Repost from The San Antonio Business Journal
[Editor: Significant quote: “Valero should benefit from rising oil production from shale plays and the Canadian oil sands. However, the refining industry remains volatile and is susceptible to swings of weaker economic conditions, excess industry refining capacity, narrowing margins or reduced throughput rates and higher biofuel blending costs.” – RS]
Valero’s third-quarter net income tops $1.1 billion
Nov 4, 2014, By James Aldridge
Valero Energy Corp. beat analyst expectations on Tuesday by reporting net income of $1.1 billion, or $2 per share, for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, 2014. This compares to net income of $312 million, or 57 cents per share, for the same quarter a year ago.
Analysts had been projecting San Antonio-based Valero (NYSE: VLO) to report earnings per share of $1.57 for the third quarter.
President and CEO Joe Gorder said the company’s financial results benefitted from wider discounts for sweet and sour crude oils relative to Brent crude oil, stronger gasoline margins in most of the regions where the company operates and higher refining throughput volumes.
During the quarter, Valero continues to expand capital investments in the company’s refining and logistics business, which gives it the ability to process more North American crude oil. Valero completed construction of a 70,000-barrel-per-day rail unloading facility at its Port Arthur refinery and received additional rail cars. The company also secured the option of purchasing a 50 percent interest in the planned Diamond Pipeline which, when completed, will connect Valero’s Memphis refinery to the crude oil hub in Cushing, Okla.
Analyst Stewart Glickman in her research report at S&P Capital IQ placed a hold recommendation on Valero’s stock. In the report, Valero should benefit from rising oil production from shale plays and the Canadian oil sands. However, the refining industry remains volatile and is susceptible to swings of weaker economic conditions, excess industry refining capacity, narrowing margins or reduced throughput rates and higher biofuel blending costs.
Additional details on the company’s financial performance can be found here.