From Exploration to Action: Positioning Namibia as the Next Energy Frontier.” The conference is taking place at a time when Namibia is estimated to have reserves of 11 billion barrels of oil and 2.2 trillion cubic feet of gas.  “Our natural resources are national assets, and their development must always serve the public good. We will not tolerate practices that undermine the Namibian people’s rightful share of the benefits,” she said.  Nandi-Ndaitwah said oil and gas successes will be measured not by barrels extracted but by the number of lives improved.  She said oil and gas must drive industrialisation, job creation, skills development, and local ownership.  “Local content development is not just a policy on paper; it is a non-negotiable pillar of our oil and gas governance,” she said. At the same event, deputy prime minister and minister of industries, mines and energy, Natangue Ithete, called for unity in managing the resources.  He warned against the “resource curse” seen in other countries.  “We refuse to become another cautionary tale. Our government’s pledge is clear: every barrel, every cubic foot, must translate into jobs, infrastructure, and opportunities for Namibians,” he said.  He told investors Namibia welcomes partnerships under conditions that protect the environment, respect communities, and share benefits fairly.  To citizens, he said, “This is your oil, your gas, your future rise; prepare and take your place in this new frontier.” The conference, endorsed by the ministry of industries, mines and energy, is hosted by the Economic Association of Namibia (EAN) in partnership with the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), Hanns Seidel Foundation, Namcor, and SNC Incorporated. The conference opened with Future Generations Masterclasses, a collaboration with the Namibia Energy Youth Forum. Over 60 young people took part, learning about career paths and industry opportunities and engaging with experienced professionals. EAN chairperson Jason Kasuto said recent Orange Basin discoveries have made Namibia one of the most attractive global investment destinations in oil and gas.  He called for responsible, sustainable resource development and a fully integrated value chain covering upstream, midstream, and downstream activities.  The secretary general of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), Mohamed Hamel, said Namibia can inspire Africa’s energy future by harnessing its natural gas resources.  He said the country’s gas reserves can be developed to build a green energy hub by investing in infrastructure and integrating gas into local manufacturing, transport, and electrification. “So, Namibia stands today not only as a new energy player but also as a symbol of what is possible when Asia leads leadership. With natural gas as a pillar, Namibia can accelerate its development, strengthen its programme, and inspire our continent,” Hamel said. According to the latest Global Gas Outlook, global energy demand will grow by 18% by 2050, driven by economic growth and a population increase of 1.8 billion people, including 1 billion in Africa.  Natural gas demand is expected to grow by 34% over the same period.

Investing.com -- Adnoc Gas on Wednesday reported a 16% increase in second-quarter net profit to $1.39 billion on Wednesday, reaching a new quarterly record despite challenging market conditions. The Abu Dhabi-owned company saw its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) climb 8% to $2.26 billion compared to the same period last year. Adnoc Gas attributed its positive results to growing domestic gas sales, which increased 3% year-on-year. The company’s divisional earnings from domestic gas operations rose 23% to $920 million. Looking ahead, Adnoc Gas raised its full-year 2025 guidance, now expecting an Ebitda margin of around 36%, up from its previous forecast of approximately 35%. The company also revised its domestic gas sales projection to between 2,410 trillion and 2,450 trillion British thermal units, higher than its earlier guidance of 2,340 trillion to 2,370 trillion BTU. This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

‘Fast-track oil, gas infrastructure’ …interest grows in Namibia’s hydrocarbon resources  New Era Newspaper

Turkmenistan’s long-standing rhetoric of “positive neutrality” is now less of an ideological posture and more of a practical mode of functioning. The attempt

Investing.com -- Kazakhstan’s energy ministry announced on Wednesday it has terminated plans for a gas processing plant at the Karachaganak field that would have involved the field’s current operators. The ministry stated it is now looking to engage domestic companies in the project instead, though no further details were provided about this new direction. The Karachaganak field is currently operated by the Karachaganak Petroleum Operating (KPO) consortium. This consortium includes several international energy companies with varying ownership stakes: Italy’s Eni and Shell each hold 29.25%, American oil giant Chevron (NYSE:CVX) owns 18%, Russian Lukoil has a 13.5% share, and Kazakhstan’s state-owned KazMunayGaz holds the remaining 10%. This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C. With CVX making headlines, savvy investors are asking: Is it truly valued fairly? In a market full of overpriced darlings, identifying true value can be challenging. InvestingPro's advanced AI algorithms have analyzed CVX alongside thousands of other stocks to uncover hidden gems. These undervalued stocks, potentially including CVX, could offer substantial returns as the market corrects. In 2024 alone, our AI identified several undervalued stocks that later surged by 30 or more. Is CVX poised for similar growth? Don't miss the opportunity to find out.

Nam seeks oil, gas investments …targets US-Africa Business Summit for partnerships  New Era Namibia