Permian Basin Royalty Trust Declares Cash Distribution of $0.010662 per Unit
Argent Trust Company, as Trustee of the Permian Basin Royalty Trust, declared a cash distribution to the holders of its units of beneficial interest of $0.010662 per unit, payable on April 14, 2026, to unit holders of record on March 31, 2026. The distribution does not include proceeds from the Waddell Ranch properties, as total production costs exceeded gross proceeds for the month of February, resulting in a continuing excess cost position for the Waddell Ranch properties. This month's distribution decreased compared to the previous month due primarily to Texas Royalty Properties having lower oil and natural gas volumes, along with lower oil pricing, partially offset by higher natural gas pricing. Information from Blackbeard, the operator of the Waddell Ranch properties, necessary to calculate the net profits interest proceeds for a given month is received after the announcement date for the month's distribution. As a result, in accordance with the Trust indenture, if NPI proceeds are received from the Waddell Ranch properties on or prior to the record date, they will be included in the following month's distribution . As noted above, no proceeds were received by the Trustee in February 2026 to be included in the March distribution. All excess costs, including any accrued interest, will need to be recovered by future proceeds from the Waddell Ranch properties before any proceeds are distributed to the Trust. Due to the fact that Blackbeard provides production, pricing and cost information quarterly instead of monthly, the Trustee will be disclosing that information in the quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and annual reports on Form 10-K for the foreseeable future. Production for the underlying Texas Royalty Properties was 15,009 barrels of oil and 9,793 Mcf of gas. The production for the Trust's allocated portion of the Texas Royalty Properties was 13,047 barrels of oil and 8,518 Mcf of gas. The average price for oil was $56.56 per bbl and for gas was $6.02, which includes significant NGL pricing, per Mcf. This would mainly reflect production and pricing in December for oil and November for gas. These allocated volumes were impacted by the pricing of both oil and gas. This production and pricing for the underlying properties resulted in revenues for the Texas Royalty Properties of $907,884. Deducted from these revenues were taxes and expenses of $124,031 resulting in a Net Profit of $783,853 for February. With the Trust's NPI of 95% of the underlying properties, this would result in a net contribution by the Texas Royalty Properties of $744,660 to this month's distribution. On or about February 10, SoftVest, a unit holder of the Trust, mailed documents to holders of units of beneficial interest which included a cover letter, a Citation in the District Court of Tarrant County, Texas, the Original Petition for Modification of Trust in the District Court of Tarrant County, Texas seeking judicial modification of the Trust's Indenture, and the Petitioner SoftVest, Notice of Bench Trial on Petitioner's Original Petition for Modification of Trust, also collectively known as the "Unitholder Mailing". The Unitholder Mailing advises Unitholders of a hearing to be scheduled Friday, May 8, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. before the 96th District Court of Tarrant County, Tom Vandergriff Civil Courts Building, 4th Floor, 100 North Calhoun Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76196, on the merits of SoftVest's Petition pursuant to which it seeks to amend Section 8.03 of the Indenture to eliminate the requirement that certain amendments require approval by 75% of the outstanding units of the Trust, and delete Section 10.01 of the Indenture that sets forth certain prohibited amendments and replace Article X of the Indenture with a provision permitting amendment of any provision of the Indenture by a vote of unitholders in accordance with Article VIII.
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- Significant Stock Surge: Shares of Permian Basin Royalty Trust (PBT) jumped 7% to an all-time high following the announcement of a potential merger with Blackbeard Holdings, indicating strong market optimism and investor expectations for future revenue growth.
- New Company Formation Plan: SoftVest, L.P. signed a preliminary agreement to consider the creation of a new public company that would own all assets and operations of the trust along with certain Blackbeard assets, aiming to consolidate resources and enhance market competitiveness.
- Land Asset Integration: The proposed deal includes US Land Guild, expected to hold approximately 66,500 acres of land and a 15% royalty interest, which will provide a stable income source for the new company and strengthen its position in the energy market.
- Production and Price Recovery: PBT reported increased oil production from its Texas properties, with rising oil prices partially offsetting lower natural gas volumes, demonstrating the company's resilience and profitability in the current market environment.
- Merger Proposal: SoftVest and Blackbeard Holdings have entered into a preliminary non-binding term sheet proposing a merger of Permian Basin Royalty Trust (PBT) with certain Blackbeard assets to create a new Texas-incorporated, NYSE-listed company.
