Darren Woods, Chairman and CEO of Exxon Mobil Corp.,
Brendan McDermid | Portal
Exxon Mobil said Wednesday that it expects profits to more than double by 2027 compared to 2019, as the energy giant pushes forward a series of cost-cutting measures.
Exxon said it is on track to increase its profit and cash flow by $14 billion over the next four years as it cuts costs, increases production and increases sales of chemicals, lower-emission fuels and high-performance lubricants.
The oil giant plans to reduce structural costs by another $6 billion by the end of 2027, representing a total saving of $15 billion compared to 2019.
The announcement comes nearly two months after Exxon agreed to buy Pioneer Natural Resources for nearly $60 billion, or $235 per share. This is Exxon’s largest deal since purchasing Mobil in the late 1990s. Pioneer is the largest producer in the Midland Basin, a section of the Permian.
After the merger closes – which is expected to occur in the first half of 2024 – the oil giant plans to increase its annual share repurchase program from $17.5 billion in 2023 to $20 billion in 2024-2025.
Exxon expects capital spending in the range of $23 billion to $25 billion in 2024 and between $22 billion and $27 billion annually from 2025 to 2027. This spending should generate an average return of 30%, with more than 90% return % of expenses amortized in a 30% payback period According to the company, less than a decade.
“We remain committed to providing energy and products that raise living standards around the world, while building a new business to reduce emissions in hard-to-decarbonize parts of the economy,” CEO Darren Woods said in a statement. “ExxonMobil is uniquely positioned for both and we are confident that both offer significant opportunities for profitable growth.”
The oil giant expects oil and gas production to be about 3.8 million barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2024, then increase to 4.2 million barrels per day by 2027 due to growth in the Permian Basin and Guyana.
Exxon is also increasing its investment in lower-carbon projects to $20 billion by 2027, up from $17 billion previously. The company plans to reduce its own upstream greenhouse gas emissions by up to 50% by 2030. The oil giant said it has already reached half of that planned reduction.
The company focuses on carbon capture, lithium for electric vehicle batteries, hydrogen and biofuels. According to the company, investments in these areas are expected to generate a return of 15%.
Exxon is building a lithium drilling rig in Arkansas and expects to produce battery-grade lithium for electric vehicles as early as 2027. The goal is to supply enough mineral to support the manufacture of 1 million electric vehicles by 2030.
Exxon Mobil shares struggled in 2023, falling more than 9%. The majority of these losses occurred in the fourth quarter. The stock is down 14% in that time frame.