July 30, 2021 [BusinessWire] – Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE: VLO, “Valero”) today reported net income attributable to Valero stockholders of $162 million, or $0.39 per share, for the second quarter of 2021, compared to $1.3 billion, or $3.07 per share, for the second quarter of 2020.

Excluding the adjustments shown in the accompanying earnings release tables, second quarter 2021 adjusted net income attributable to Valero stockholders was $197 million, or $0.48 per share, compared to an adjusted net loss attributable to Valero stockholders of $504 million, or $1.25 per share, in the second quarter of 2020. Second quarter 2020 adjusted results exclude the benefit from an after-tax lower of cost or market, or LCM, inventory valuation adjustment of $1.8 billion.

Refining

The refining segment reported $349 million of operating income for the second quarter of 2021, compared to $1.8 billion for the second quarter of 2020. The second quarter 2021 adjusted operating income was $361 million, compared to an adjusted operating loss of $383 million in the second quarter of 2020, which excludes the LCM inventory valuation adjustment. Refinery throughput volumes averaged 2.8 million barrels per day in the second quarter of 2021, which was 514 thousand barrels per day higher than the second quarter of 2020.

“Our system’s flexibility and the team’s relentless focus on optimization in a weak, but otherwise improving, margin environment enabled us to deliver positive earnings in the second quarter,” said Joe Gorder, Valero Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “More importantly, cash provided by operating activities more than covered our cash used in investing and financing activities for the quarter, even without the cash benefits from our receipt of the 2020 income tax refund and the proceeds from the sale of a portion of our interest in the Pasadena terminal.”

Renewable Diesel

The renewable diesel segment, which consists of the Diamond Green Diesel (DGD) joint venture, reported $248 million of operating income for the second quarter of 2021, compared to $129 million for the second quarter of 2020. Renewable diesel sales volumes averaged 923 thousand gallons per day in the second quarter of 2021, which was 128 thousand gallons per day higher than the second quarter of 2020.

“Our renewable diesel segment continues to perform exceptionally well,” said Gorder. “The segment once again set records for renewable diesel operating income and sales volumes, highlighting DGD’s ability to process a wide range of discounted feedstocks, combined with Valero’s operational and technical expertise.”

Ethanol

The ethanol segment reported $99 million of operating income for the second quarter of 2021, compared to $91 million for the second quarter of 2020. Excluding the LCM inventory valuation adjustment, the second quarter 2020 adjusted operating loss was $20 million. Ethanol production volumes averaged 4.2 million gallons per day in the second quarter of 2021, which was 1.9 million gallons per day higher than the second quarter of 2020.

Corporate and Other

General and administrative expenses were $176 million in the second quarter of 2021, compared to $169 million in the second quarter of 2020. The effective tax rate for the second quarter of 2021 was 37 percent, which is higher than the second quarter of 2020 due to the remeasurement of our deferred tax liabilities primarily as a result of an increase in the U.K. statutory tax rate that will be effective in 2023.

Investing and Financing Activities

Capital investments totaled $548 million in the second quarter of 2021, of which $252 million was for sustaining the business, including costs for turnarounds, catalysts and regulatory compliance. Excluding capital investments attributable to our partner’s 50 percent share of DGD and those related to other variable interest entities, capital investments attributable to Valero were $417 million.

Net cash provided by operating activities was $2.0 billion in the second quarter of 2021. Included in this amount was a $1.1 billion favorable impact from working capital and $132 million associated with our joint venture partner’s share of DGD’s net cash provided by operating activities, excluding changes in DGD’s working capital. Excluding these items, adjusted net cash provided by operating activities was $809 million.

Valero returned $401 million to stockholders through dividends for a payout ratio of 50 percent of adjusted net cash provided by operating activities in the second quarter of 2021.

Valero continues to target a long-term total payout ratio between 40 and 50 percent of adjusted net cash provided by operating activities. Valero defines total payout ratio as the sum of dividends and stock buybacks divided by net cash provided by operating activities adjusted for changes in working capital and DGD’s net cash provided by operating activities, excluding changes in its working capital, attributable to our joint venture partner’s ownership interest in DGD.

Liquidity and Financial Position

Valero ended the second quarter of 2021 with $14.7 billion of total debt and finance lease obligations and $3.6 billion of cash and cash equivalents. The debt to capitalization ratio, net of cash and cash equivalents, was 37 percent as of June 30, 2021.

Strategic Update

Valero continues to advance economic projects that lower the carbon intensity of its products. The large-scale carbon sequestration project with BlackRock and Navigator is moving ahead with strong interest from additional parties in the binding open season. Valero is expected to be the anchor shipper with eight of Valero’s ethanol plants connected to this system, producing a lower carbon intensity ethanol product to be marketed in low-carbon fuel markets.

In addition, Valero and its joint venture partner continue to steadily expand DGD’s capacity to produce low-carbon intensity renewable diesel. The DGD plant expansion at St. Charles (DGD 2), which is expected to increase renewable diesel production capacity by 400 million gallons per year, remains on budget and is still on track to be completed and operational in the middle of the fourth quarter of 2021. The St. Charles expansion will also provide the capability to market 30 million gallons per year of renewable naphtha into low-carbon fuel markets. The new DGD plant at Port Arthur (DGD 3), which is expected to increase renewable diesel production capacity by 470 million gallons per year, is also progressing well and is now expected to commence operations in the first half of 2023, increasing DGD’s total annual production capacity to approximately 1.2 billion gallons of renewable diesel and 50 million gallons of renewable naphtha.

Refinery optimization projects that are expected to reduce cost and improve margin capture are progressing on schedule. The Pembroke Cogen project is on track to be completed in the third quarter of 2021 and the Port Arthur Coker project is expected to be completed in 2023.

Capital investments attributable to Valero are forecasted to be $2.0 billion in 2021, of which approximately 60 percent is for sustaining the business and approximately 40 percent is for growth projects. Over half of Valero’s 2021 growth capital is allocated to expanding the renewable diesel business.

“As demand for low-carbon fuels expands globally, we continue to expand our long-term competitive advantage through innovation in renewables,” said Gorder. “In addition to quadrupling our renewable diesel production capacity in the next couple of years, we are evaluating and developing other renewable fuels opportunities with carbon sequestration, renewable naphtha, sustainable aviation fuel, and renewable hydrogen.”

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