Core Viewpoint - Marathon Petroleum Corp. has announced the appointment of Maria A. Khoury as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective January 19, 2026, succeeding John J. Quaid, who will assist during the transition [1][2]. Group 1: Leadership Transition - Maria A. Khoury brings 25 years of global finance experience, particularly in the oil and gas sector, which is expected to enhance the executive team as the company pursues its strategic objectives [2]. - John J. Quaid will remain with the company for a transition period, acknowledging his contributions to Marathon Petroleum [2]. Group 2: Maria A. Khoury's Background - Khoury has served as Vice President, Group CFO Biotechnology for Danaher since 2021, overseeing financial responsibilities for Cytiva and Pall Life Sciences [2]. - Prior to her role in life sciences, she held financial leadership positions at GE Oil & Gas from 2010 to 2017, including CFO of GE's Drilling and Surface division [3]. - Khoury has a strong educational background with a bachelor's degree in economics, a diploma in international business strategy, and an MBA in international finance [4]. Group 3: Company Overview - Marathon Petroleum Corporation is a leading integrated downstream and midstream energy company, operating the largest refining system in the United States [5]. - The company also owns a majority interest in MPLX LP, which operates gathering, processing, and transportation assets in the midstream sector [5].

Company Performance - Marathon Petroleum (MPC) closed at $174.50, reflecting a -1.3% change from the previous day, underperforming the S&P 500's loss of 1.16% [1] - Prior to the latest trading session, shares of Marathon Petroleum had decreased by 11.43%, compared to the Oils-Energy sector's loss of 3.94% and the S&P 500's gain of 1.03% [1] Earnings Forecast - The upcoming earnings report for Marathon Petroleum is expected to show an EPS of $3.98, indicating a significant growth of 416.88% year-over-year [2] - Revenue is projected to be $30.58 billion, which represents an 8.62% decrease compared to the same quarter last year [2] - For the full year, earnings are estimated at $10.85 per share and revenue at $132.48 billion, reflecting changes of +14.09% and -5.65% respectively from the prior year [3] Analyst Estimates and Rankings - Recent revisions to analyst forecasts for Marathon Petroleum are important as they reflect short-term business trends, with positive changes indicating a favorable outlook on business health and profitability [4] - The Zacks Rank system, which assesses estimate changes, currently ranks Marathon Petroleum at 3 (Hold) [6] - The Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has increased by 2.73% in the past month [6] Valuation Metrics - Marathon Petroleum has a Forward P/E ratio of 16.3, which is higher than the industry average of 13.77 [7] - The company has a PEG ratio of 0.91, compared to the industry average PEG ratio of 1.15 [8] Industry Context - The Oil and Gas - Refining and Marketing industry, which includes Marathon Petroleum, has a Zacks Industry Rank of 89, placing it in the top 37% of over 250 industries [9] - Research indicates that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [9]

Group 1: Energy Sector Performance - The energy sector experienced a significant decline, with all components closing lower, including companies like APA, Marathon Petroleum, and Philips 66 [1] - Crude oil prices have reached multi-year lows, the lowest since before the Ukraine war, indicating a potential shift in market dynamics [2] Group 2: Geopolitical Influences - Geopolitical factors, particularly the potential for peace in Ukraine, are seen as major drivers affecting oil prices, with positive developments for Ukraine being bearish for oil producers [3] - The possibility of increased supply due to lifted sanctions on Russia and peace negotiations in Ukraine is contributing to the bearish outlook for oil [4] Group 3: Technological Impact on Energy Trading - The use of geospatial technology is becoming essential in energy trading, allowing traders to track assets and understand oil flow more accurately [6][7] - The availability of satellite data has increased due to advancements in launch technology, making it a critical tool for traders in the energy market [7] Group 4: Natural Gas Market Dynamics - Natural gas prices have been volatile, primarily driven by weather changes, with significant fluctuations observed in recent days [8][9] - The demand for natural gas is expected to grow due to the increasing electricity consumption driven by AI infrastructure and renewables [11] Group 5: Future Outlook - The energy market is anticipated to be tightly balanced by 2026, with potential for significant volatility due to rapid changes in supply and demand dynamics [13]

