Sign in

    Chris Baker

    Lead Supervisory Analyst specializing in energy sector equities at Evercore ISI

    Chris Baker is a Lead Supervisory Analyst specializing in energy sector equities at Evercore ISI, where he covers companies such as Sitio Royalties Corp (STR) and Brigham Minerals (MNRL), among others. Recognized for his high-performance track record, Baker maintains an 86.67% to 92% success rate and has generated an average return between 86.10% and 89.96% on his recommendations, earning notable scores for top calls like a 95.26% profit on Brigham Minerals. He began his analyst career prior to joining Evercore ISI, where he is based in New York; specific prior roles are not disclosed in available sources. Baker holds professional credentials that qualify him in research and supervisory functions within equity analysis, reflecting recognized expertise in exploration and production coverage.

    Chris Baker's questions to BKV (BKV) leadership

    Chris Baker's questions to BKV (BKV) leadership • Q2 2025

    Question

    Chris Baker from Evercore ISI asked about the impact of the Bedrock acquisition on the company's maintenance capital expenditures and requested more details on the recently reserved manufacturing slots for power turbines, such as delivery windows and scale.

    Answer

    Eric Jacobsen, President of Upstream, stated that Bedrock's low-decline assets would add approximately $20-25 million to the current maintenance CapEx of $170-180 million. CEO Chris Kalnin added that the turbine slots provide crucial optionality in discussions with hyperscalers, enabling BKV to link new power generation capacity directly to long-term Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) to de-risk the investment.

    Ask Fintool Equity Research AI

    Chris Baker's questions to Viper Energy (VNOM) leadership

    Chris Baker's questions to Viper Energy (VNOM) leadership • Q2 2025

    Question

    Chris Baker of Evercore ISI asked about the strategy for reaching the $1.5 billion net debt target, questioning the mix between organic cash flow and non-core asset sales. He also inquired about the allocation between share buybacks and variable dividends.

    Answer

    Kaes Van’t Hof, CEO & Director of Viper Energy Partners, explained that the path to the debt target will involve a combination of free cash flow, potential non-core asset sales to accelerate the process, and a significant focus on share repurchases. He emphasized that given the current stock valuation, the company would lean heavily into buybacks over variable dividends.

    Ask Fintool Equity Research AI

    Chris Baker's questions to Viper Energy (VNOM) leadership • Q2 2025

    Question

    Chris Baker of Evercore ISI inquired about Viper Energy's strategy for reaching its $1.5 billion net debt target, questioning the balance between organic cash flow and non-core asset sales. He also asked about the future mix of shareholder returns, specifically buybacks versus variable dividends.

    Answer

    CEO Kaes Van’t Hof explained that the debt target will be achieved through a combination of strong free cash flow, potential sales of non-Permian assets, and a significant share buyback program. He emphasized that given the current stock valuation, the company would favor buybacks over variable dividends to return capital to shareholders once permitted post-merger.

    Ask Fintool Equity Research AI

    Chris Baker's questions to MURPHY OIL (MUR) leadership

    Chris Baker's questions to MURPHY OIL (MUR) leadership • Q4 2024

    Question

    Chris Baker from Evercore ISI asked if there is any additional conservatism baked into the 2025 guidance beyond typical Gulf of Mexico weather assumptions, given the unexpected issues in 2024. He also inquired about the potential to exceed the minimum 50% cash return to shareholders again in 2025, following the nearly 80% return in 2024.

    Answer

    President and CEO Eric Hambly stated their storm guidance methodology aims for a mean expectation and that the recent high level of mechanical workovers is not common and thus not forecasted to be an ongoing issue. CFO Tom Mireles addressed cash returns, explaining that they leaned heavily into buybacks in 2024 due to the share price. He confirmed they will maintain flexibility to exceed the 50% minimum again in 2025 if they see a dislocation in share price, noting that such actions would likely occur in the second half of the year due to front-loaded CapEx.

    Ask Fintool Equity Research AI