Saudi Aramco’s full-year revenue greater than doubles on hovering oil costs

Saudi Arabian oil big Aramco reported blowout full-year earnings on Sunday, posting a greater than doubling in year-on-year internet revenue to $110 billion.

Aramco’s 2021 internet revenue elevated by 124% to $110 billion in 2021, in comparison with $49 billion in 2020, citing increased crude oil costs, stronger refining and chemical compounds margins, and the consolidation of its chemical compounds enterprise, SABIC’s, full-year outcomes. 

The numbers had been according to expectations, with analysts surveyed by Reuters forecasting internet revenue of $109.7 billion for the complete yr. Aramco shares on the Saudi Tadawul Trade rose virtually 4% in Sunday buying and selling after the end result.

“Our strong results are a testament to our financial discipline, flexibility through evolving market conditions and steadfast focus on our long-term growth strategy, which targets value growth for our shareholders,” Aramco CEO Amin Nasser stated within the outcomes launch.

Aramco benefitted from surging oil costs throughout 2021, with worldwide benchmark Brent crude rising above $80 a barrel by the top of the yr, up roughly 50% for the 12-month interval. Provide shortages added to a fancy slew of things driving main uncertainty throughout the vitality and commodity advanced, even earlier than Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

 “Although economic conditions have improved considerably, the outlook remains uncertain due to various macro-economic and geopolitical factors,” he added. It comes after the IEA warned that the oil market was heading for its “biggest supply crisis in decades” as Russian sanctions hit and consumers shun its exports.

“We see healthy oil demand. Unfortunately there is shrinking global spare capacity, combined with low inventories and a lack of investment,” Nasser stated on an earnings name Sunday. He additionally blamed “a transition plan that’s totally unrealistic” for the present pricing dynamic. 

The end result and earnings name additionally got here simply hours after Saudi authorities confirmed one other assault on Aramco amenities on Sunday, with Houthi rebels using missiles and drones to target at least six sites throughout Saudi Arabia, together with an Aramco gas depot and a liquefied pure gasoline plant.

“There were no injuries or fatalities, and no impact on the company’s supplies to customers,” Nasser stated.

“We’ve demonstrated our ability to respond swiftly and effectively,” Nasser stated, pointing to Aramco’s response to a major attack on its facilities in 2019. “We were able to restore operations rapidly, while ensuring reliability of supply to our customers.” 

Aramco additionally declared a fourth quarter dividend of $18.8 billion, to be paid within the first quarter of 2022. The dividend is roofed by an increase in free-cash movement to $107.5 billion in 2021, in comparison with $49.1 billion in 2020. 

Aramco stated it might suggest that $4 billion in retained earnings be used to pay bonus shares to buyers, topic to approval. Underneath the advice, shareholders would obtain one bonus share for each 10 shares owned. Consequently, the overall dividend for 2021 is $75 billion in money, along with bonus shares. 

The revenue figures are a stark distinction from the corporate’s 2020 earnings, which noticed a 44% drop on the earlier yr resulting from demand collapse introduced on by the coronavirus pandemic. 

Nasser on the time described Aramco’s 2020 monetary yr as considered one of its most “challenging years” in current historical past. 

The corporate additionally stated it might make investments to extend crude oil manufacturing capability to 13 million barrels per day by 2027, broaden its liquid to chemical manufacturing, and look to extend gasoline manufacturing by greater than 50% by 2030. 

Aramco has additionally stated it desires to realize net-zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gasoline emissions throughout its wholly-owned operated property by 2050. Scope 1 refers to direct emissions from sources owned or managed by the corporate, whereas Scope 2 covers oblique emissions from the era of bought energy consumed by the corporate.

“We’re doing our part, but it’s not enough. Other players in the industry also need to do their part and increase investment,” Nasser stated, saying demand for oil will proceed to speed up in coming years. 

Capital expenditure in 2021 was $31.9 billion, a rise of 18% from 2020, primarily pushed by elevated actions in relation to crude oil increments, the Tanajib Gasoline Plant and growth drilling applications. Aramco expects 2022 capital expenditure to be roughly $40-50 billion, with additional development anticipated till across the center of the last decade.