Chesapeake Has a New Chief: Is It Time to Buy?

By Tyler Crowe and Aimee Duffy – May 23, 2013 at 11:35AM

OTC: CHKA.Q

Chesapeake Energy

Before running to your broker following the announcement of a new CEO, here are a couple things to watch at Chesapeake.

Anadarko Petroleum (APC) executive Robert Lawler has agreed to take the vacant CEO post at Chesapeake Energy (CHKA.Q), and investors want to know how he will fit into the Chesapeake mold. In some ways, he may be just what the company needs. Working his way up from engineering to senior vice president of international and offshore operations, Lawler is an operations guy at heart that could help Chesapeake start making the most of its massive asset holdings.

Chesapeake is still in the middle of a massive asset sale to pay down debt. Fool.com contributor Tyler Crowe wants to see improvements in operational performance and more clarity with the asset sale before he is ready to make an investment decision. Should you do the same?

Motley Fool contributor Aimee Duffy has no position in any stocks mentioned. Motley Fool contributor Tyler Crowe has no position in any stocks mentioned. You can follow them both on Twitter @TMFDuffy and TMFDirtyBird.

The Motley Fool has the following options: Long Jan 2014 $20 Calls on Chesapeake Energy, Long Jan 2014 $30 Calls on Chesapeake Energy, and Short Jan 2014 $15 Puts on Chesapeake Energy. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.