Occidental Petroleum Announces First Quarter 2003 Results


LOS ANGELES, April 22, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY) announced net income for the first quarter 2003 of $325 million ($0.86 per share), compared with $25 million ($0.07 per share) for the first quarter 2002.

In announcing the results, Dr. Ray R. Irani, chairman and chief executive officer, said, "Oil and natural gas production for the quarter averaged 532,000 barrels of oil equivalent -- the highest level for any quarter in the company's history. Our core earnings, which were driven by high oil and natural gas prices, hit their highest level in the last six quarters. Strong cash flow during the quarter resulted in additional debt reduction of $182 million which in turn lowered our debt-to-total-capitalization to 41 percent compared to 43 percent at the end of last year. Core earnings, as shown on the attached schedule, were $433 million for the first quarter 2003 ($1.14 per share)."



                              Oil and Gas

Oil and gas segment and core earnings were $727 million for the first quarter 2003, compared with $306 million for the first quarter 2002. The improvement in the first quarter 2003 earnings reflected $440 million from higher worldwide crude oil and natural gas prices.


                              Chemicals

Chemical segment and core earnings were $35 million for the first quarter 2003, compared with a $31 million loss for the first quarter 2002. The improvement in the first quarter 2003 results reflected higher sales prices for PVC, chlorine and EDC; partially offset by higher energy and raw material costs and lower caustic soda sales prices. The first quarter 2002 included a $36 million pre-tax loss for Equistar, which was sold in the third quarter 2002, and a $14 million pre-tax charge for severance.

Statements in this presentation that contain words such as "will" or "expect", or otherwise relate 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 considerations, 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.

For further analysis of Occidental's quarterly performance, please visit the website: www.oxy.com


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

                                         First Quarter  
                                           2003     2002  
                                         -------  -------  
 SEGMENT NET SALES
    Oil and gas                          $ 1,553  $   958     
    Chemical                                 790      565
    Corporate and other                       28        -     
                                         -------  ------- 

    Net sales                            $ 2,371  $ 1,523      
                                         -------  ------- 
 SEGMENT EARNINGS (LOSSES)
   Oil and gas                             $ 727  $   306     
   Chemical                                   35      (31)     
                                         -------  -------  
                                             762      275
 Unallocated Corporate Items
   Interest expense, net (a)                (124)     (56)     
   Income taxes (b)                         (178)     (44)     
   Trust preferred distributions
     & other                                 (11)     (11)     
   Other (c)                                 (56)     (41)     
                                          -------  -------  

 Income from continuing operations           393      123     
   Discontinued operations, net                -       (3)    
   Cumulative effect of changes in
     accounting principles, net (d)          (68)     (95)     
                                          -------  -------  
 NET INCOME                              $   325  $    25    
                                          =======  =======  

 BASIC EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE
   Income from continuing operations     $  1.04  $  0.33      
   Discontinued operations, net                -    (0.01)       
   Cumulative effect of changes in
     accounting principles, net            (0.18)   (0.25)       
                                         -------  -------  
                                         $  0.86  $  0.07      
                                         =======  =======  

 DILUTED EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE
   Income from continuing operations     $  1.03  $  0.33      
   Discontinued operations, net                -  $ (0.01)       
   Cumulative effect of changes
     in accounting principles, net         (0.18)   (0.25)       
                                         -------  -------  
                                         $  0.85  $  0.07        
                                         =======  =======  
 AVERAGE BASIC COMMON SHARES
   OUTSTANDING                             379.1    374.5  
                                         -------  ------- 

See footnotes on following page.(a) The first quarter 2003 includes a $61 million pre-tax interest charge to repay a $450 million 6.4 percent senior notes issue that had ten years of remaining life, but was subject to re-marketing on April 1, 2003. The three months 2002 includes interest income on notes receivable from Altura partners of $14 million. The partnership exercised an option in May 2002 to redeem the sellers' remaining partnership interests in exchange for the outstanding balance on the notes.

(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 for each of the three months 2003 and 2002. Chemical segment earnings have been impacted by credits of $4 million for the three months 2002.

(c) The three months 2002 includes preferred distributions to the Occidental Permian Partners of $15 million. 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.

