Nemes Rush Group fully exits Viper Energy position amid market volatility
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 29 2025
0mins
Should l Buy VNOM?
Source: Fool
Viper Energy Inc shares fell by 5.23% today, crossing below the 5-day SMA, as the broader market showed strength with the Nasdaq-100 up 0.69% and the S&P 500 up 0.67%.
The decline follows Nemes Rush Group's complete exit from its position in Viper Energy, liquidating 319,503 shares valued at approximately $12.18 million. This move reflects a cautious outlook on the company's future performance, especially as Viper Energy has underperformed the S&P 500 over the past year, down 20% compared to the index's 15.5% gain. Despite producing over 108,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day and generating significant cash flow, the company reported a net loss due to non-cash impairment charges, raising concerns about its profitability model.
This exit by a significant investor highlights the ongoing volatility in energy stocks and suggests a lack of confidence in Viper Energy's future earnings potential, which could further impact its stock performance.
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Analyst Views on VNOM
Wall Street analysts forecast VNOM stock price to rise
11 Analyst Rating
11 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 46.980
Low
41.00
Averages
50.80
High
64.00
Current: 46.980
Low
41.00
Averages
50.80
High
64.00
About VNOM
Viper Energy, Inc. owns, acquires and exploits oil and natural gas properties in North America, with a focus on owning and acquiring mineral and royalty interests in oil-weighted basins, primarily the Permian Basin. The Company owns approximately 85,700 net royalty acres in the Permian Basin.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Increased Production Guidance: Management raised the midpoint of its full-year oil production guidance by approximately 2.5%, suggesting over 5% organic growth relative to the 2025 exit rate, reflecting confidence in future performance.
- Acquisition Announcement: Viper announced the acquisition of Riverbend for $337 million in cash and 3.7 million Class A shares, expected to add over 3,000 net royalty acres and approximately 2,000 barrels of oil production per day, with a 75% overlap with existing acreage, enhancing market positioning.
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- Forward Yield: The forward yield of 2.98% reflects the company's attractiveness in the current market environment, potentially boosting shareholder confidence and stabilizing the stock price.
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- Share Repurchase Program: In Q1 2026, the company repurchased 2.2 million shares at an aggregate cost of approximately $96 million, averaging $43.59 per share, which not only boosts EPS but also demonstrates management's confidence in the company's value.
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- Attractive Valuation: Analysts noted that Viper Energy's current valuation at approximately 7.4x earnings makes it relatively cheap following Diamondback Energy (FANG) share sales, which could attract more investor interest in the stock.
- Buyback Plans: Viper Energy is projected to execute its largest stock buyback in 2026, having already repurchased around $216 million worth of shares in Q1, showcasing strong capital management capabilities and potential for continued buybacks in Q2.
- Market Environment: As a royalty owner with no capital commitments, Viper Energy historically outperforms in inflationary service environments, and is expected to benefit from both rising oil prices and increased production volumes, further solidifying its market position in the Permian region.
See More
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- Production Exceeds Expectations: Viper Energy's Q1 2026 production surpassed expectations, with operators turning over 650 gross horizontal wells on its acreage, including 114 from Diamondback, indicating strong momentum in the oil and gas market.
- Increased Production Guidance: Management raised the midpoint of its full-year oil production guidance by approximately 2.5%, suggesting over 5% organic growth relative to the 2025 exit rate, reflecting confidence in future performance.
- Acquisition Announcement: Viper announced the acquisition of Riverbend for $337 million in cash and 3.7 million Class A shares, expected to add over 3,000 net royalty acres and approximately 2,000 barrels of oil production per day, with a 75% overlap with existing acreage, enhancing market positioning.
- Capital Return Strategy: The first-quarter capital return of $0.94 per share represents 90% of cash available for distribution, including a $0.68 dividend and $0.28 in stock repurchases, demonstrating a proactive approach to capital allocation.
See More
Viper Energy Declares Quarterly Dividend of $0.38 per Share
- Quarterly Dividend Declaration: Viper Energy has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.38 per share, consistent with previous distributions, indicating the company's stable cash flow and profitability, which is likely to attract more investor interest.
- Forward Yield: The forward yield of 2.98% reflects the company's attractiveness in the current market environment, potentially boosting shareholder confidence and stabilizing the stock price.
- Variable Cash Dividend: The Board also announced a variable cash dividend of $0.30 per Class A common share for Q1 2026, payable on May 21, 2026, demonstrating the company's confidence in future profitability.
- Earnings Beat: Viper Energy reported a non-GAAP EPS of $1.22, exceeding expectations by $0.69, showcasing the company's strong performance in the oil and gas sector, which may further enhance market optimism regarding its stock.
See More
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- Company Overview: Viper Energy Inc. reported its average production for Q1 2026.
- Production Figures: The average production was noted to be 65,000 barrels of oil per day (BOD).
See More
Viper Energy Reports Q1 2026 Earnings and Guidance
- Earnings Beat: Viper Energy's Q1 2026 Non-GAAP EPS of $1.22 exceeded expectations by $0.69, indicating a significant improvement in profitability that is likely to positively impact stock performance.
- Production and Revenue Growth: The average production for Q1 2026 was 65,000 bo/d, with lease bonus income reaching $15 million, reflecting robust growth in both output and revenue, which enhances market confidence.
- Share Repurchase Program: In Q1 2026, the company repurchased 2.2 million shares at an aggregate cost of approximately $96 million, averaging $43.59 per share, which not only boosts EPS but also demonstrates management's confidence in the company's value.
- Debt Management Improvement: As of March 31, 2026, net debt decreased to $1.59 billion, down $600 million from December 31, 2025, indicating significant progress in financial management that is likely to bolster investor confidence.
See More
Analysis of Small-Cap Stock Opportunities and Risks
- STAAR Surgical Performance Decline: STAAR Surgical, with a market cap of $1.32 billion, has seen a 13.8% revenue decline over the past two years as customers postponed purchases, indicating weak market demand that could hinder future growth potential.
- Deteriorating Cash Flow: The company's free cash flow margin has dropped by 29.9 percentage points over the last five years, suggesting that STAAR's capital-intensive operations are facing challenges in an increasingly competitive environment, which may lead to decreased investor confidence.
- Strong Growth for monday.com: monday.com, valued at $3.45 billion, has averaged 26.9% ARR growth, with its software considered mission-critical by customers, indicating strong market demand and customer stickiness, which may allow for continued market share expansion.
- Viper Energy's Clear Advantages: Viper Energy, with a market cap of $9.29 billion, has achieved a superb 34% annual revenue growth over the past decade, and its 100% gross margin along with a 5.4 percentage point EBITDA margin expansion demonstrate the company's competitive strength and profitability in resource extraction.
See More
Viper Energy Upgraded to Buy by Jefferies with $55 Target
- Rating Upgrade: Jefferies upgraded Viper Energy (VNOM) from Hold to Buy with a price target raised from $43 to $55, indicating the company is well-positioned to capitalize on the rising oil price environment and increasing inflationary pressures.
- Attractive Valuation: Analysts noted that Viper Energy's current valuation at approximately 7.4x earnings makes it relatively cheap following Diamondback Energy (FANG) share sales, which could attract more investor interest in the stock.
- Buyback Plans: Viper Energy is projected to execute its largest stock buyback in 2026, having already repurchased around $216 million worth of shares in Q1, showcasing strong capital management capabilities and potential for continued buybacks in Q2.
- Market Environment: As a royalty owner with no capital commitments, Viper Energy historically outperforms in inflationary service environments, and is expected to benefit from both rising oil prices and increased production volumes, further solidifying its market position in the Permian region.
See More
