Why Occidental Stock Popped Today

Core Viewpoint - Occidental Petroleum's strong fourth-quarter earnings report has led to a significant increase in its stock price, reflecting positive investor sentiment and confidence in the company's financial health [1]. Financial Performance - Occidental's stock price increased by over 9% following the earnings report, closing at $51.57 with a market capitalization of $46 billion [4]. - The company produced an average of 1,481 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day in the fourth quarter, supported by robust performance in its Permian and Rockies operations [5]. - Despite a decline in realized crude oil and natural gas prices, Occidental generated substantial cash flow, with operating cash flow at $2.6 billion and free cash flow at $1 billion [6]. Strategic Actions - Occidental completed the sale of its chemical manufacturing business, OxyChem, on January 2, which allowed the company to reduce its debt by $5.8 billion since mid-December [3]. - The company has increased its quarterly dividend by 8% to $0.26 per share, with the dividend payable on April 15 to shareholders of record as of March 10 [3]. Market Metrics - The stock's trading range for the day was between $49.67 and $52.22, with a 52-week range of $34.78 to $52.58 [5]. - The company has a gross margin of 33.46% and a dividend yield of 2.04% [5].