VTLE prices 2.7M share offering at $54, led by BofA and Wells Fargo ..... so institutional investors consider the stock a "buy" at $54.
I think your critique of this latest acquisition is too harsh. While it increases oil production in 2024 by just 30%, it increases free cash flow by 90% according to their investor presentation. More importantly it increases their oil and gas reserves by 65%.
Including the acquisitions of earlier this year they have increased reserves by 109% YTD while roughly doubling the share count including the convertibles. Weak reserves have been a reason for the stock's low valuation, so these acquisitions have certainly helped in that regard.
I'm not enthusiastic about the latest acquisition, but also see some positives in it. We'll see how the stock does going forward and whether analysts reduce their ratings and or price targets. The average price target right now is $79.