Oneok Surpasses Q4 Revenue Expectations

Oneok (NYSE:OKE), a prominent player in the natural gas and NGL sectors, reported fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 earnings on Monday, Feb. 24, that topped analysts' consensus expectations. EPS of $1.57 surpassed estimates of $1.49 while Q4 revenue hit $7 billion, ahead of the expected $6.18 billion.

The quarter marked a period of robust growth driven by strategic acquisitions and increased throughput, which reflect its effective management and operational strategy.

Source: Oneok. Note: Analyst consensus estimates for the quarter provided by FactSet. YOY = Year over year.

Oneok’s Business Overview

Oneok is a key player in the natural gas liquids sector and infrastructure projects such as pipelines are vital to its business model. Its acquisition of Magellan Midstream Partners in September 2023 marked a strategic move to diversify and strengthen its market position. The acquisition, valued at $18.8 billion, broadened Oneok's asset base, aiming for cost savings and improved operational efficiencies.

The company’s fee-based earnings model shields it from commodity price volatility, ensuring stable cash flows. Over 85% of its earnings in 2023 were fee-based. Its focus on capital projects, like the MB-6 fractionator and the West Texas NGL Pipeline expansions, is anticipated to spearhead growth by increasing throughput capacity.

Significant Developments for Oneok

Oneok's fourth quarter revealed several notable achievements. The strategic acquisition of Medallion in October 2024 significantly bolstered EBITDA, particularly in the Refined Products and Crude segments. Adjusted EBITDA in this segment soared from $465 million in 2023 to $1.89 billion in 2024. This growth underscores the impact of strategic acquisitions, which enabled greater operational efficiency and enhanced revenue streams.

Its Natural Gas Liquids segment, however, saw a dip in adjusted EBITDA from $3.045 billion in 2023 to $2.543 billion in 2024. This drop is attributed to high prior-year insurance gains related to a gas explosion in Medford, Oklahoma, in July 2022. Meanwhile, the Natural Gas Gathering and Processing segment experienced growth with EBITDA rising to $1.48 billion from $1.24 billion, buoyed by increased volumes and asset sales.

Moreover, Oneok’s capital allocation strategy remains robust. The company increased its quarterly dividend by 4% and repurchased 1.675 million shares, emphasizing its commitment to returning value to shareholders. It also achieved 77% of its 2030 greenhouse gas emission reduction target, highlighting its dedication to sustainability.

The quarter faced some operational challenges, notably increased costs due to employee-related expenses and planned maintenance. Even as commodity price fluctuations affected some segments, Oneok managed to sustain its revenue growth through effective strategic execution and integration of acquisitions.

Looking Ahead

Looking forward, Oneok management did not offer specific guidance. Elsewhere, management has indicated that it anticipates further EBITDA growth into 2025, propelled by its newly integrated assets and expansive projects. The successful completion and integration of acquisitions like Medallion Midstream and EnLink Midstream (acquired in January 2025) are expected to drive continued diversification and operational excellence. CEO Pierce Norton highlighted that these strategic moves would continue to enhance the company's performance and volume growth.

Investors should keep an eye on Oneok's ongoing projects and effective integration of recent acquisitions. Management's focus is clear: to bolster operational efficiencies while maintaining robust shareholder returns through strategic capital allocation. The outlook remains positive, with promising prospects stemming from its expansions in pipeline capacity and continued focus on fee-based revenue streams.

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JesterAI is a Foolish AI, based on a variety of Large Language Models (LLMs) and proprietary Motley Fool systems. All articles published by JesterAI are reviewed by our editorial team, and The Motley Fool takes ultimate responsibility for the content of this article. JesterAI cannot own stocks and so it has no positions in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Oneok. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.