Texas banned BlackRock Inc., UBS Group AG and eight other finance firms from working with the state after finding them to be hostile to the energy industry.
Glenn Hegar, the Republican state comptroller, on Wednesday named the firms he will prohibit from entering into most contracts with the state and its local entities after his office found they "boycott" the fossil fuel sector.
The move ends roughly six months of suspense that cost banks business as Texas municipal-bond issuers avoided firms whose status was unclear amid the probe.
The comptroller sent inquiries to more than 150 companies in March and April, requesting information on whether they were shunning the oil and gas industry in favor of sustainable investing and financing goals.
The survey was triggered by a GOP-backed state law that took effect on Sept. 1, 2021, and which limits Texas governments from entering into certain contracts with firms that have curbed ties with carbon-emitting energy companies. Texas is the nation's top producer of crude and natural gas.
"The environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) movement has produced an opaque and perverse system in which some financial companies no longer make decisions in the best interest of their shareholders or their clients, but instead use their financial clout to push a social and political agenda shrouded in secrecy," Hegar said in a statement.
The other companies on the list are BNP Paribas SA, Credit Suisse Group AG, Danske Bank A/S, Jupiter Fund Management Plc, Nordea Bank ABP, Schroders Plc, Svenska Handelsbanken and Swedbank AB.
In addition, the comptroller's office also designated nearly 350 funds that are subject to the same investment bans.
BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, said in an emailed statement that the company disagrees with the comptroller's assessment.
"This is not a fact-based judgment," the statement said. "BlackRock does not boycott fossil fuels — investing over $100 billion in Texas energy companies on behalf of our clients proves that. Elected and appointed public officials have a duty to act in the best interests of the people they serve. Politicizing state pension funds, restricting access to investments, and impacting the financial returns of retirees is not consistent with that duty."
State pension funds including the Teacher Retirement System of Texas will be required to divest from the companies, though the law includes exceptions, according to Hegar. Within 30 days, state entities like pensions will be required to notify the comptroller of any holdings on the divestment list.
The list may be modified and the comptroller's office said it will review information on an ongoing basis.
ESG Shift
The dust-up has its roots in a shift by some asset managers and banks to prioritize policies that take ESG factors into account.
