The financial rebound of leading oil firm Petron Corporation is on its escalation phase as its nine-month income this year rose 64-percent to P8.2 billion from P4.99 billion in a comparative period last year.
Operating income posted in the three quarters had also been robust at P16.5 billion, expanding by 23-percent from P13.4 billion a year ago.
According to the company, the upturn in earnings had been mainly buoyed by improved sales volume both in the domestic market and its offshore operations in Malaysia; and further boosted by brisk operations of its petroleum trading arm in Singapore.
Petron reported that it sold 80.4 million barrels within this year’s January-September stretch, higher by 37-percent from 58.8 million barrels in 2021. For the Philippine market, the company’s volume sales climbed by roughly 30-percent.
The oil firm, nevertheless, emphasized “these improvements were tempered by the increase in financing cost due to the unprecedented strengthening of US dollars against the peso and the successive hikes in interest rates.”
Petron President and CEO Ramon S. Ang said the company’s financial recovery is gaining traction “despite uncertainties from geopolitical conflicts affecting the industry.”
On targets of improving value to shareholders, he stated that “we are working hard so we can end the year strong and remain committed to providing consumers and industries quality fuel products they need.”
In the initial months of the year, the continuing surge in global oil prices partly propped the bottom line improvement of the oil firm; but Petron specified that prices dipped by $11 to average $96.88 per barrel in the third quarter.
Factoring in what is still deemed as exorbitant fuel prices in the world market as well as the sales volume rise, Petron logged consolidated revenues of P631.1 billion, which swelled more than double versus P291.6 billion last year.
The oil firm similarly specified that “demand recovery in most economies supported the continued strength of regional refining cracks resulting in the overall improvement in margins.”
Onward, the company indicated its business plan aimed at expanding the base of its income-generating prospects; and one opportunity it will be placing its bets on would be the construction of a coco methyl ester (CME) plant.
The project had already cornered the go-signal of its shareholders – hence, the next step on the company’s work plan will delve with securing the relevant permits.
Petron likewise acquired a palm methyl ester (PME) plant in Malaysia “to serve as an internal source for its biodiesel products” – and that facility had recently been expanded so it can cater to higher demand of biofuels in that market.