Occidental Petroleum Announces Fourth Quarter 2002 Results


LOS ANGELES, Jan 29, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY) announced net income for the fourth quarter 2002 of $322 million ($0.85 per share), compared with a net loss of $247 million ($0.66 per share) for the fourth quarter 2001. The fourth quarter 2001 included a $240 million after-tax charge, reflecting the effect of the agreement to sell Occidental's interest in Equistar.

In announcing the results, Dr. Ray R. Irani, chairman and chief executive officer, said, "Our strong fourth quarter performance completed another year of major accomplishments that included exceeding our combined oil and natural gas production forecast, the continued strengthening of our balance sheet and the generation of competitive returns on equity and capital employed. Oil and gas production in the fourth quarter averaged 518,000 barrels of oil equivalent (BOE) per day. That's 7.5 percent higher than in the fourth quarter of 2001 and keeps us on target to meet or exceed our 2003 forecast of 525,000 BOE per day. We ended the year with our debt to capitalization ratio at 43 percent, the lowest level in 21 years. Our strong earnings performance produced a return on equity of nearly 17 percent and return on capital employed of almost 11 percent."

Oil and Gas

Oil and gas segment and core earnings were $490 million for the fourth quarter 2002, compared with $166 million for the fourth quarter 2001. The improvement in the fourth quarter 2002 earnings reflected $299 million from higher worldwide crude oil and natural gas prices and a $35 million increase from higher production volumes; partially offset by higher exploration expense.

Chemicals

Chemical segment earnings were $58 million for the fourth quarter 2002, compared with a loss of $412 million for the fourth quarter 2001. The 2001 loss resulted from a $412 million pre-tax charge, reflecting the effect of the sale of the company's interest in the Equistar petrochemicals joint venture.

Chemical core earnings also were $58 million for the fourth quarter 2002, compared with breakeven core earnings for the fourth quarter 2001. The improvement in the fourth quarter 2002 core earnings reflected higher sales prices for PVC, chlorine and EDC, lower self-insured reserve requirements and the absence of the Equistar fourth quarter 2001 loss; partially offset by lower caustic sales prices and higher energy and raw material costs.

Twelve-Month Results

For the twelve months of 2002, net income was $989 million ($2.63 per share), compared with $1.154 billion ($3.10 per share) for the twelve months of 2001.

Core earnings were $999 million for 2002 compared with $1.246 billion for 2001. See the attached schedule for a reconciliation of earnings to core earnings.

For details of items affecting the comparability of core earnings between periods in 2002 and 2001, see the attached schedule.


 SUMMARY OF SEGMENT NET SALES AND EARNINGS
 ($ millions, except per-share amounts)

                                     Fourth Quarter     Twelve Months
                                      2002     2001     2002     2001
 ================================  =======  =======  =======  =======

 SEGMENT NET SALES
    Oil and gas                    $ 1,287  $   824  $ 4,634  $ 5,134
    Chemical                           698      560    2,704    2,968
                                   -------  -------  -------  -------
    Net sales                      $ 1,985  $ 1,384  $ 7,338  $ 8,102
 ================================  =======  =======  =======  =======

 SEGMENT EARNINGS (LOSSES)
   Oil and gas                     $   490  $   166  $ 1,707  $ 2,845
   Chemical                             58     (412)     275     (399)
                                   -------  -------  -------  -------
                                       548     (246)   1,982    2,446
 Unallocated Corporate Items
   Interest expense, net (a)           (58)     (62)    (253)    (272)
   Income taxes (b)                   (114)     190     (364)    (359)
   Trust preferred distributions
     & other                           (12)     (13)     (47)     (56)
   Other (c)                           (41)    (113)    (155)    (580)
                                   -------  -------  -------  -------

 Income/(loss) from continuing
   operations                          323     (244)   1,163    1,179
   Discontinued operations, net         (1)      (3)     (79)      (1)
   Cumulative effect of changes
     in accounting principles, net      --       --      (95)     (24)
                                   -------  -------  -------  -------
 NET INCOME/(LOSS)                 $   322  $  (247) $   989  $ 1,154
                                   =======  =======  =======  =======


