Retail traders cited dividend potential and improved energy outlook as key bullish drivers after Chevron’s legal win over Exxon and CNOOC cleared the way for its Hess deal.

In this photo illustration, the logo of Chevron Corporation is displayed on a smartphone screen, with the company's iconic red and blue branding visible in the background. (Photo illustration by Cheng Xin/Getty Images)

Shivani Kumaresan·Stocktwits

Published Jul 18, 2025 | 10:47 AM GMT-04

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Retail traders on Stocktwits praised Chevron Corp.’s (CVX) key legal battle win, removing a significant roadblock in its $53 billion plan to acquire Hess Corp. (HES).

According to a CNBC report, the International Chamber of Commerce decided against ExxonMobil Corp. (XOM) and China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC), which claimed they had the first opportunity to acquire Hess's 30% stake in the valuable Stabroek Block.

Chevron stock traded up more than 1% on Friday morning, following the completion of the acquisition.

A bullish user stated that Chevron holds good risk-reward potential after the deal.

Another user said the legal win paves the way for a huge dividend yield.

An ExxonMobil trader commented that, with the end of the legal dispute, Exxon should now concentrate on its shareholders.

The arbitration centered on whether Exxon and its partner CNOOC had legal grounds to block the transaction under joint operating agreements tied to the offshore Guyanese asset.

Exxon operates the Stabroek Block with a 45% stake, while CNOOC holds a 25% stake, and Hess owns the remaining 30%.

Despite disagreeing with the panel’s interpretation, Exxon acknowledged the outcome.

“We disagree with the ICC panel’s interpretation but respect the arbitration and dispute resolution process. As we’ve said before, ExxonMobil and CNOOC are aligned that we had a duty to ensure contract terms are always adhered to and not set a bad precedent for ourselves and industry,” Exxon said in a statement on Friday.

The uncertainty had been a drag on Chevron’s stock in recent months, with the stock adding just 5% year-to-date and shedding 6% in the past 12 months.

Through the acquisition, Chevron aims to reduce costs by $1 billion by the end of 2025.

Also See: Top Tech Stocks With Most Retail Chatter: Bit Origin Rockets On Dogecoin Plan, Netflix Beats Q2, Inuvo Climbs

For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.

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