Core Viewpoint - Chevron's CEO Mike Wirth has warned about the potential exit of the company from Venezuela due to the expiration of a Biden-era license, which allows Chevron to operate in the country and export oil to the U.S. [1][5] Group 1: Chevron's Operations in Venezuela - Chevron is currently the only American company operating in Venezuela, exporting approximately 240,000 barrels per day, which constitutes over a quarter of the country's total oil output [10] - The company is under pressure from the Trump administration to cease drilling activities in Venezuela, with a mandate to wind down operations starting March 1 [1][4] - Wirth emphasized that halting operations would have significant implications for U.S. energy security, as Gulf Coast refineries are specifically designed to process Venezuelan oil [7] Group 2: Geopolitical Implications - Wirth expressed concerns about the growing influence of China in the Western Hemisphere, noting that if Chevron exits, it would create opportunities for Chinese and Russian companies to fill the void [7][9] - He highlighted that China is currently the largest buyer of Venezuelan oil, and discussions have been ongoing to encourage further purchases from Venezuela [7] - The potential shift in oil trade dynamics could lead to increased Chinese control over Venezuelan resources, which Wirth argues is not in the best interest of the U.S. [9] Group 3: Political Context - The Trump administration's stance includes imposing a 25% tariff on countries purchasing Venezuelan oil, which adds to the complexities of U.S.-Venezuela relations [5] - Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado supports the Trump administration's strategy, asserting that the current regime is at its weakest point [9] - Machado also pointed out that Venezuela possesses the largest proven oil and gas reserves globally, suggesting that a democratic government could transform the country into an energy hub [10]

Group 1: Berkshire Hathaway's Energy Investments - Berkshire Hathaway has a dual portfolio in the energy sector, including publicly traded stocks and wholly owned companies [2][4] - Publicly traded investments include Chevron and Occidental Petroleum, indicating Buffett's value perception in oil and gas [4] - Berkshire Hathaway also owns utilities focused on cleaner energy, moving away from coal [5] Group 2: TotalEnergies Overview - TotalEnergies is a major integrated energy company based in France, competing with Chevron and has a favorable relationship with developing countries [7] - The company has diversified operations, including midstream and downstream businesses, which help stabilize its financial performance [8] - TotalEnergies is expanding its integrated power division, focusing on clean energy, with a 17% growth in 2024 [10] Group 3: Investment Opportunity - TotalEnergies offers a 6.7% dividend yield, making it an attractive investment option [5][11] - The company's commitment to clean energy contrasts with competitors like BP and Shell, reflecting a long-term investment strategy similar to Buffett's [12] - Investing in TotalEnergies allows exposure to two key themes present in Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio [11][13]

Chevron Corporation (CVX) reported adjusted first-quarter earnings per share of $2.18, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.15. The outperformance stemmed from higher-than-expected U.S. natural gas production in the company’s key upstream segment. The unit’s domestic output of 2,859 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) came in above the consensus mark of 2,666 MMcf/d. A healthy gain in the commodity’s U.S. realizations also played its part.However, the bottom line came well below the year-ago adjusted ...

On this final trading day of the latest Jobs Week, a fresh Employment Situation Report has hit the tape from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for the month of April. What we see is a headline +177K new jobs filled last month, above the +133K analysts had expected. The Unemployment Rate remained at +4.2%, as anticipated.While this is a good headline number, with considerably more jobs than needed to make up a wide swath of new retirees (roughly 100K per month), we also see some downward revisions fo ...

