MRC Global (MRC, Financial) - Conditions in the oil patch have continued to worsen over the past six months, with several oil field service executives describing the downturn as the worst they have seen in over 30 years. Despite a dour forecast for each of MRC’s end markets during 2016, the company’s stock rallied in late February on news that an activist investor had taken significant positions in MRC and competitor Now, Inc. (with hopes of convincing the two companies to merge). Additional diligence led us to believe that the combination was unlikely, so we elected to close our position at a modest discount to our lower business value estimate.
From Weitz Funds' Research Fund commentary 1st quarter.