- Asset Acquisition: The new entity would acquire all assets of PBT and its subsidiary US Land Guild LLC, encompassing approximately 66,500 acres of surface estate and a 15% royalty interest, aimed at enhancing competitiveness in the energy market.
- Equity Structure: Post-merger, former PBT unitholders would own about 58% of the new company, while Blackbeard and its affiliates would hold approximately 42%, ensuring a balanced and collaborative interest among stakeholders.
- Strategic Implications: This merger seeks to address the structural limitations of PBT's existing net profits interest framework, originally established in 1980, and aims to create a modern, durable, and diversified land, royalty, and energy company to adapt to industry changes.
- Preliminary Agreement: The Permian Basin Royalty Trust (PBT) has reached a preliminary non-binding term sheet with SoftVest and Blackbeard Holdings, outlining a potential business combination that could significantly reshape its operational and investment strategies.
- Asset Integration Plan: The new corporation will acquire all Trust assets and Blackbeard's US Land Guild subsidiary, which manages approximately 66,500 acres of land and a 15% royalty interest, potentially enhancing the company's competitive edge in resource management.
- Shareholder Approval Anticipated: The Trustee expects that if the business combination proceeds, it will require approval from a majority of Trust unitholders, which could impact the governance structure and future decision-making processes of the Trust.
- Disclosure and Transparency: The Trustee emphasizes that this announcement is solely for informational purposes and has not participated in the negotiation of the terms, encouraging unitholders to read the full Schedule 13D document to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the merger proposal.
- Preliminary Agreement: The Permian Basin Royalty Trust has reached a preliminary non-binding agreement with SoftVest and Blackbeard Holdings to potentially integrate Trust assets with Blackbeard's, aiming to enhance market competitiveness through the formation of a new corporation.
- Asset Integration Plan: The new corporation will own all Trust assets and US Land Guild, a subsidiary of Blackbeard managing approximately 66,500 acres and a 15% royalty interest, which is expected to strengthen the Trust's asset base and revenue potential.
- Shareholder Approval Requirement: The Trustee anticipates that the proposed business combination will require majority approval from Trust unitholders, based on recent modifications to the Trust's Indenture approved by a court on May 8, 2026, ensuring transparency and legality in the merger process.
- Transparency in Disclosure: This announcement serves to inform Trust unitholders, as the Trustee has not participated in the negotiation of the agreement, encouraging unitholders to read the complete Schedule 13D for further details and context.
- Transaction Overview: SoftVest and Blackbeard have entered into a preliminary non-binding term sheet to merge the Permian Basin Royalty Trust with certain Blackbeard assets, forming a new NYSE-listed company, New PubCo, where former PBT unitholders will own approximately 58%, reflecting the significant value of PBT's existing assets.
- Strategic Significance: The transaction aims to address the structural limitations of PBT's existing Net Profits Interest framework by converting it into a cost-free 15% royalty interest, which is expected to generate more predictable and consistent cash flow for unitholders, enhancing financial stability.
- Land Asset Reconstruction: Blackbeard's wholly-owned subsidiary, US Land Guild, will own approximately 66,500 acres, which is anticipated to contribute diversified revenue beyond oil and gas royalties, thereby strengthening the company's asset base.
- Future Growth Platform: New PubCo is positioned to leverage proprietary operating experience accumulated over the past six years to acquire additional surface and royalty interests across the Central Basin Platform, further expanding its business and enhancing market competitiveness.
- Transaction Overview: SoftVest and Blackbeard have entered into a preliminary non-binding term sheet to merge Permian Basin Royalty Trust with Blackbeard's assets, forming a new NYSE-listed company, New PubCo, with former PBT unitholders owning approximately 58%, reflecting significant value attributed to PBT's asset base.
- Strategic Significance: The transaction aims to address structural limitations of PBT's existing Net Profits Interest framework by converting it into a cost-free 15% royalty interest, which is expected to generate more predictable and consistent cash flow for unitholders, enhancing the company's financial health.
- Land Asset Reconstruction: Blackbeard's wholly-owned subsidiary, US Land Guild, will own approximately 66,500 acres, expected to contribute diversified revenue beyond oil and gas royalties, thereby strengthening the company's competitive edge in resource management.
- Future Growth Platform: New PubCo is positioned to leverage six years of operational experience to acquire additional land and royalty interests across the Central Basin Platform, further driving expansion and value creation in the energy sector.










