SAN ANTONIO -- Valero Energy Corp. has reported net income from continuing operations of $745 million, or $1.30 per share, for the second quarter of 2011, versus $520 million, or 92 cents per share, for the second quarter of 2010. For the six months ended June 30, 2011, net income attributable to Valero stockholders from continuing operations was $849 million, or $1.48 per share, versus $440 million, or 78 cents per share for the six months ended June 30, 2010.
Second-quarter 2011 operating income was $1.3 billion versus second quarter 2010 operating income of $904 million. [image-nocss] The increase in operating income was mainly due to an increase of $1.84 per barrel in refining throughput margin combined with an increase of 136,000 barrels per day in refining throughput volumes. The increase in throughput margin was primarily due to higher margins for gasoline, diesel and jet fuel plus wider discounts for heavy-sour feedstocks on the Gulf Coast and light-sweet crude oil in the Mid-Continent. The increase in throughput volumes was mainly due to operating the Aruba refinery, which was not in operation during second-quarter 2010.
"Our earnings momentum continues to build," said Valero chairman and CEO Bill Klesse. "In the second quarter, refining industry margins and feedstock discounts in our markets expanded from the strong first-quarter levels as global refined product demand continued to grow. To take advantage of this demand growth, we increased refining throughput volumes to our highest utilization rate in three years."
Valero's retail segment continued its record-setting performance with $135 million in operating income, which was the best second quarter in Valero's history. The increase in operating income was mainly due to higher retail fuel margins plus the Canadian retail division achieved its highest quarterly operating income on record with $48 million.
Valero's ethanol segment operating income was $64 million in second-quarter 2011 versus $35 million in second-quarter 2010. The increase in operating income was mainly due to an increase in production volumes to 3.4 million gallons per day, the highest quarterly production volume in company history, combined with higher gross margins.
Regarding cash flows in the second quarter of 2011, capital spending was $664 million, of which $133 million was for turnaround and catalyst expenditures. Valero paid $29 million in dividends on its common stock and paid $208 million to redeem long-term debt. Valero also spent $37 million to acquire a terminal and pipelines in eastern Kentucky, which will enable the company to expand its wholesale fuels business. Valero ended the second quarter with $4.1 billion in cash and temporary cash investments as well as $7.6 billion of total debt. For the six months ended June 30, 2011, Valero has reduced debt by approximately $700 million.
San Antonio, Texas-based Valero is an international manufacturer and marketer of transportation fuels, other petrochemical products and power. Its assets include 14 petroleum refineries with a combined throughput capacity of approximately 2.6 million barrels per day, 10 ethanol plants with a combined production capacity of 1.1 billion gallons per year, and a 50-megawatt wind farm. Valero is also one of the largest retail operators with approximately 5,800 retail and branded wholesale outlets in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean under the Valero, Diamond Shamrock, Shamrock, Ultramar and Beacon brands.
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