Marathon Petroleum Returned $4.5 Billion to Shareholders in 2025. Here's Why It Could Happen Again.

Marathon Petroleum (NYSE: MPC), the largest independent U.S. refiner, is up 21% this year after fourth-quarter adjusted earnings of $4.07 per share crushed analyst expectations. Refining margins did the heavy lifting, with the company capturing 114% of the benchmark crack spread, up from 96% in the third quarter. That drove cash from operations to $2.7 billion, nearly 60% above the prior year.During the year, Marathon returned $4.5 billion to shareholders through a combination of share repurchases and dividends. The cash return story, though, is getting stronger from here, and it doesn't need peak margins to hold.Continue readingWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei MotleyFool Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei MotleyFool