Shares of Occidental surged 6.46% in intraday trading, extending gains after the company reported blockbuster second-quarter results that significantly exceeded Wall Street estimates.
The rally was fueled by Occidental's Q2 revenue of $8.33 billion, which beat the FactSet consensus of $7.07 billion by roughly 18%. Global production rose to 1.433 million barrels of oil equivalent per day, surpassing the upper end of the company's prior guidance. The energy giant also rewarded shareholders with an 8% dividend increase to $0.28 per share, marking its second hike this year, and projected a full-year free cash flow improvement of over $1.2 billion, excluding the impact of higher oil prices. For the third quarter, Occidental guided Permian Basin production at 795,000 to 815,000 boe/d, signaling continued momentum in its core operating region.
Adding to the positive sentiment, Evercore ISI recently upgraded Occidental to Outperform with a $65 price target, while Barclays raised its target to $75 from $72, maintaining an Overweight rating, as analysts cite the company's strengthening deleveraging and free cash flow trajectory.