Chesapeake stock rocked by further revelations

The stock price drop of $2.86 per share erased more than $1.8 billion from the company's valuation.

The Oklahoma City energy company reported after market close Tuesday that Chesapeake's first-quarter earnings missed analyst expectations by 38 percent. But Wall Street seemed most concerned with Wednesday's news reported by Reuters that McClendon and Chesapeake co-founder Tom Ward from 2004 to 2009 ran a $200 million hedge fund that traded in natural gas and other commodities.

Ward is now CEO of Oklahoma City-based SandRidge Energy.

“I think the collapse in gas prices, coupled with news about the CEO personal financing have eroded investors' confidence. But I think the most damaging allegation is regarding the hedge fund owned by Chesapeake's two founders, which if true could have significant implications on them and the company,” said Fadel Gheit, an energy analyst with Oppenheimer in New York.

Spokesmen representing SandRidge, Chesapeake, McClendon and the Chesapeake directors all declined to comment Wednesday.

Industry observers said the hedge fund has the potential to create numerous conflicts of interest.

“If the hedge fund is trying to get out of a position, he (McClendon) may have an easy buyer by switching to his Chesapeake hat and buying that position,” said Maclyn Clouse, professor of finance at the University of Denver's Daniels College of Business. “That does something that is advantageous to the hedge fund, but may not be advantageous for Chesapeake.”

At the very least, the fund should have been disclosed, Clouse said.

“If there's disclosure and honest explanation to the point that all the parties involved feel there won't be any conflict of interest, then people might feel comfortable with it,” he said. “But I think that's a hard one to sell, which is probably why they kept it quiet.”