ConocoPhillips Shares Fall After Q4 Earnings Miss Despite Higher Production

Core Viewpoint - ConocoPhillips reported fourth-quarter earnings that fell short of analyst expectations, resulting in a more than 3% decline in share price during intra-day trading [1]. Financial Performance - The company posted earnings per share of $1.02, missing Wall Street estimates of $1.18 [2]. - Production for the quarter was 2.32 million barrels of oil equivalent per day, an increase of 137 thousand barrels per day year-over-year. However, after adjusting for acquisitions and asset divestitures, production declined by 63 thousand barrels per day, or 2.6%, compared to the prior-year period [2]. - Cash flow from operations for the quarter was $4.3 billion [2]. Future Outlook - ConocoPhillips reiterated its 2026 capital spending plan of approximately $12 billion and maintained its adjusted operating cost outlook of $10.2 billion, consistent with prior guidance [3]. - For 2026, the company forecasts production between 2.33 and 2.36 million barrels of oil equivalent per day. First-quarter output is expected to range from 2.30 to 2.34 million barrels per day, factoring in weather-related downtime [3].