Energy and food deals lead a merger-heavy week in business news

Energy and food deals led a merger-heavy Oct 26 slate, as regional lenders and a government-leased REIT reported third-quarter results.

Nov 4, 2026 · Business News Talks newsroom

Acquisitions dominated the releases for the week of Oct 26, 2026. EQT and Range Resources announced an all-stock merger that the companies say creates a natural gas producer with a pro forma enterprise value over $50 billion. Ovintiv agreed to buy Logan Energy in an all-cash deal valued at approximately $890 million (C$1.26 billion), and High Liner Foods agreed to be acquired by Umios for C$27.00 per share in cash. S&P Global completed its purchase of OpenZeppelin, and Corxel US and Amanat Acquisition Corp signed a SPAC combination to take an obesity-focused drug developer public.

Third-quarter results made up the rest. HBT Financial reported net income of $31.4 million and a net interest margin of 4.40%. MainStreet Bancshares reported net income of $3.6 million after adding a $1.9 million provision for credit losses tied to commercial real estate. Both banks cited net interest margins up two basis points from the prior quarter. Easterly Government Properties reported Core FFO of $38.0 million along with lease renewals and debt changes.

HBT Financial, Inc.

HBT FINANCIAL, INC. ANNOUNCES

HBT Financial reported third-quarter 2026 net income of $31.4 million, or $0.86 diluted earnings per share, up from $27.8 million in the second quarter and $19.8 million a year earlier. CEO J. Lance Carter said the tax-equivalent net interest margin rose 2 basis points to 4.40% as maturing fixed-rate loans repriced higher and securities cash flows were reinvested at higher rates.

Easterly Government Properties, Inc.

EASTERLY GOVERNMENT PROPERTIES

Easterly Government Properties reported net income of $5.7 million, or $0.12 per share, and Core FFO of $38.0 million, or $0.78 per share, for the quarter ended September 30, 2026. The REIT also said it paid off the USFS II - Albuquerque mortgage note, removed the credit spread adjustment from two credit facilities and renewed USCIS - Lincoln on a new 15-year lease.

MainStreet Bancshares, Inc.

MainStreet Bancshares reported quarterly net income of $3.6 million, or $0.43 per share, with net interest income of $18.8 million, which the company says is its fourth consecutive quarterly increase. A $1.9 million provision for credit losses reduced earnings per share by $0.21, and management said it is working through nonperforming assets in commercial real estate.

High Liner Foods Incorporated

High Liner Foods Enters into Agreement to Be Acquired by Umios for C$27.00 per Share in Cash

High Liner Foods agreed to be acquired by Umios for C$27.00 per share in cash. The company says the offer is fully financed and will pair Umios' global sourcing with High Liner Foods' processing and brands in North America.

Range Resources Corp

EQT Announces Strategic Acquisition of Range Resources,

EQT agreed to acquire Range Resources in an all-stock transaction that the companies say creates a natural gas producer with a pro forma enterprise value over $50 billion. According to the companies, the combined company will have more than 9 Bcfe/d of net production, more than 30 years of inventory across nearly 3 million net acres and more than 3,700 miles of midstream infrastructure.

Amanat Acquisition Corp.

Corxel US and Amanat Acquisition Corp Announce Definitive Business Combination Agreement to Create Publicly Listed Obesity-Focused Biopharmaceutical Company

Corxel US, a clinical-stage developer of oral obesity and cardiometabolic therapies, signed a definitive business combination agreement with SPAC Amanat Acquisition Corp to list on the Nasdaq Capital Market. The deal includes approximately $75 million held in Amanat's trust account plus commitments for a concurrent PIPE, and the companies expect to hire a new chief executive before or at closing.

Ovintiv Inc.

Ovintiv agreed to acquire Logan Energy in an all-cash transaction that values Logan at approximately $890 million (C$1.26 billion), including expected net debt. Ovintiv says the deal adds about 266,000 net acres in the Montney oil window, approximately 420 net well locations and about 20 MBOE/d of current production near its existing operations.

S&P Global

S&P Global Completes Acquisition of OpenZeppelin

S&P Global completed its acquisition of OpenZeppelin, which it describes as the security standard for onchain finance, after first announcing the deal on September 17, 2026. S&P Global says the purchase complements its risk assessment capabilities.

This roundup is written with AI assistance from the press releases listed above, using only what they state. The releases are the companies' own announcements, not Business News Talks reporting.