Form 8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 


FORM 8-K

 


CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): April 25, 2006

 


MURPHY OIL CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 


 

Delaware   1-8590   71-0361522

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

  (Commission File Number)  

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

200 Peach Street

P.O. Box 7000, El Dorado, Arkansas

  71731-7000
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code 870-862-6411

Not applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 


Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 



Item 2.02. Results of Operations and Financial Condition

The following information is furnished pursuant to Item 2.02, “Results of Operations and Financial Condition.”

On April 25, 2006, Murphy Oil Corporation issued a press release announcing its earnings for the first quarter that ended on March 31, 2006. The full text of this press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits

 

(c)    Exhibits
99.1    A news release dated April 25, 2006 announcing earnings for the first quarter that ended on March 31, 2006 is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.


Signature

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

MURPHY OIL CORPORATION
By:  

/s/ John W. Eckart

  John W. Eckart
  Controller

Date: April 25, 2006


Exhibit Index

 

  99.1   Press release dated April 25, 2006, as issued by Murphy Oil Corporation.
Press Release

Exhibit 99.1

MURPHY OIL ANNOUNCES FIRST QUARTER 2006 EARNINGS

EL DORADO, Arkansas, April 25, 2006 – Murphy Oil Corporation (NYSE: MUR) announced today that net income in the first quarter of 2006 was $113.9 million ($.60 per diluted share), comparable to net income of $113.2 million ($.60 per diluted share) in the first quarter of 2005. In 2006, substantially higher income for the Company’s exploration and production operations was mostly offset by losses in the refining and marketing business caused by downtime and unrecoverable repair costs at the Meraux, Louisiana refinery following Hurricane Katrina. The 2006 period included unsuccessful exploration drilling costs for the Rohu #1 well drilled in Block P, offshore Sabah, which encountered noncommercial quantities of hydrocarbons and was plugged and abandoned.

Murphy’s income from exploration and production operations was $161.6 million in the first quarter of 2006 compared to $124.9 million in the same quarter of 2005. Higher realized sales prices for crude oil and natural gas were the primary reasons for improved earnings. In addition, the 2006 period included lower exploration expenses and $15.7 million of insurance proceeds related to Gulf of Mexico production lost in the fourth quarter 2005 following Hurricane Katrina. Partially offsetting these improvements were lower oil and natural gas sales volumes and higher production expenses. Exploration expense in the 2006 period was $63.2 million, down from $70.3 million in 2005. Dry hole expense was lower by $14.2 million in the 2006 period mostly due to less costs in the Republic of Congo and the United States that were partially offset by higher costs in Malaysia. Geological and geophysical expense increased $8.7 million in 2006 compared to 2005 with higher costs in the United States and Malaysia for seismic and special studies. The Company’s worldwide crude oil and condensate sales prices averaged $49.11 per barrel for the 2006 first quarter compared to $39.90 per barrel in the 2005 first quarter. Total crude oil and gas liquids production was 98,074 barrels per day in the first quarter of 2006 compared to 108,738 barrels per day in the 2005 quarter. The decrease in crude oil volumes in 2006 was mostly attributable to lower production at Terra Nova, offshore eastern Canada, caused by operational problems with production equipment, lower entitlement due to higher oil prices at West Patricia, offshore Sarawak, Malaysia, and lower production from the Habanero and Medusa fields in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. Heavy oil production in Canada in 2006


exceeded the prior year due to an ongoing development drilling program in the Seal area of northern Alberta. North American natural gas sales prices averaged $9.38 per thousand cubic feet (MCF) in the 2006 first quarter compared to $6.71 per MCF in the same quarter of 2005. Natural gas sales volumes of 84 million cubic feet per day in the first quarter of 2006 were down from 113 million cubic feet per day in the 2005 period primarily due to the sale in mid-2005 of most properties located on the continental shelf of the Gulf of Mexico, for which sales volumes were 20 million cubic feet per day in the 2005 first quarter. The remaining reduction in natural gas sales volumes was mostly attributable to lower production at the Habanero field and onshore in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana. The Seventeen Hands field in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico commenced production on March 1 and averaged 12 million cubic feet per day net to the Company during the start-up period in March.

