BUZZ — National Fuel Gas rises after unveiling upstream business spin — off plan

* Shares of natural gas utility and pipeline firm National Fuel Gas rise 1.1% to $81.99 premarket * Co. announces plans to spin off its Integrated Upstream and Gathering (IUG) business into a separate public company * NFG shareholders to own stakes in both companies * Expects to complete transaction by second half of 2027, through a tax-free distribution of at least 80.1% of IUG shares to NFG shareholders * NFG plans to retain up to 19.9% stake in IUG after the separation * As of last close, NFG stock was up 1.29% YTD (Reporting by Darshan Kumar in Bengaluru) ((darshan.kumar@thomsonreuters.com)