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Conocophillips (COP) Risk Analysis
Risk Overview Q2, 2026
Risk Change Over Time
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1Our ability to complete the Marathon Oil acquisition is subject to various closing conditions, including regulatory clearances, which may impose conditions that could adversely affect us or cause the acquisition not to be completed.
On May 28, 2024, we entered into the Merger Agreement to acquire Marathon Oil. The Marathon Oil acquisition is subject to a number of conditions to closing as specified in the Merger Agreement. These closing conditions include, among others: - The expiration or termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the HSR Act) and certain non-U.S. antitrust approvals; and - The absence of any governmental order or law that makes consummation of the Marathon Oil acquisition illegal or otherwise prohibited. On July 11, 2024, both ConocoPhillips and Marathon Oil each received a request for additional information and documentary materials (Second Request) from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in connection with the FTC's review of the merger. Issuance of the Second Request extends the waiting period imposed by the HSR Act until 30 days after both companies have substantially complied with the Second Request, unless that period is terminated sooner by the FTC. No assurance can be given that the regulatory clearances be obtained or that the other required conditions to closing will be satisfied, and, if all required clearances are obtained and the required conditions are satisfied, no assurance can be given as to the terms, conditions and timing of such approvals and clearances, including whether any required conditions will materially adversely affect the combined company following the acquisition. Any delay in completing the Marathon Oil acquisition could cause the combined company not to achieve, or to be delayed in achieving, some or all of the expected benefits and synergies from the acquisition. We can provide no assurance that these conditions will not result in the abandonment or delay of the acquisition. The occurrence of any of these events individually or in combination could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and the trading price of our common stock.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2The market value of our common stock could decline if large amounts of our common stock are sold following the Marathon Oil acquisition.
If the Marathon Oil acquisition is consummated, ConocoPhillips will issue shares of ConocoPhillips common stock to former Marathon Oil stockholders. Former Marathon Oil stockholders may decide not to hold the shares of ConocoPhillips common stock that they will receive in the Marathon Oil acquisition, and ConocoPhillips stockholders may decide to reduce their investment in ConocoPhillips as a result of the changes to ConocoPhillips' investment profile as a result of the Marathon Oil acquisition. Other Marathon Oil stockholders, such as funds with limitations on their permitted holdings of stock in individual issuers, may be required to sell the shares of ConocoPhillips common stock that they receive in the Marathon Oil acquisition. Such sales of ConocoPhillips common stock could have the effect of depressing the market price for ConocoPhillips common stock.
- Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 3Combining our business with Marathon Oil's may be more difficult, costly or time-consuming than expected and the combined company may fail to achieve the expected benefits and synergies of the Marathon Oil acquisition, which may adversely affect the combined company's business results and negatively affect the value of the combined company's common stock.
The success of the Marathon Oil acquisition will depend on, among other things, the ability of the two companies to combine their businesses in a manner that facilitates growth opportunities and realizes expected cost savings. The combined company may encounter difficulties in integrating our and Marathon Oil's businesses and realizing the expected benefits and synergies of the Marathon Oil acquisition. If the combined company is not able to successfully achieve these objectives, the anticipated benefits of the Marathon Oil acquisition may not be realized fully, or at all, or may take longer to realize than expected. The Marathon Oil acquisition involves the combination of two companies which currently operate, and until the completion of the Marathon Oil acquisition will continue to operate, as independent public companies. There can be no assurances that our respective businesses can be integrated successfully. It is possible that the integration process could result in the loss of key employees from both companies; the loss of commercial and vendor partners; the disruption of our, Marathon Oil's or both companies' ongoing businesses; inconsistencies in standards, controls, procedures and policies; unexpected integration issues; higher than expected integration costs and an overall post-completion integration process that takes longer than originally anticipated. The combined company will be required to devote management attention and resources to integrating its business practices and operations, and prior to the Marathon Oil acquisition, management attention and resources will be required to plan for such integration. An inability to realize the full extent of the anticipated benefits of the Marathon Oil acquisition and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, as well as any delays encountered in the integration process, could have an adverse effect upon the revenues, level of expenses and operating results of the combined company, which may adversely affect the value of the common stock of the combined company. In addition, the actual integration may result in additional and unforeseen expenses, and the anticipated benefits of the integration plan may not be realized. There are a large number of processes, policies, procedures, operations and technologies and systems that must be integrated in connection with the Marathon Oil acquisition and the integration of Marathon Oil's business. Although we expect that the elimination of duplicative costs, strategic benefits, and additional income, as well as the realization of other efficiencies related to the integration of the business, may offset incremental transaction and acquisition-related costs over time, any net benefit may not be achieved in the near term or at all. If we and Marathon Oil are not able to adequately address integration challenges, we may be unable to successfully integrate operations or realize the anticipated benefits of the integration of the two companies.
- Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 4The termination of the Merger Agreement could negatively impact our business.
If the Marathon Oil acquisition is not completed for any reason, our ongoing business may be adversely affected and, without realizing any of the expected benefits of having completed the Marathon Oil acquisition, we would be subject to a number of risks, including the following: - We may experience negative reactions from the financial markets, including negative impacts on our stock price;- We may experience negative reactions from our commercial and vendor partners and employees; and - Despite our rights to receive termination fees under certain circumstances, we may be required to pay certain costs relating to the Marathon Oil acquisition, such as financial advisory, legal, financing and accounting costs and associated fees and expenses, whether or not the Marathon Oil acquisition is completed, and such termination fees, if any, we receive may be insufficient to cover all such expenses.
- Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 5Whether or not the Marathon Oil acquisition is completed, the pendency of the Marathon Oil acquisition could cause disruptions in our business, which could have an adverse effect on our business and financial results.
Whether or not the Marathon Oil acquisition is completed, the pendency of the Marathon Oil acquisition could cause disruptions in our business. Specifically: - Our and Marathon Oil's current and prospective employees will experience uncertainty about their future roles with the combined company, which might adversely affect the two companies' abilities to retain key managers and other employees;- Uncertainty regarding the completion of the Marathon Oil acquisition may cause our and Marathon Oil's commercial and vendor partners or others that deal with us or Marathon Oil to delay or defer certain business decisions or to decide to seek to terminate, change or renegotiate their relationships with us or Marathon Oil, which could negatively affect our respective revenues, earnings and cash flows; and - The attention of our and Marathon Oil's management may be directed toward the completion of the Marathon Oil acquisition, as well as integration planning, which could otherwise have been devoted to day-to-day operations or to other opportunities that may have been beneficial to our business. We have and will continue to divert significant management resources in an effort to complete the Marathon Oil acquisition and are subject to restrictions contained in the Merger Agreement on the conduct of our business. If the Marathon Oil acquisition is not completed, we will have incurred significant costs, including the diversion of management resources, for which we will have received little or no benefit.