Murphy’s refining and marketing operations incurred a loss of $37.3 million in the 2006 quarter compared to a loss of $5.5 million in the 2005 quarter. In North America, downstream operations lost $37.1 million in 2006 and $8.3 million in 2005. The larger loss in 2006 was mostly caused by foregone refining margins, coupled with expenses for ongoing costs and $13.0 million of unrecoverable Hurricane Katrina-related repairs at the Meraux, Louisiana refinery, which was shut down for the entire first quarter. Although most repair costs are recoverable from insurance, damages caused by flooding have certain coverage limits. Additional pretax repair costs of approximately $37 million are projected to be expensed in the second quarter 2006. Commissioning and start up, which are anticipated to last several weeks, should commence at Meraux beginning the first week of May. The Company’s Superior, Wisconsin refinery ran well during the first quarter 2006 and had improved margins compared to the 2005 period. Similar to the 2005 first quarter, the 2006 quarter’s results for U.S. retail marketing operations were unfavorably affected by generally rising wholesale gasoline prices that squeezed margins. Refining and marketing operations in the United Kingdom lost $0.2 million in the first quarter of 2006, down from a $2.8 million profit in the same quarter of 2005, with the weaker results caused by operating margins that were hurt by higher crude prices during the 2006 period.

Corporate functions reflected a loss of $10.4 million in the 2006 first quarter compared to a loss of $6.2 million in 2005. The 2006 period included lower interest income, unfavorable foreign exchange effects and higher equity compensation expense compared to 2005, but these were partially offset by lower net interest expense. The 2005 period included interest income on a U.S. tax settlement. Lower net interest expense in 2006 was primarily due to more interest being capitalized on oil development projects.


Claiborne P. Deming, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “In the second quarter 2006, we will continue our exploratory drilling programs offshore Sarawak and the deepwater Gulf of Mexico as well as open a new exploration office in Jakarta, Indonesia. In the downstream business, Meraux starts back up and we continue our build out of retail gasoline stations at Wal-Mart Supercenters. Production volumes are expected to average about 113,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in the second quarter. Sales volumes should average about 8,000 barrels more than production, primarily due to settlement of a portion of the crude oil owed to the Company by partners in Block 16 Ecuador since 2004. Thus far in April, crude oil sales prices have risen, but U.S. retail gasoline margins continue to be weak because of the unrelenting rise in wholesale gasoline prices. We currently expect earnings in the second quarter to be between $.75 and $1.00 per diluted share. Results could vary based on commodity prices, drilling results, timing of oil sales, the pace of the Meraux refinery start up and refining and marketing margins.”

The public is invited to access the Company’s conference call to discuss first quarter 2006 results on Wednesday, April 26, at 12:00 p.m. CDT either via the Internet through the Investor Relations section of Murphy’s website at http://www.murphyoilcorp.com/ir or via the telephone by dialing 1-800-257-6566. The telephone reservation number for the call is 11058405. Replays of the call will be available through the same address on the Murphy website, and a recording of the call will be available through April 30 at 1-800-405-2236.

Summary financial data and operating statistics for the first quarter 2006 with comparisons to 2005 are contained in the attached tables.

