News
19/05/25
Phillips 66 vote could change company's course
Houston, 19 May (Argus) — Just four of Phillips 66's 14 board members are up for
election at its annual meeting this week, but the outcome could shape the future
direction of the US refiner and midstream operator. Activist hedge fund Elliott
Investment Management has named four of its own candidates for the vote which
will come to a conclusion on 21 May, part of its multi-year effort to push the
company to sell assets and focus on core businesses. Elliott, which has amassed
a $2.5bn stake in Phillips 66, contends that the company has consistently
trailed its industry peers and needs to streamline operations, including
spinning off or selling its midstream business, selling its stake in Chevron
Phillips Chemical (CPChem), and possibly other assets. Phillips 66 has told
shareholders that Elliot is pushing "an aggressive short-term agenda" that would
cause disruption, slow momentum and jeopardize shareholders' investments. It
says the Phillips 66 board and management team are implementing a
"transformative strategy" that has delivered results, expanded its NGL business,
improved its refining cost structure and continues to position CPChem as the
lowest cost producer of ethylene. "We don't act out of fear or short-term
trends," Phillips 66 chief executive office Mark Lashier said in a first quarter
earnings call last month. "We act on what we believe will create the most
long-term value for our shareholders each and every time." Turning up the heat
Elliott alleges that Phillips 66 suffers from "continuous poor corporate
governance" and "disingenuous shareholder engagement." Elliott said its
proposals could push Phillips 66 stock to more than $200 per share. The stock
was trading near $124 per share Monday morning. Elliott's campaign has grown
more aggressive in the months leading up to this week's shareholder meeting. It
includes launching a website dubbed "Streamline 66" with slide shows, podcasts,
biographies of its dissident board nominees, press releases and information on
how shareholders can vote by mail, phone or online. Elliott nominees include
Brian Coffman, former chief executive at Motiva; Sigmund Cornelius, former chief
financial officer of ConocoPhillips; Michael Heim, former chief operating
officer of Targa Resources; and Stacy Nieuwoudt, former energy analyst at
Citadel. Three top shareholder advisory firms are backing the Elliott nominees
in the proxy fight. Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Egan-Jones are
recommending all four of Elliot's dissident nominees, while Glass Lewis is
backing three of the four — and supporting Phillips 66 nominee Nigel Hearne, a
35-year veteran of Chevron, because his experience "is more critical at this
juncture". Phillips 66 pushback Phillips 66 has made some adjustments since
Elliot started to agitate for change. In February 2024 it appointed former
Motiva and Cenovus downstream executive Robert Pease to the board to address
Elliott's concerns about a shift in focus from refining to midstream. And this
year it agreed to sell off some of its European retail business , and expects
about $1.6bn in pre-tax cash proceeds from the sale that it will use toward debt
reduction and shareholder returns. But for the other Elliott recommendations to
divest from midstream and sell its 50pc share of CPChem, Phillips 66 said the
board has evaluated them and "came to the conclusion that neither action is in
the best interest of long-term shareholders at this time". In additon to Hearne,
Phillips 66's slate for the open board seats includes putting up Pease and
current director John Lowe for re-election and nominating Howard Ungerleider, a
former Dow president and chief financial officer. Current board members Gary
Adams and Denise Ramos will not stand for re-election. Analysts with US bank TD
Cowen said they "suspect Elliott could get some or all of its board members
elected" and there could be larger board turnover next year if shareholders
approve an Elliott proposal to require each director to submit a resignation to
the board every year. The most likely outcome of an Elliott win is that the
board "more deeply examines a midstream restructuring", TD Cowen said. By Eunice
Bridges Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com
Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.