Why Veren Inc. (VRN) Performed Worst On Friday?

We recently published a list of Friday’s 10 Worst Performing Stocks. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Veren Inc. (NYSE:VRN) stands against other Friday’s worst performing stocks.

The stock market suffered a bloodbath anew on Friday as investors digested news of a growing trade war, with China making good on its promise with a steep tariff on US goods.

As of 2:55 PM, the S&P 500 lost 5.47 percent of its value, the tech-heavy Nasdaq fell 5.37 percent, and the Dow Jones was down by 5.09 percent.

Following President Donald Trump’s imposition of hefty tariffs on all imports to the US, China on Friday struck back with a 34-percent tariff on US goods. The tariffs will begin on April 10.

Ten individual stocks mirrored a broader market pessimism, recording steep intra-day losses. In this article, let us explore Friday’s worst intra-day performers and the reasons behind their decline.

To come up with the list, we considered only the stocks with a $2-billion market capitalization and $5 million in trading volume.

A close-up of a wellhead, showing off the company’s production of oil and natural gas.

Veren Inc. (NYSE:VRN)

Veren Inc. saw its share prices drop by 13.64 percent at intra-day trading as investors repositioned portfolios amid the heightening trade war between the US and its largest trading partners.

In recent news, VRN announced it was merging with Whitecap Resources Inc. for a transaction worth $15 billion.

Under the agreement, VRN shareholders will receive 1.05 common shares of Whitecap for each VRN common share held.

The combined company will be led by Whitecap’s existing management team under the Whitecap name with four VRN directors set to join the Whitecap Board of Directors, including the VRN’s incumbent president and CEO, Craig Bryksa. The transaction is expected to close before May 30, 2025. Upon completion, the merged company would become the largest landholder title in Alberta Montney and Duvernay, a prominent light oil producer in Saskatchewan and will leverage the combined asset base and technical expertise to drive improved profitability and superior returns to shareholders.

Overall, VRN ranks 10th on our list of Friday’s worst performing stocks. While we acknowledge the potential of VRN as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than VRN but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.