Vista Energy shares surge after Peter Thiel discloses stake

Peter Thiel’s hedge fund, Thiel Macro LLC, disclosed a roughly $76 million stake in Vista Energy SAB, an Argentine oil company drilling in one of South America’s most promising shale formations. Vista shares climbed approximately 5% in premarket trading following the disclosure, adding to a stock that had already risen about 40% year-to-date before Thiel showed up on the cap table. What Thiel actually bought According to an SEC filing published on August 15, 2026, Thiel Macro acquired approximately 1.2 million American depositary shares of Vista Energy. That position represents about 1% of the company’s outstanding capital. The stake was valued at around $76 million as of June 30, 2026. It’s the fund’s second-largest disclosed holding, trailing only Amazon among eight total positions that add up to $418.7 million. Vista Energy is one of Argentina’s largest oil producers and exporters, with its operations concentrated in the Vaca Muerta shale formation in Patagonia. It’s the only non-US position in the entire portfolio. The Milei connection Roughly four months before the SEC filing dropped, Thiel met with Argentine President Javier Milei. Milei, who took office in late 2023, has pur...