British multinational BP is currently preparing the sale of its lubricant unit, which is sold under the household name Castrol. The well-known brand is renowned for offering a wide range of high-quality lubricants, from industrial grease to gear oil.
Experts estimate that the current value of Castrol lubricants is around $10 billion (7,902,850,000.00 GBP).
The plan to sell its lubrication business comes alongside BP’s new initiative to abandon its ambitions to decrease gas and oil output. The move away from renewables is reportedly sparked by pressure from Elliott Investment Management, the US activist investor.
In a recent strategy presentation, Murray Auchincloss, CEO for BP, promised to reset the oil major. BP has experienced financial struggles after heavily investing in clean energy for five years and leaving investors dissatisfied with company returns. Elliott Investment Management’s next steps will depend on how bold a plan the BP CEO suggests, but the investor is well-known for aggressive tactics.
Industry experts believe that BP’s plans to divest the Castrol brand could fortify the multinational’s current balance sheet, bolstering investor returns and allowing it to compete better with other companies in the sector.
Bernard Looney, BP’s former CEO, made an incorrect assumption that oil consumption had peaked already and pledged a 25 per cent reduction in output by the year 2030. Now, the British power major’s initiative to cut gas and oil is set to end, and its targets to ramp up renewable energy generation are due to diminish.
