Why Hess' Shares Popped

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of energy company Hess jumped as much as 13.3% today after an activist investors made suggestions to unlock value.

So what: Hedge fund Elliott Management, which currently owns 4% of the company, has nominated five executives to the board of directors in an effort to break up the company. The fund thinks Hess should sell its Bakken assets, retail assets, and other businesses and move its infrastructure assets into a master limited partnership.

Now what: According to the fund, the stock could be worth $126 per share, more than double its closing price yesterday if these moves are executed. Activist moves can be risky for investors to bet on, because management has the power to freeze them out or not act on proposals. I wouldn't buy on this move alone, but it is a time to take a fresh look at your investment thesis. This could bolster a bullish thesis, because it may force management to move more quickly to unlock value.

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The article Why Hess' Shares Popped originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Travis Hoium has no position in any stocks mentioned. You can follow Travis on Twitter at @FlushDrawFool, check out his personal stock holdings, or follow his CAPS picks at TMFFlushDraw. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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