 BASIC EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE
   Income/(loss) from continuing
     operations                    $  0.85  $ (0.65) $  3.09  $  3.16
   Discontinued operations, net         --    (0.01)   (0.21)      --
   Cumulative effect of changes
     in accounting principles, net      --       --    (0.25)   (0.06)
                                   -------  -------  -------  -------
                                   $  0.85  $ (0.66) $  2.63  $  3.10
                                   =======  =======  =======  =======

 DILUTED EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE
   Income/(loss) from continuing
     operations                    $  0.84  $ (0.65) $  3.07  $  3.15
   Discontinued operations, net         --  $ (0.01) $ (0.21)      --
   Cumulative effect of changes
     in accounting principles, net      --       --    (0.25)   (0.06)
                                   -------  -------  -------  -------
                                   $  0.84  $ (0.66) $  2.61  $  3.09
                                   =======  =======  =======  =======
 AVERAGE BASIC COMMON SHARES
   OUTSTANDING                       377.6    373.8    376.2    372.4
 ================================  =======  =======  =======  =======

 (a) Includes interest income on notes receivable from Altura
     partners.  The partnership exercised an option in May 2002 to
     redeem the sellers' remaining partnership interests in exchange
     for the outstanding balance on the notes. The twelve months 2002
     amount includes $21 million and the fourth quarter and twelve
     months 2001 amounts include $17 million and $102 million,
     respectively.

 (b) Excludes U.S. federal income tax charges and credits allocated to
     the segments and foreign taxes. Oil and gas segment earnings
     include credits of $1 million in both the fourth quarters of 2002
     and 2001.  Chemical segment earnings include a credit of $4
     million in the fourth quarter of 2001.

     The fourth quarter 2001 amount includes a $172 million credit
     reflecting the statutory tax effect of the agreement, in
     principle, to sell Occidental's interest in Equistar.

     Oil and gas segment earnings for the twelve months 2002 and 2001
     include charges of $1 million and $36 million, respectively. The
     amounts include charges for asset sales of $4 million and $39
     million for the years 2002 and 2001, respectively. Chemical
     segment earnings have been impacted by credits of $403 million
     for the twelve months 2002 and by credits of $42 million for the
     twelve months 2001. The 2002 amount includes a $392 million
     credit for the tax effects of the sale of the Equistar investment
     and the 2001 amount includes $26 million of credits for asset
     sales.

 (c) Includes preferred distributions to the Occidental Permian
     partners. The twelve months 2002 amount includes $22 million. The
     fourth quarter and twelve months 2001 amounts include $17 million
     and $104 million, respectively. This is essentially offset by the
     interest income discussed in (a) above. The partnership exercised
     an option in May 2002 to redeem the sellers' remaining
     partnership interests in exchange for the outstanding balance on
     the notes.

     The twelve months 2001 amount includes a $272 million net-of-tax
     loss related to the sale of Occidental's residual interest in
     Occidental Texas Pipeline Company.

 SUMMARY OF OPERATING STATISTICS

                                      Fourth Quarter     Twelve Months
                                       2002     2001     2002     2001
 =================================  =======  =======  =======  =======

 NET OIL, GAS AND LIQUIDS
    PRODUCTION PER DAY

 United States
   Crude oil and liquids (MBBL)
     California                          84       82       86       76
     Permian                            142      137      142      137
     Other                                6       --        4       --
                                    -------  -------  -------  -------
       Total                            232      219      232      213

   Natural Gas (MMCF)
     California                         266      297      286      303
     Hugoton                            139      153      148      159
     Permian                            133      150      130      148
                                    -------  -------  -------  -------
       Total                            538      600      564      610

 Latin America
   Crude oil (MBBL)
     Colombia                            41       17       35       18
     Ecuador                             13       13       13       13
                                    -------  -------  -------  -------
       Total                             54       30       48       31

 Eastern Hemisphere
   Crude oil (MBBL)
     Oman                                13       14       13       12
     Pakistan                            12        7       10        7
     Qatar                               37       43       42       43
     Russia                              29       28       27       27
     Yemen                               39       32       38       33
                                    -------  -------  -------  -------
       Total                            130      124      130      122

   Natural Gas (MMCF)
     Pakistan                            76       51       63       50

 Barrels of Oil Equivalent (MBOE)       518      482      515      476
                                    =======  =======  =======  =======