Friday, May 2, 2025On this final trading day of the latest Jobs Week, a fresh Employment Situation Report has hit the tape from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for the month of April. What we see is a headline +177K new jobs filled last month, above the +133K analysts had expected. The Unemployment Rate remained at +4.2%, as anticipated.While this is a good headline number, with considerably more jobs than needed to make up a wide swath of new retirees (roughly 100K per month), we also see some do ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Chevron reported earnings of $3.5 billion or $2 per share for the first quarter, with adjusted earnings of $3.8 billion or $2.18 per share, reflecting a $200 million increase from the previous quarter [11][12] - Cash returned to shareholders reached $6.9 billion through dividends and buybacks, marking twelve consecutive quarters of over $5 billion returned [6][7] - Organic CapEx was $3.5 billion, the lowest quarterly total in two years, while inorganic CapEx was approximately $400 million [11][12] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Adjusted upstream earnings remained flat compared to the last quarter, with higher realizations offset by lower liftings and affiliate earnings [13] - Adjusted downstream earnings increased due to improved refining margins and lower maintenance costs [13] - First quarter oil equivalent production was flat compared to the previous quarter, with growth expected to resume in the Permian in the second quarter [14] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The expansion of the Pasadena refinery has strengthened the Gulf Coast value chain, allowing for increased production capacity [10] - The company achieved first oil at Ballymore, with expectations to increase production to 300,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2026 [9][49] - Chevron has added over 11 million net exploration acres since the start of last year, enhancing its future opportunity pipeline [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Chevron's strategy focuses on execution to unlock industry-leading cash flow growth, with a disciplined approach to capital and cost management [8][14] - The company aims to deliver growth projects expected to generate an incremental $9 billion of free cash flow in 2026 [15] - Chevron's balance sheet remains strong, with a net debt ratio of 14%, well below the target range of 20% to 25% [15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in navigating macroeconomic uncertainties and commodity cycles, emphasizing the importance of cost and capital discipline [6][8] - The company anticipates share repurchases of $2.5 billion to $3 billion in the second quarter, maintaining a robust buyback program [16][18] - Management highlighted the positive outlook for negotiations regarding the concession extension in Kazakhstan, indicating a strong partnership with the government [22][23] Other Important Information - Chevron's capital expenditure budget for 2025 represents a $2 billion reduction from the previous year, with targeted structural cost savings of $2 billion to $3 billion by the end of next year [8] - The company is actively engaging in the power solutions sector, with plans to secure competitive returns on new projects [92][95] Q&A Session Summary Question: Update on TCO and production levels - Management expressed satisfaction with the startup performance at TCO, achieving nameplate capacity in less than thirty days and discussing future concession negotiations with the Kazakh government [20][22] Question: Position in California refining market - Management noted a strong position in California with two well-scaled refineries, while expressing concerns over state policies affecting investment [26][27] Question: Financial framework and buyback strategy - Management reiterated the importance of maintaining a consistent buyback strategy through cycles, with a focus on dividend growth and capital discipline [32][34] Question: Impact of macroeconomic factors on production - Management discussed the implications of potential production losses in Venezuela and the dynamics of OPEC+ on market share [41][46] Question: Future production in the Gulf of Mexico - Management highlighted the successful startup of Ballymore and the expectation of ramping production to 300,000 barrels per day [49] Question: Permian well performance and outlook - Management reported strong performance in the Delaware Basin and anticipated similar results for 2025 [52][55] Question: Update on power ventures - Management confirmed strong demand for power solutions and progress towards final investment decisions by year-end [92][95] Question: Tariff situation and cost control - Management is actively monitoring tariff impacts and taking actions to mitigate costs [120]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Chevron reported earnings of $3.5 billion or $2 per share for Q1 2025, with adjusted earnings of $3.8 billion or $2.18 per share, reflecting a $200 million increase in adjusted earnings compared to the previous quarter [9][12] - Cash returned to shareholders reached $6.9 billion through dividends and buybacks, marking twelve consecutive quarters of over $5 billion returned [5][6] - Organic CapEx was $3.5 billion, the lowest quarterly total in two years, while inorganic CapEx was approximately $400 million [10][11] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Adjusted upstream earnings remained flat compared to the last quarter, with higher realizations offset by lower liftings and affiliate earnings [12] - Adjusted downstream earnings increased due to improved refining margins and lower maintenance costs [12] - First quarter oil equivalent production was flat compared to the previous quarter, with growth expected to resume in the Permian in Q2 2025 [13] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Chevron achieved first oil at Ballymore in the Gulf of America, contributing to expected production growth to 300,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2026 [7][46] - The expansion of the Pasadena refinery has strengthened the Gulf Coast value chain, allowing for increased capacity and integration with Pascagoula [8][109] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Chevron's strategy focuses on execution to unlock industry-leading cash flow growth, with a capital program directed towards short-cycle assets and deepwater projects [6][14] - The company aims for structural cost savings of $2 billion to $3 billion by the end of next year, alongside a $2 billion reduction in CapEx budgets [6][14] - Chevron is expanding its pipeline of future opportunities, adding over 11 million net exploration acres since the start of last year [8] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in navigating macroeconomic uncertainties and commodity cycles, emphasizing cost and capital discipline [6][14] - The company remains well-positioned to generate cash flow growth, even in lower price environments, with a strong balance sheet and a net debt ratio of 14% [14][104] - Management highlighted the importance of maintaining flexibility in capital spending to adapt to market conditions [101][104] Other Important Information - Chevron's guidance for annual buybacks remains unchanged at $10 billion to $20 billion, with expected buybacks of $2.5 billion to $3 billion in Q2 2025 [14][15] - The company is actively engaging in power ventures, with plans for a floating production unit in Cyprus expected to produce 800 million cubic feet of gas per day [60][94] Q&A Session Summary Question: Update on TCO and production levels - Management expressed satisfaction with the startup performance at TCO, achieving nameplate capacity in less than 30 days and positive discussions regarding concession extensions [18][20] Question: Position in California refining market - Management noted a strong position with two refineries and highlighted challenges posed by state policies affecting investment [23][24] Question: Financial framework and buyback decisions - Management reiterated the importance of maintaining a balance between buybacks and capital discipline, with a focus on long-term financial priorities [30][32] Question: Impact of macroeconomic factors on production - Management discussed the implications of potential production losses in Venezuela and Kazakhstan, emphasizing the value of TCO production to the government [41][43] Question: Future prospects in the Gulf of Mexico - Management provided insights on Ballymore's production ramp-up and the potential for significant output from the project [46][47] Question: Update on power ventures - Management confirmed strong demand for power projects and ongoing discussions with prospective customers, aiming for a final investment decision by year-end [92][94] Question: Tariff impacts on CapEx - Management indicated limited direct exposure to tariffs, with most costs being service-related and local sourcing mitigating potential impacts [121][123]

For the quarter ended March 2025, Chevron (CVX) reported revenue of $47.61 billion, down 2.3% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $2.18, compared to $2.93 in the year-ago quarter.The reported revenue represents a surprise of -2.15% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $48.66 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $2.15, the EPS surprise was +1.40%.While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their ne ...

About this content About Angela Harmantas Angela Harmantas is an Editor at Proactive. She has over 15 years of experience covering the equity markets in North America, with a particular focus on junior resource stocks. Angela has reported from numerous countries around the world, including Canada, the US, Australia, Brazil, Ghana, and South Africa for leading trade publications. Previously, she worked in investor relations and led the foreign direct investment program in Canada for the Swedish government ...

Chevron (CVX) came out with quarterly earnings of $2.18 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.15 per share. This compares to earnings of $2.93 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of 1.40%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this oil company would post earnings of $2.19 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.06, delivering a surprise of -5.94%.Over the last four quarters, the company has su ...