Sunoco Updates Preliminary Fourth Quarter 2011 Results

Thursday, Feb 16, 2012

Sunoco, Inc. (NYSE: SUN) today updated the information contained in its preliminary release on pretax earnings on February 2, 2012 to include the tax provision and after-tax results. There were no changes to the previously reported pretax amounts. Sunoco reported a net loss attributable to Sunoco shareholders of $362 million ($3.39 per share diluted) for the fourth quarter of 2011 versus net income attributable to Sunoco shareholders of $87 million ($0.72 per share diluted) for the fourth quarter of 2010. Excluding special items, Sunoco had income of $5 million ($0.05 per share diluted) for the fourth quarter of 2011 versus income of $13 million ($0.11 per share diluted) for the fourth quarter of 2010. Key fourth quarter details include:

• Logistics and Retail contributed pretax income of $106 million
• Refining and Supply reported a pretax loss of $117 million
• Completed the separation of SunCoke Energy, Inc. in January 2012
• Recognized a $630 million pretax provision ($374 million after tax) for additional asset write-downs and idling expenses at the Philadelphia and Marcus Hook refineries

The discussion of pretax business results below is unchanged from the preliminary release on February 2. The following updated information for the fourth quarter of 2011 has been provided in this release:

• Earnings per share amounts
• A description of the tax benefits recorded in the fourth quarter for income excluding special items
• After-tax amounts for the special items
• Earnings profile of Sunoco business tables to reflect the tax amounts
• Statements of operations, balance sheets and statements of cash flows

DETAILS OF FOURTH QUARTER RESULTS

Logistics

Logistics earned $66 million pretax in the fourth quarter of 2011 versus $35 million in the fourth quarter of 2010. The increase in earnings was primarily due to higher crude oil sales volumes and margins which benefitted from market-related opportunities. Pipeline earnings benefitted from continued strong demand for crude oil in West Texas. Higher earnings attributable to recent acquisitions and organic growth projects also contributed to the improved results.

Retail Marketing

Retail Marketing earned $40 million pretax in the current quarter versus $1 million in the fourth quarter of 2010. The increase in earnings was primarily attributable to higher retail gasoline and distillate margins, partially offset by lower gasoline sales volumes.

Refining and Supply

Refining and Supply had a pretax loss of $117 million in the current quarter versus $17 million in the fourth quarter of 2010. The decrease in earnings was primarily the result of lower realized margins and production volumes. These negative factors were partially offset by lower expenses. Margins deteriorated throughout the fourth quarter during which market margins for gasoline were frequently negative. Margins were also impacted by high premiums for crude oil versus the Dated Brent crude oil benchmark. Production volumes were impacted by the idling of the Marcus Hook facility during the fourth quarter. The overall crude utilization rate was 81 percent for the quarter, down from 90 percent in the third quarter of 2011.

Coke

Coke earned $9 million pretax in the fourth quarter of 2011 versus $25 million in the fourth quarter of 2010. The decrease in earnings was largely attributable to lower coke sales revenues as a result of the Jewell contract restructuring with ArcelorMittal in January 2011, higher general and administrative costs largely associated with the relocation of SunCoke Energy’s corporate offices and additional staffing costs related to becoming a public company and Sunoco’s reduced ownership interest in SunCoke Energy.

Discontinued Chemicals Operations

Discontinued chemicals operations had pretax income of $3 million in the fourth quarter of 2011 versus $6 million in the fourth quarter of 2010.

OTHER

Corporate administrative expenses were $17 million pretax in the current quarter versus $27 million in the fourth quarter of 2010. The decrease was largely driven by lower staffing and incentive compensation costs.

Net financing expenses and other were $32 million pretax in the fourth quarter of 2011 compared to $27 million in the fourth quarter of 2010. Increased interest expense attributable to new borrowings of Sunoco Logistics Partners L.P. and SunCoke Energy, Inc. was partially offset by higher interest income.

INCOME TAXES

Excluding the impact of special items, the tax benefit on the $48 million pretax loss attributable to Sunoco, Inc. shareholders for the fourth quarter of 2011 was $53 million compared to a tax benefit of $17 million on a pretax loss of $4 million during the fourth quarter of 2010. The increase in the tax benefit was largely the result of higher tax credits in the 2011 fourth quarter under the effective tax rate method as the fourth quarter represented a higher percentage of full year results in 2011 as compared to 2010. The higher pretax loss in 2011 also resulted in a higher tax benefit. Both periods included adjustments to the respective tax benefit as a result of the reconciliation of the prior year tax provisions to the tax returns filed.

SPECIAL ITEMS

During the fourth quarter of 2011, Sunoco recorded a $387 million noncash provision ($230 million after tax) to write down assets at the Philadelphia and Marcus Hook refineries to their estimated fair values and recorded provisions for severance, contract terminations and idling expenses of $243 million ($144 million after tax); recognized a $21 million gain ($12 million after tax) largely attributable to the liquidation of a portion of the refined product LIFO inventories related to the idling of the Marcus Hook refinery; recorded a $3 million net pretax loss ($1 million after tax) primarily related to prior divestments of its Toledo refinery and discontinued chemicals operations; and recorded a $4 million tax provision adjustment related to the March 2010 sale of the polypropylene chemicals business. The total net impact of special items during the fourth quarter of 2011 was a charge of $612 million ($367 million after tax).

During the fourth quarter of 2010, Sunoco recognized a $168 million gain ($100 million after tax) from the liquidation of crude oil and refined product LIFO inventories primarily resulting from the permanent shutdown of the Eagle Point Refinery in the fourth quarter of 2009; recorded a $24 million provision ($14 million after tax) primarily for additional asset write-downs attributable to a decline in the fair market value of certain assets of the Eagle Point refinery; and recorded a $21 million provision ($12 million after tax) for pension settlement losses and accruals for employee terminations and related costs in connection with ongoing business improvement initiatives. The total net impact of special items during the fourth quarter of 2010 was income of $123 million ($74 million after tax).

Sunoco is a leading logistics and retail company. The company owns the general partner interest of Sunoco Logistics Partners L.P. (NYSE: SXL), which consists of a 2-percent ownership interest and incentive distribution rights, and owns a 32 percent interest in the Partnership’s limited partner units. Sunoco Logistics Partners L.P. is an owner and operator of complementary pipeline, terminal and crude oil acquisition and marketing assets. Sunoco also has a network of approximately 4,900 retail locations in 23 states.

Source: Business Wire