HOUSTON, Jan 5, 2026, 07:21 ET
- Occidental rose about 3% in early trading after closing the $9.7 billion OxyChem sale
- Berkshire takes control of a top U.S. PVC and chlor-alkali producer, with management staying in place
- Occidental retained certain legacy environmental and tort liabilities tied to past operations
Occidental Petroleum shares rose about 3% to $42.38 in early trading on Monday after Berkshire Hathaway closed its purchase of Occidental’s chemical business, OxyChem.
The deal hands Occidental a rare lump of cash and removes an entire business line, leaving the Houston-based producer more tightly tied to oil and gas markets. Investors have been watching for signs the company can strengthen its finances while sticking to its core portfolio.
For Berkshire, the acquisition adds a big U.S. industrial asset to a sprawling group that ranges from insurers to railroads and utilities. OxyChem’s products tend to track broad economic demand — from building materials to water-treatment chemicals — rather than commodity swings alone.
Occidental said the sale of OxyChem to Berkshire was completed for $9.7 billion in cash, subject to customary purchase price adjustments — post-closing true-ups that can change the final payment. “This transaction accelerates our strategy to strengthen Occidental’s balance sheet and focus on our deep and diverse oil and gas portfolio,” CEO Vicki Hollub said. 1
Berkshire said OxyChem is headquartered in Dallas and operates across the United States, Canada and Latin America, and that the business will continue to be managed by OxyChem President and CEO Wade Alleman. It described OxyChem as a top-three U.S. manufacturer of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) — a plastic widely used in pipes and other building products — and chlor-alkali, which produces chlorine and caustic soda from saltwater. 2
A regulatory filing showed the transaction stems from a purchase agreement dated Oct. 1, 2025, and that Occidental provided unaudited pro forma financial statements illustrating how results would look without the chemicals segment. 3
OxyChem competes in U.S. markets dominated by a handful of large producers, including Westlake and Olin, where pricing and volumes can swing with construction, manufacturing and infrastructure spending. PVC demand, in particular, is closely watched as a gauge of building activity.
The sale is not a clean break. Occidental said a subsidiary retained OxyChem’s legacy tort claims and environmental liabilities tied mainly to historical operations outside the footprint of the facilities sold, and it expects remediation spending to extend for years. The purchase price adjustments also leave room for the cash proceeds to move after closing.