(d) Effective January 1, 2003, Occidental implemented SFAS No. 143 - "Accounting for Asset Retirement Obligations." Adoption of this new accounting standard resulted in a cumulative after-tax reduction in net income of $50 million. Also effective January 1, 2003, Occidental implemented the rescission of EITF 98-10, which precludes mark-to-market accounting for all energy-trading contracts that are not derivatives and fair-value accounting for inventories purchased from third parties. Adoption of this accounting change resulted in a cumulative after-tax reduction in net income of $18 million. Effective January 1, 2002, Occidental implemented SFAS No. 142 - "Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets." Adoption of this new accounting standard resulted in a cumulative after-tax reduction in net income of $95 million in the first quarter 2002.



 SUMMARY OF OPERATING STATISTICS

                                           First Quarter 
                                           2003     2002 
                                         -------   ------
 NET OIL, GAS AND LIQUIDS
    PRODUCTION PER DAY

 United States
    Crude oil and liquids (MBBL)
      California                              78        90  
      Permian                                144       140   
      Horn Mountain                           15         - 
      Hugoton                                  4         3 
                                         -------   ------- 
        Total                                241       233   

    Natural Gas (MMCF)
      California                             262       305   
      Hugoton                                144       157   
      Permian                                117       129
      Horn Mountain                            5         -
                                         -------   -------
        Total                                528       591   

 Latin America
    Crude oil (MBBL)
      Colombia                                37        36  
      Ecuador                                 16        13  
                                         -------   -------
        Total                                 53        49  

 Middle East and 
    Other Eastern Hemisphere
    Crude oil (MBBL)
      Oman                                    13        17  
      Pakistan                                10         8 
      Qatar                                   47        44  
      Yemen                                   39        47  
                                         -------   -------
        Total                                109       116   

   Natural Gas (MMCF)
      Pakistan                                75        50  
 
 Barrels of Oil Equivalent (MBOE)
        
  Subtotal consolidated subsidiaries         504       505
 
    Colombia-minority interest                (4)       (5)  
    Russia-Occidental net interest            30        25  
    Yemen-Occidental net interest              2         - 
                                         -------   -------
  Subtotal other interests                    28        20 
                                         -------   -------

  Total worldwide production                 532       525  
                                         =======   =======
  CAPITAL EXPENDITURES (millions)        $   298   $   254  
                                         =======   =======
 DEPRECIATION, DEPLETION AND
   AMORTIZATION OF ASSETS (millions)     $   285   $   261
                                         -------   -------

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, timing, 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. Reported earnings are considered representative of management's performance over the long term. 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:



                                        First Quarter
                        ($ millions, except per share amounts)
                                  2003    EPS   2002    EPS
                                 -----   -----  -----  -----
 
 TOTAL REPORTED EARNINGS         $ 325  $0.86  $  25  $0.07
                                 =====  =====  =====  =====
 Oil and Gas
  Segment Earnings               $ 727         $ 306 
  Less:  
      None                          -             - 
                                 -----  -----  -----  -----
  Segment Core Earnings            727           306 
                                 -----  -----  -----  -----
 Chemicals
  Segment Earnings (Loss)           35           (31)
  Less:
      None                           -             - 
                                 -----  -----  -----  -----
 Segment Core Earnings (Loss)       35           (31)
                                 -----  -----  -----  -----
 Corporate
  Results                         (437)         (250)
  Less:
      Debt repayment charge        (61)            - 
      Tax effect of pre-tax
        adjustments                 21             - 
      Discontinued operations,
       net*                          -            (3)
      Changes in accounting
        principles, net*           (68)          (95)
                                 -----  -----  -----  -----
 TOTAL CORE EARNINGS             $ 433  $1.14  $ 123  $0.33
                                 -----  -----  -----  -----

 * These amounts are shown after tax.

  ITEMS AFFECTING COMPARABILITY OF CORE EARNINGS BETWEEN PERIODS

                                                    First Quarter  
  ($ millions)                                      2003     2002  
                                                   ------   ------
 INCOME / (EXPENSE)
  (Pre-tax)
 Oil and Gas
    On-going quarterly impact of adopting asset       
      retirement obligations                          (4)       -
 Chemicals
    Reorganizations/severance                          -      (14)
    Equistar equity results                            -      (36) 
 Corporate
    Equity results                                   (23)       -


            

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