Analysts on ExxonMobil's decision to buy YUKOS stocks

The final dissolution of the merger between YUKOS and Sibneft is not among conditions for ExxonMobil Corp. buying YUKOS, Dmitry Tsaregorodtsev, an analyst with the Prospect investment company, said in an interview with RBC commenting on an article recently released by the US-based Wall Street Journal. The deal between YUKOS and ExxonMobil Corp. is technically impossible, until shares owned by Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the former head of the oil company who is currently in jail, are frozen, the analyst emphasized.

Bulat Karimov, an analyst with Aton Capital, is of the opinion that although the decision of the foreign investor to buy YUKOS is justified, it is hardly feasible until the case of Khodorkovsky is finally settled. "YUKOS shares lost a third of their price, therefore ExxonMobil's intention is a rational and lucrative move", Karimov said.

Analysts pointed out that at present the estimated market capitalization of YUKOS was about $26bn to $27bn. It is however possible that the price for YUKOS shares will drop from $10 to $8 per share. As of 12:00 Moscow time, YUKOS grew 5.5 percent.

© &to=http://www.rbcnews.com' target=_blank>RBC

&to=http://www.yukos.com' target=_blank>YUKOS

&to=http://www.sibneft.ru' target=_blank>SIBNEFT