MORE: Springfield manufacturing firm looking to hire
Marathon is the parent company of Speedway a convenience store chain headquartered in Enon. Speedway is a major employer in the region and already operates 2,744 convenience stores in 21 states. The solid quarter was partially offset by lower earnings in the Speedway segment, according to information by the company.
“We delivered an outstanding quarter,” said Gary Heminger, Marathon’s chairman and CEO in a news release. “Our ability to execute and capture opportunities in a volatile commodity environment demonstrated the power of our integrated business model and drove extraordinary results.”
The company’s refining and marketing segment reported earnings of just more than $1 billion, compared to $562 million during the same period last year. Marathon’s midstream segment, which includes its logistics operations, also reported earnings of $617 million, compared to $332 million in the second quarter last year.
RELATED: Out-of-state firm to offer health plans in Springfield
The Speedway segment reported earnings of $159 million, down from $238 million during the second quarter last year. Several factors played a role in the lower earnings, including expenses that increased $24 million compared to the same time last year due to higher benefit and labor costs, according to information from the company. The convenience store chain also saw smaller profit margins from fuel sales. In-store merchandise sales also ticked up about 3 percent for the quarter compared to last year,
Company officials said Marathon is also moving forward with two separate acquisitions.
This Spring, Speedway announced a transaction in which the chain purchased about 80 convenience stores held by the Petr-All Petroleum Consulting Corporation in New York state. That deal is expected to close in the third quarter of this year, according to information from the company.
MORE BUSINESS NEWS: Home sales down in region due to lack of inventory
Marathon is also moving forward with plans to buy Andeavor, a Texas-based refining company for $23.3 billion, creating a new combined company with an extensive reach across the U.S.
The company is pushing ahead with Securities and Exchange Commission filings necessary to finalize the transaction, Heminger said. Marathon will likely close that deal in the second half of 2018, subject to other regulatory and customary closing conditions.
“There are tremendous benefits from merging these two businesses and we remain confident in our ability to generate incremental cash flow and create substantial long-term value for our shareholders,” Heminger said.
Andeavor operates refineries in California, the Mid-Continent and the Pacific Northwest while Marathon’s footprint largely includes the Gulf Coast and Midwest. The combined company will be the No. 1 U.S. refiner by capacity and a top-five refiner globally.
Last week, the company announced that a team made up of executives from both companies will lead the combined firm once the deal is finalized.
Heminger will continue to serve as MPC’s Chairman and CEO. The team will include a total of seven executives from Marathon and three from Andeavor. Anthony Kenney, now serving as president of Speedway, will have responsibility for all of the company-owned and operated convenience stores.
The Springfield News-Sun will continue to provide unmatched coverage of jobs and the economy in Clark and Champaign Counties. For this story, the paper reviewed information from Marathon’s latest financial results.
By the numbers:
$1.06 billion — Marathon’s Q2 earnings 2018
$483 million — Marathon’s Q2 earnings 2017
$159 million — Speedway’s Q2 results 2018
$238 million — Speedway’s Q2 results 2017
About the Author