The forward-looking statements reflected in this release are made in reliance upon the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. No assurance can be given that the results discussed herein will be attained, and certain important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially are contained in Murphy’s January 15, 1997 Form 8-K report on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

#####


MURPHY OIL CORPORATION

FUNCTIONAL RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited)

(Millions of dollars)

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31, 2006
    Three Months Ended
March 31, 2005
 
     Revenues     Income     Revenues     Income  

Exploration and production

        

United States

   $ 197.9     86.4     182.7     61.9  

Canada

     192.9     68.0     155.6     55.4  

United Kingdom

     52.8     24.2     40.3     17.0  

Ecuador

     26.4     7.7     20.3     5.2  

Malaysia

     54.0     (16.9 )   62.1     9.7  

Other

     1.2     (7.8 )   .9     (24.3 )
                          
     525.2     161.6     461.9     124.9  
                          

Refining and marketing

        

North America

     2,261.7     (37.1 )   1,758.4     (8.3 )

United Kingdom

     215.3     (.2 )   195.0     2.8  
                          
     2,477.0     (37.3 )   1,953.4     (5.5 )
                          
     3,002.2     124.3     2,415.3     119.4  

Intersegment transfers elimination

     (15.1 )   —       (11.0 )   —    
                          
     2,987.1     124.3     2,404.3     119.4  

Corporate

     4.2     (10.4 )   10.6     (6.2 )
                          

Total revenues/net income

   $ 2,991.3     113.9     2,414.9     113.2  
                          


MURPHY OIL CORPORATION

OIL AND GAS OPERATING RESULTS (Unaudited)

 

(Millions of dollars)

   United
States
   Canada    United
Kingdom
   Ecuador    Malaysia     Other     Synthetic
Oil –
Canada
   Total
Three Months Ended March 31, 2006                      

Oil and gas sales and other operating revenues

   $ 197.9    138.1    52.8    26.4    54.0     1.2     54.8    525.2

Production expenses

     15.6    19.8    4.5    6.6    8.3     —       30.7    85.5

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

     23.4    29.4    6.7    5.5    12.7     .1     3.5    81.3

Accretion of asset retirement obligations

     .7    1.0    .4    —      .1     .2     .1    2.5

Net costs associated with hurricanes

     .5    —      —      —      —       —       —      .5

Exploration expenses

                     

Dry holes

     2.6    —      —      1.1    29.9     3.5     —      37.1

Geological and geophysical

     11.7    .1    —      —      6.3     .6     —      18.7

Other

     .5    .1    —      —      .2     1.2     —      2.0
                                           
     14.8    .2    —      1.1    36.4     5.3     —      57.8

Undeveloped lease amortization

     4.1    .9    —      —      —       .4     —      5.4
                                           

Total exploration expenses

     18.9    1.1    —      1.1    36.4     5.7     —      63.2
                                           

Selling and general expenses

     5.5    2.5    .9    .2    2.6     2.8     .2    14.7

Income tax expenses

     46.9    29.8    16.1    5.3    10.8     .2     6.8    115.9
                                           

Results of operations (excluding corporate overhead and interest)

   $ 86.4    54.5    24.2    7.7    (16.9 )   (7.8 )   13.5    161.6
                                           
Three Months Ended March 31, 2005                      

Oil and gas sales and other operating revenues

   $ 182.7    118.8    40.3    20.3    62.1     .9     36.8    461.9

Production expenses

     24.0    13.9    3.7    5.7    6.8     —       20.6    74.7

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

     26.3    31.8    5.9    4.5    12.3     —       2.9    83.7

Accretion of asset retirement obligations

     1.1    .8    .4    —      .1     .1     .1    2.6

Exploration expenses

                     

Dry holes

     15.6    —      —      —      15.0     20.7     —      51.3

Geological and geophysical

     8.1    .3    —      —      1.6     —       —      10.0

Other

     .7    .1    .1    —      —       1.1     —      2.0
                                           
     24.4    .4    .1    —      16.6     21.8     —      63.3

Undeveloped lease amortization

     5.8    .8    —      —      —       .4     —      7.0
                                           

Total exploration expenses

     30.2    1.2    .1    —      16.6     22.2     —      70.3
                                           

Selling and general expenses

     4.2    2.3    .9    .1    2.1     2.6     .2    12.4

Income tax expenses

     35.0    22.2    12.3    4.8    14.5     .3     4.2    93.3
                                           

Results of operations (excluding corporate overhead and interest)

