Ecopetrol Acquires 26% Stake in Brava
Ecopetrol announced that it entered into a share purchase agreement with Jive, Yellowstone and Bloco Somah Printemps Quantum, which together constitute a group of significant shareholders holding approximately 26% of the outstanding common shares of the Brazilian company Brava Energia, for the acquisition by Ecopetrol, or one of its affiliates or subsidiaries within the Ecopetrol Group, of 120,813,490 shares of Brava, representing approximately 26% of Brava's share capital. Brava was incorporated in 2024 from the merger between 3R Petroleum Oleo e Gas and Enauta Participacoes, two oil and gas companies operating in Brazil. Brava currently conducts crude oil and natural gas production activities in offshore and onshore fields across multiple basins in Brazil as well as participates in the midstream and downstream segments. As of December 2025, according to Brava's public information, the company reported EBITDA of $806M, with an EBITDA margin of 39%. The completion of this transaction is subject to certain customary conditions precedent, including, among others, approval by Brazil's Administrative Council for Economic Defense, the grant of certain waivers and consents considering Brava's financing instruments and relevant commercial agreements, as well as the purchase by Ecopetrol, or one of its affiliates or subsidiaries within the Ecopetrol Group, of the number of shares required to achieve a 51% controlling stake of Brava's voting share capital. Therefore, Ecopetrol, or one of its affiliates or subsidiaries within the Ecopetrol Group, plans to launch a voluntary tender offer on the B3 stock exchange in Brazil, at a price of R$23.00 per share, to acquire the additional number of Brava shares required to secure a 51% equity interest in the company. This offer price represents a premium of approximately 27.8% over the volume-weighted average price of the company's shares during the 90 trading days immediately preceding the date of this announcement. The tender offer is addressed to all of Brava's shareholders, ensuring equal treatment and conditions, and will be subject to applicable regulatory requirements and certain conditions precedent. Ecopetrol S.A., or one of its affiliates or subsidiaries within the Ecopetrol Group expects to secure the funding required to consummate the transaction through a bridge loan, subject to the fulfillment of the applicable conditions precedent. Upon completion of the transaction, the Ecopetrol Group would incorporate pro-rata 1P reserves based on its ownership interest from Brava's total reported reserves of 459M barrels of oil equivalent as of year-end 2025, under the Petroleum Resources Management System standard, through a portfolio of offshore and onshore assets. In addition, the transaction would allow the immediate addition of pro-rata production from Brava's average reported production of approximately 81,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2025. The transaction is expected to contribute to metrics such as ROACE and EBITDA.
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- New Agreement Effective: Ecopetrol has reached a new collective bargaining agreement with its main workers' union, effective from January 1, 2026, for six years, aimed at improving employee working conditions and benefits.
- Multiple Agreements Signed: The company has entered into 66 final agreements with other participating labor unions, which include enhancements in health, education, and diversity and inclusion initiatives, demonstrating the company's commitment to employee welfare.
- Union Demands and Protests: The USO union had sought a pay increase of inflation plus 20% in the first year, followed by inflation plus 10% for the next four years, along with shorter working hours, reflecting strong worker concerns over compensation and working conditions.
- Strike Context: Earlier this month, the USO union launched a 24-hour strike protesting the deadlock in negotiations over the new collective agreement, representing 25,000 workers employed directly by Ecopetrol and its contractors, highlighting the tense labor relations environment.
- ETF Decline: The iShares Global Energy ETF is down approximately 4.6% in Monday afternoon trading, indicating a weak sentiment in the energy sector that could impact investor confidence and lead to capital outflows.
- Weak Individual Stocks: Within the ETF, shares of Ecopetrol fell by about 5.6%, while Petroleo Brasileiro dropped by approximately 5.2%, reflecting the vulnerability of these companies in the current market environment, which may affect their future financing and investment plans.
- Market Sentiment Impact: The poor performance of the global energy ETF may be linked to overall market sentiment, with heightened investor concerns over energy price volatility potentially driving more capital towards defensive assets.
- Investor Strategy Adjustment: Given the ongoing weakness in the energy sector, investors may need to reassess their portfolios and consider seeking investment opportunities in other industries with greater growth potential to mitigate risks and enhance returns.
- Collective Bargaining Outcome: On June 13, 2026, Ecopetrol reached a six-year collective bargaining agreement with the Oil Workers Union, aimed at improving employee working conditions and benefits, thereby enhancing relationships with stakeholders and overall employee well-being.
- Transparent Negotiation Process: The agreement was achieved through over 990 sessions characterized by dialogue and respect, reflecting the company's commitment to valuing employees and union representatives, which further solidifies its leadership position in the industry.
- Commitment to Social Investment: The new agreement includes improvements in health, education, and diversity initiatives, demonstrating Ecopetrol's dedication to social responsibility and sustainable development, with the goal of enhancing long-term competitiveness through increased employee satisfaction.
- Future Steps Planning: The company plans to formally submit the agreement in the coming days and conduct nationwide sessions with the union to ensure all employees understand the agreement, further promoting communication and trust between the company and its workforce.
- Collective Bargaining Outcome: Ecopetrol has finalized a six-year collective bargaining agreement with the Oil Workers Union, effective January 1, 2026, which includes improvements in working conditions and enhanced health and education benefits, demonstrating the company's commitment to employee welfare.
- Transparent Negotiation Process: The agreement was reached after over 990 negotiation sessions characterized by dialogue and mutual respect, reflecting strong communication between the company and the union, thereby strengthening relationships with key stakeholders.
- Commitment to Social Investment: The agreement includes various social investment initiatives aimed at enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, which are intended to improve the quality of life for employees and their families while aligning with the company's cost discipline principles.
- Planned Next Steps: Ecopetrol expects to formalize the agreement in the coming days and conduct nationwide sessions with the union to ensure employees fully understand the agreement, thereby enhancing internal cohesion within the company.
- Collective Bargaining Outcome: On June 13, 2026, Ecopetrol reached a six-year collective bargaining agreement with the Oil Workers Union, aimed at improving employee working conditions and benefits, thereby enhancing overall employee well-being and the company's public image.
- Transparent Negotiation Process: The agreement was achieved after over 990 direct negotiation sessions, reflecting a commitment to dialogue, mutual respect, and collaborative engagement between the company and the union, showcasing the company's proactive stance in labor relations.
- Commitment to Social Investment: The agreement includes enhancements to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, indicating the company's dedication to social investment, which aims to strengthen relationships with key stakeholders and promote long-term sustainable growth.
- Planned Next Steps: The company intends to formalize the agreement and file it with the Ministry of Labor in the coming days, and the negotiating teams will conduct nationwide sessions to communicate the agreement details to employees, ensuring transparency and engagement.
- Strong Stock Performance: Ecopetrol's stock rose by 1.97% to $16.58 in the recent trading session, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 0.5%, indicating robust performance in the oil and gas sector.
- Significant Monthly Gain: Over the past month, Ecopetrol's shares surged 23%, significantly exceeding the Oils-Energy sector's decline of 2.9% and the S&P 500's loss of 0.23%, reflecting its enhanced market competitiveness.
- Optimistic Earnings Outlook: The upcoming earnings report is projected to show earnings per share of $0.6, a 66.67% increase year-over-year, with revenue expected at $7.7 billion, a 2.66% rise, further boosting investor confidence.
- Valuation Advantage: Ecopetrol's forward P/E ratio stands at 6.65, below the industry average of 7.95, and its PEG ratio of 0.76 indicates attractive valuation within the sector, potentially drawing more investor interest.