Core Insights - Geopolitical tensions have significantly increased diesel prices, leading to higher global refinery margins, with benchmark diesel prices reaching a 16-month high as of November 12, 2025 [1][2] Diesel Price Drivers - Diesel crack spreads surged above $1 per gallon at key hubs from mid-October to mid-November 2025, driven by sanctions on Russian crude oil, refinery outages, and military strikes affecting production and supply [3][4][5] - European Union sanctions targeting Russian crude and refined products have limited Russian diesel flow into global markets, forcing buyers to seek alternative supplies [3] - Significant outages at key refineries, including Kuwait's Al Zour, have compounded global diesel production shortages [4] - Military actions, such as Ukraine's attacks on Russian petroleum infrastructure, have further tightened global diesel supply [4] Impact on Oil Companies - Major oil companies like ExxonMobil, Chevron, Phillips 66, and Marathon Petroleum are expected to benefit from increased diesel prices, as they can purchase crude oil at stable or lower prices and sell refined products at much higher prices [2][6] - Rising refining profits have helped offset weaker earnings from drilling operations for these companies, with global refining margins hitting multi-year highs in November 2025 [6] Energy ETFs Performance - Energy-focused ETFs are likely to see improved profitability due to the enhanced financial health of constituent refining companies, making them attractive to investors [2][7] - Specific ETFs poised to benefit include: - State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) with $27.81 billion AUM, gaining 10.3% year to date [10] - iShares U.S. Energy ETF (IYE) with $1.16 billion in net assets, gaining 9.9% year to date [11] - Vanguard Energy ETF (VDE) with $7.1 billion in net assets, gaining 10% year to date [12]

Group 1 - Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) is recognized among the 15 Dividend Stocks that outperform the S&P 500 [1] - Barclays raised its price target for MPC to $202 from $194, maintaining an Overweight stance based on updated commodity data [2] - MPC reported a net income of $1.4 billion for Q3 2025, equating to $4.51 per diluted share, with strong cash flow from the Refining and Marketing segment [3] Group 2 - MPLX is projected to deliver approximately $2.8 billion in annualized distributions to MPC, which is expected to cover dividends and capital spending [4] - The capital spending plan for the Refining and Marketing unit in 2025 includes high-return projects at key refineries and shorter-cycle initiatives to enhance margins and reduce costs [5] - MPC is involved in petroleum refining, marketing, and transportation, headquartered in Findlay, Ohio [5]

Core Insights - TransPerfect's MPC Paris studio served as the overall VFX supervisor and lead picture post-production facility for the Netflix original series "Néro the Assassin," which consists of eight episodes now streaming worldwide [1][4] Group 1: VFX Production - MPC Paris delivered a total of 238 VFX shots and created eight major assets for "Néro the Assassin," contributing to a total of 832 VFX shots in collaboration with French partner studios [2] - The visual effects were overseen by MPC VFX Supervisor Arnaud Fouquet, who guided the creative vision during five months of shooting and extended pre-production in France and Spain [3] - More than 80 MPC artists were involved in building the fictional city of Ségur, while partner studios managed key sequences including the city of Lamartine and various effects [3] Group 2: Post-Production - MPC Paris managed the complete picture post-production process, which included editing and final color grading, ensuring a consistent visual identity across all episodes [4] - The commitment required for a series of this scale was likened to that of producing three feature films, highlighting the extensive effort involved [4] Group 3: Company Background - MPC Paris has been a significant player in Europe's visual effects industry for nearly 40 years, supporting studios and producers from early preparation to final delivery [5] - The company emphasizes creative collaboration, technical precision, and production quality, with a portfolio that includes notable projects like "The Walking Dead" and "Dracula" [5] - TransPerfect, the parent company, is the largest provider of language and AI solutions globally, with a presence in over 150 cities and services offered in more than 200 languages [6]

Core Insights - Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) is an integrated downstream energy company based in Findlay, Ohio, with a market capitalization of $58.2 billion, categorizing it as a large-cap stock [1] Stock Performance - MPC stock reached a 52-week high of $202.29 on November 14 and is currently trading 4.2% below that peak, having surged 8.1% over the past three months, outperforming the Dow Jones Industrial Average's 4.6% increase during the same period [2] - Year-to-date, MPC stock prices have increased by 38.9% and 24.7% over the past 52 weeks, compared to the Dow's gains of 12.2% in 2025 and 6.7% over the past year [3] Financial Results - In Q3, MPC's topline grew 1.3% year-over-year to $35.8 billion, exceeding market expectations, although sales and other operating revenues fell by 85 basis points compared to the previous year, with gains attributed solely to investment income [4] - The adjusted EPS for Q3 was $3.01, which missed consensus estimates by 3.2% [4] Competitive Position - MPC has outperformed its peer Phillips 66 (PSX), which recorded gains of 20.2% in 2025 and 2.7% over the past 52 weeks [5] - Among 19 analysts covering MPC stock, the consensus rating is a "Moderate Buy," with a mean price target of $202.28, indicating a potential upside of 4.4% from current price levels [5]