   $ 61.9    46.6    17.0    5.2    9.7     (24.3 )   8.8    124.9
                                           


MURPHY OIL CORPORATION

SUMMARIZED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (Unaudited)

(Thousands of dollars, except per share amounts)

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
     2006     2005  

Revenues

   $ 2,991,263     2,414,872  
              

Costs and expenses

    

Crude oil and product purchases

     2,307,496     1,789,544  

Operating expenses

     232,164     203,643  

Exploration expenses

     63,163     70,295  

Net costs associated with hurricanes

     35,722     —    

Selling and general expenses

     40,472     36,305  

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

     97,358     104,754  

Accretion of asset retirement obligations

     2,500     2,639  

Interest expense

     10,563     12,036  

Interest capitalized

     (9,589 )   (7,567 )
              
     2,779,849     2,211,649  
              

Income before income taxes

     211,414     203,223  

Income tax expense

     97,542     90,070  
              

Net income

   $ 113,872     113,153  
              

Net income per Common share

    

– Basic

   $ .61     .61  

– Diluted

     .60     .60  

Cash dividends per Common share

   $ .1125     .1125  

Average Common shares outstanding (thousands)

    

– Basic

     185,714     184,248  

– Diluted

     188,636     187,806  


MURPHY OIL CORPORATION

SUMMARIZED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Unaudited)

(Thousands of dollars)

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
     2006     2005  
Operating Activities     

Net income

   $ 113,872     113,153  

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities

    

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

     97,358     104,754  

Provisions for major repairs

     7,665     7,164  

Expenditures for major repairs and asset retirement obligations

     (7,357 )   (10,095 )

Dry holes

     37,081     51,282  

Amortization of undeveloped leases

     5,430     6,982  

Accretion of asset retirement obligations

     2,500     2,639  

Deferred and noncurrent income tax charges

     496     119  

Pretax (gains) losses from disposition of assets

     1,264     (311 )

Net increase in operating working capital other than cash and cash equivalents

     (79,901 )   (57,296 )

Other

     4,813     (11,769 )
              

Net cash provided by operating activities

     183,221     206,622  
              
Investing Activities     

Property additions and dry holes

     (279,474 )   (259,328 )

Proceeds from sale of assets

     4,732     583  

Proceeds from maturities of marketable securities

     —       17,892  

Other - net

     (2,738 )   (276 )
              

Net cash required by investing activities

     (277,480 )   (241,129 )
              
Financing Activities     

Decrease in notes payable

     (11 )   (9,640 )

Proceeds from exercise of stock options and employee stock purchase plans

     6,743     337  

Excess tax benefits related to exercise of stock options

     4,361     —    

Cash dividends paid

     (20,993 )   (20,748 )
              

Net cash used in financing activities

     (9,900 )   (30,051 )
              

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents

     (269 )   (7,103 )
              

Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents

     (104,428 )   (71,661 )

Cash and cash equivalents at January 1

     585,333     535,525  
              

Cash and cash equivalents at March 31

   $ 480,905     463,864  
              


MURPHY OIL CORPORATION

OTHER FINANCIAL DATA

(Unaudited, except for December 31, 2005)

(Millions of dollars)

 

     March 31,
2006
   Dec. 31,
2005

Total current assets

   $ 1,852.3    1,838.9

Total current liabilities

     1,324.9    1,287.0

Total assets

     6,507.4    6,368.5

Long-term debt

     

Notes payable

     598.0    597.9

Nonrecourse debt

     11.6    11.6

Stockholders’ equity

     3,566.0    3,461.0
     Three Months Ended
March 31,
     2006    2005

Capital expenditures

     

Exploration and production

     

United States

   $ 49.5    60.1

Canada

     57.3    54.4

Malaysia

     120.7    81.8

Other international

     40.3    39.7
           
     267.8    236.0
           

Refining and marketing

     