    Consolidated subsidiaries           516      482      514      476
    Non-consolidated interests -- net     2       --        1       --
                                    -------  -------  -------  -------
    Total worldwide production          518      482      515      476
                                    =======  =======  =======  =======


 CAPITAL EXPENDITURES (millions)    $   396  $   400  $ 1,236  $ 1,308
                                    =======  =======  =======  =======


 DEPRECIATION, DEPLETION AND
  AMORTIZATION OF ASSETS (millions) $   253  $   243  $ 1,012  $   965
 =================================  =======  =======  =======  =======

SIGNIFICANT TRANSACTIONS AND EVENTS AFFECTING EARNINGS

Occidental's results of operations often include the effects of significant transactions and events affecting earnings that vary widely and unpredictably in nature and amount. Therefore, management uses a measure called "core earnings", which excludes those items. This non-GAAP measure is not meant to disassociate those items from management's performance, but rather is meant to provide useful information to investors interested in comparing Occidental's earnings performance between periods. Core earnings is not considered to be an alternative to operating income in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

The following table sets forth the core earnings and significant items affecting earnings for each operating segment and corporate:


                                     Fourth Quarter     Twelve Months
 ($ millions)                         2002     2001     2002     2001
 ================================  =======  =======  =======  =======

 TOTAL EARNINGS (LOSS)             $   322  $  (247) $   989  $ 1,154
                                   =======  =======  =======  =======

 Oil and Gas
 Segment Earnings                  $   490  $   166  $ 1,707  $ 2,845
 Less:
     Gain on sale of interest in
       the Indonesian Tangguh
       LNG project(a)                   --       --       --      399
                                   -------  -------  -------  -------
 Segment Core Earnings                 490      166    1,707    2,446
                                   -------  -------  -------  -------

 Chemicals
 Segment Earnings (Loss)                58     (412)     275     (399)
 Less:
     Gain on sale of Equistar
       investment(a)                    --       --      164       --
     Equistar writedown                 --     (412)      --     (412)
                                   -------  -------  -------  -------
 Segment Core Earnings                  58       --      111       13
                                   -------  -------  -------  -------

 Corporate and Other
 Results                              (226)      (1)    (993)  (1,292)
 Less:
     Loss on sale of pipeline-owning
       entity(a)                        --       --       --     (272)
     Settlement of state tax issue      --       --       --       70
     Changes in accounting
       principles, net(a)               --       --      (95)     (24)
     Discontinued operations, net(a)    (1)      (3)     (79)      (1)
     Tax effect of pre-tax
       adjustments                      --      172       --      148
                                   -------  -------  -------  -------

 TOTAL CORE EARNINGS (LOSS)        $   323  $    (4) $   999  $ 1,246
 ================================  =======  =======  =======  =======

 (a) These amounts are shown after tax.


 ITEMS AFFECTING COMPARABILITY OF CORE EARNINGS BETWEEN PERIODS

                                      Fourth Quarter     Twelve Months
 ($ millions)                          2002     2001     2002     2001
 =================================  =======  =======  =======  =======

 INCOME/(EXPENSE)

 Oil and Gas
   Exploration asset write-offs       $(25)    $ --     $(58)    $(66)
   Self insurance and litigation
     adjustments                        (4)      --       (4)      --

 Chemicals
   Asset idling and impairments         --      (11)     (37)     (20)
   State tax reserves adjustment         7       14        7       14
   Self insurance and litigation
     adjustments                        15       --       15       --
   Reorganizations/severance            --       --      (14)     (17)

 Corporate
   Gain on sale of stock investment     32       --       32       --
   Environmental remediation           (15)     (60)     (23)    (109)
   Equity earnings (a)                 (22)     (20)     (58)     (80)
   Interest -- early debt
     extinguishments                    --       (8)      --      (12)

 (a) Includes share of Equistar results that were previously reported
     in the Chemical segment.

Statements in this presentation that contain words such as "will" or "expect", or otherwise related to the future, are forward-looking and involve risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect expected results. Factors that could cause results to differ materially include, but are not limited to: global commodity pricing fluctuations, and supply/demand consideration for oil, gas and chemicals; higher-than-expected costs; and not successfully completing (or any material delay in) any expansion, capital expenditure, acquisition, or disposition. Occidental disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.



            

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