Core Insights - Zacks Premium provides tools for investors to enhance their stock market strategies and confidence [1] - The Zacks Style Scores offer a systematic approach to evaluate stocks based on value, growth, and momentum [2][3][4][5][6] Zacks Style Scores Overview - The Style Scores categorize stocks with ratings from A to F, where A indicates the highest potential for outperformance [3] - Value Score focuses on identifying undervalued stocks using financial ratios like P/E and Price/Cash Flow [3] - Growth Score assesses stocks based on projected earnings and sales growth [4] - Momentum Score evaluates stocks based on price trends and earnings estimate changes [5] - VGM Score combines all three styles to provide a comprehensive assessment of stocks [6] Zacks Rank and Its Importance - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that uses earnings estimate revisions to guide investment decisions [7] - Stocks rated 1 (Strong Buy) have historically outperformed the S&P 500 with an average annual return of +23.93% since 1988 [7] - There are over 800 stocks rated 1 and 2, making it essential to utilize Style Scores for better selection [8] Stock Highlight: Marathon Petroleum (MPC) - Marathon Petroleum is a leading independent refiner and marketer of petroleum products, formed from a spin-off in 2011 and expanded through a $23.3 billion acquisition in 2018 [11] - Currently rated 3 (Hold) with a VGM Score of A, MPC has a strong Momentum Style Score of A and has seen a 5.2% increase in shares over the past month [12] - Analysts have raised earnings estimates for fiscal 2025, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate increasing by $2.26 to $10.56 per share, and an impressive average earnings surprise of +316.3% [12][13]

Core Insights - Marathon Petroleum reported $35.85 billion in revenue for Q3 2025, a year-over-year increase of 1.4% and a surprise of +16.33% compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $30.82 billion [1] - The company's EPS for the quarter was $3.01, up from $1.87 a year ago, but fell short of the consensus estimate of $3.11, resulting in an EPS surprise of -3.22% [1] Financial Performance - The refining and marketing margin was reported at $17.60, slightly below the four-analyst average estimate of $17.70 [4] - Mid-Continent refining and marketing margin was $19.88, exceeding the average estimate of $18.55 [4] - West Coast refining and marketing margin was $19.17, significantly lower than the estimated $22.38 [4] - Gulf Coast refining and marketing margin was $14.77, slightly below the average estimate of $15.03 [4] Refinery Throughputs - Net refinery throughput was 3005 million barrels of oil, surpassing the average estimate of 2939.48 million barrels [4] - Crude oil refined in the Mid-Continent was 1,147.00 Mbpd, above the average estimate of 1,089.39 Mbpd [4] - Gross refinery throughputs in the West Coast were 557.00 Mbpd, exceeding the average estimate of 547.29 Mbpd [4] - Crude oil refined in the West Coast was 522.00 Mbpd, above the average estimate of 505.05 Mbpd [4] Stock Performance - Marathon Petroleum shares returned +8.4% over the past month, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.5% change [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), indicating expected performance in line with the broader market [3]

Core Insights - The Zacks Oil and Gas - Refining & Marketing industry is entering a constructive phase due to steady global demand for refined products like gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, despite mixed economic signals [1][3] - The industry is characterized by tight refining capacity, which has been exacerbated by years of limited investment and refinery closures, leading to strong crack spreads and healthier margins [1][4] - Long-term growth opportunities are emerging in renewable fuels, driven by government incentives and stricter emissions regulations, providing refiners with new revenue streams [1][6] Industry Overview - The industry includes companies that sell refined petroleum products and operate terminals, storage facilities, and transportation services, with refining margins being highly volatile and influenced by various factors [2] - Key determinants of profitability include the state of petroleum product inventories, demand, imports, and capacity utilization [2] Trends Impacting the Industry - Strong global demand for transportation fuels supports throughput, allowing refiners to operate efficiently and adjust output to profitable products [3] - Persistent structural tightness in refining capacity is expected to continue, giving refiners more pricing power and supporting steady margins [4] - Margin volatility and rising operating costs pose challenges, with unpredictable feedstock costs and inflation affecting earnings visibility [5] Opportunities in Renewable Fuels - The shift towards renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel presents significant long-term opportunities for refiners, enhancing revenue diversity and regulatory compliance [6] Industry Performance - The Zacks Oil and Gas - Refining & Marketing industry has outperformed the broader Zacks Oil - Energy Sector, increasing by 9% over the past year compared to the sector's 1.4% [10] - The industry currently holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 90, indicating strong near-term prospects [8] Current Valuation - The industry is trading at an EV/EBITDA ratio of 4.62X, significantly lower than the S&P 500's 18.25X and the sector's 5.27X [14] Notable Companies - **Par Pacific Holdings**: Operates an integrated energy business with a refining capacity of 219,000 barrels per day and is pursuing decarbonization efforts, with a market cap of $2.2 billion and a projected earnings surge of 1,724.3% for 2025 [17][18] - **Marathon Petroleum**: A major independent refiner with access to lower-cost crude, benefiting from strong cash flow and consistent shareholder returns, with a market cap exceeding $60 billion [21][22] - **Phillips 66**: One of the largest independent refiners with nearly 2 million barrels per day of refining capacity, focusing on strategic expansion and expected EPS growth of 14.1% over the next three to five years [26][27] - **Galp Energia**: A Portuguese integrated energy company producing over 100,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, with a focus on low-carbon initiatives and a market cap of $14.7 billion [30][31]