North America

     28.0    32.6

International

     2.6    1.4
           
     30.6    34.0
           

Corporate

     1.8    1.3
           

Total capital expenditures

     300.2    271.3
           

Charged to exploration expenses*

     

United States

     14.8    24.4

Canada

     .2    .4

Malaysia

     36.4    16.6

Other international

     6.4    21.9
           

Total charged to exploration expenses

     57.8    63.3
           

Total capitalized

   $ 242.4    208.0
           

* Excludes amortization of undeveloped leases of $5.4 million in 2006 and $7.0 million in 2005.


MURPHY OIL CORPORATION

STATISTICAL SUMMARY

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31,
     2006    2005

Net crude oil, condensate and gas liquids produced – barrels per day

   98,074    108,738

Crude oil and condensate

     

United States

   26,323    32,596

Canada – light

   178    182

     – heavy

   15,181    10,953

     – offshore

   18,481    25,003

     – synthetic

   10,137    7,795

United Kingdom

   8,058    8,659

Ecuador

   8,323    7,644

Malaysia

   10,942    15,181

Natural gas liquids

     

United States

   176    220

Canada

   235    462

United Kingdom

   40    43

Net crude oil, condensate and gas liquids sold – barrels per day

   100,809    108,894

Crude oil and condensate

     

United States

   26,323    32,596

Canada – light

   178    182

     – heavy

   15,181    10,953

     – offshore

   19,566    24,145

     – synthetic

   10,137    7,795

United Kingdom

   7,801    8,225

Ecuador

   7,618    8,441

Malaysia

   13,594    15,875

Natural gas liquids

     

United States

   176    220

Canada

   235    462

United Kingdom

   —      —  

Net natural gas sold – thousands of cubic feet per day

   83,590    112,502

United States

   59,577    90,798

Canada

   10,101    11,851

United Kingdom

   13,912    9,853

Total net hydrocarbons produced – equivalent barrels per day*

   112,006    127,488

Total net hydrocarbons sold – equivalent barrels per day*

   114,741    127,644

* Natural gas converted on an energy equivalent basis of 6:1.


MURPHY OIL CORPORATION

STATISTICAL SUMMARY (Continued)

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31,
     2006    2005

Weighted average sales prices

     

Crude oil and condensate – dollars per barrel (1)

     

United States

   $ 54.09    42.35

Canada (2) – light

     55.72    46.92

          – heavy (3)

     17.67    14.68

          – offshore

     59.64    43.61

          – synthetic

     60.03    52.48

United Kingdom

     60.86    47.72

Ecuador

     38.50    26.77

Malaysia (4)

     50.39    43.31

Natural gas liquids – dollars per barrel (1)

     

United States

   $ 44.88    31.92

Canada (2)

     46.84    36.55

United Kingdom

     —      —  

Natural gas – dollars per thousand cubic feet

     

United States (1)

   $ 9.53    6.79

Canada (2)

     8.52    6.10

United Kingdom (2)

     7.92    5.48

Refinery inputs – barrels per day

     64,059    182,304

North America

     33,443    143,742

United Kingdom

     30,616    38,562

Petroleum products sold – barrels per day

     336,378    357,044

North America

     304,389    318,410

Gasoline

     246,794    210,838

Kerosine

     4,243    10,874

Diesel and home heating oils

     47,189    68,630

Residuals

     2,691    23,194

Asphalt, LPG and other

     3,472    4,874

United Kingdom

     31,989    38,634

Gasoline

     11,832    10,436

Kerosine

     3,301    2,833

Diesel and home heating oils

     9,557    17,509

Residuals

     3,135    4,332

LPG and other

     4,164    3,524

(1) Includes intracompany transfers at market prices.
(2) U.S. dollar equivalent.
(3) Includes the effects of the Company’s hedging program.
(4) Price is net of a payment under the terms of the production sharing contract for Block SK 309.