By Chelsey Dulaney
Phillips 66 posted better-than-expected earnings in its fourth
quarter as the refinery company benefits from the flood of cheap
crude oil that has sent oil prices tumbling.
As oil prices have plummeted since last summer, U.S. refiners
have been sucking up as much of the abnormally inexpensive crude as
they can, turning it into gasoline, diesel and other fuels.
Phillips 66's U.S. refinery margins have been buoyed by the cheap
oil from places like North Dakota and Texas.
In the latest quarter, Phillips, which was spun off from
ConocoPhillips in 2012, said it processed a record 375,000 barrels
of tight oil a day in the quarter.
Overall, Phillips 66 reported a profit of $1.15 billion, or
$2.05 a share, up from $826 million, or $1.37 a share, a year
earlier. Excluding asset-sale gains, write-downs and other items,
earnings rose to $1.63 from $1.34.
Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected a per-share profit
of $1.37.
While Phillips 66 had earned most of its profits from refining,
its chemical production business has recently taken on a larger
role.
The chemicals segment, which includes its interest in Chevron
Phillips Chemical Company LLC, posted a 2.3% increase in earnings
to $267 million in the latest quarter.
Earnings for the refining segment, meanwhile, grew 23.7% to $517
million.
Write to Chelsey Dulaney at Chelsey.Dulaney@wsj.com
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