BP Sells 65% of Castrol to Stonepeak for $6 Billion

In a major move to reduce debt and enhance shareholder returns, BP has announced the sale of a 65% stake in its Castrol lubricants division to U.S. private equity firm Stonepeak for approximately $6 billion. This transaction values Castrol at $10.1 billion and is part of BP's broader strategy to divest $20 billion in assets, addressing underperformance in share value compared to rivals. As part of the agreement, BP will maintain a 35% share in a newly formed joint venture with Stonepeak, with plans to divest its interest after a two-year lock-in period. Following the announcement, BP shares initially rose by over 1% before settling slightly lower. RBC analysts noted that while Castrol's value appears significant, the enterprise value reduces to about $8 billion after accounting for minority interests. They expressed concerns about the long-term implications of selling such a profitable and low-volatility asset, despite the short-term benefits of debt reduction. The transaction includes $800 million earmarked for accelerated dividends, contributing to a targeted decrease in BP's net debt from $26 billion to an anticipated range of $14 billion to $18 billion by the end of 2027. The deal is expected to finalize by the end of 2026. Furthermore, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is set to invest $1.05 billion in this deal, securing an indirect stake in Castrol. With private equity firms sitting on around $2 trillion in unallocated capital, there is growing interest in acquisitions from conglomerates divesting non-core assets as demonstrated in recent months. This divestiture follows earlier efforts by BP to streamline its holdings, which include the recent appointment of Meg O'Neill as the new CEO and plans to focus more sharply on its core oil and gas operations.