Sinopec Corp’s Net Profit for 9M 2017 Surges More Than 30% Y-o-Y

Remarkable Cost Savings And Efficiency Enhancement Derived From Integrated Value Chain

BEIJING, Oct. 30, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation ("Sinopec Corp." or the "Company") (HKEX: 386; SSE: 600028; NYSE: SNP) today announced its unaudited results for the nine months ended 30 September 2017.

Financial Highlights:

• In accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), the Company's operating profit was RMB 55.757 billion, up 8.4% year-on-year; Net profit attributable to equity shareholders of the Company was RMB 39.404 billion, up 30.9% year-on-year; Basic earnings per share ("EPS") were RMB 0.325, up 30.5% year-on-year.
• In accordance with China Accounting Standards for Business Enterprises ("ASBE"), the Company's operating profit was RMB 65.322 billion, up 27.6% year-on-year; Net profit attributable to equity shareholders of the Company was RMB 38.373 billion, up 31.6% from the same period last year; Basic earnings per share ("EPS") were RMB 0.317, up 31.5% year-on-year.
• The Company's financial position continued to improve during the first three quarters this year. In accordance with IFRS, cash and cash equivalents at the end of the third quarter were RMB 115.152 billion; Liabilities-to-assets ratio at the end of the third quarter was 42.8%, down 1.7 percentage points from the beginning of 2017.

Business Review:

In the first three quarters of 2017, global economy recorded moderate recovery and Chinese economy maintained steady growth with gross domestic product (GDP) up 6.9% year-on-year. According to the statistics, domestic demand and consumption of refined oil products, natural gas and major chemicals grew significantly, and gross margin for chemical products remained strong. By fully utilizing its integrated value chain, the Company unleashed its potentials, enhanced its efficiency and reduced costs. It endeavoured to coordinate all aspects of work and realised outstanding results.

Exploration and Production:

The Company focused on reserve increase and development returns through the operation and production with superior results achieved. In exploration, the Company continued to focus on discovery of high quality, large scale and low cost reserves. New oil discoveries were made in Tahe Basin of Xinjiang, Junggar Basin, Shengli Oilfield and North Jiangsu Basin, and new natural gas discoveries were made in Sichuan Basin and Ordos Basin. In production, the Company arranged crude oil production in a flexible manner and resumed production of some shut-down wells amid upward trend of crude oil price. Importance was attached to natural gas development, through expediting natural gas capacity construction in Hangjinqi area of Ordos and fully promoting Phase II of Fuling Shale Gas development project. In the first three quarters, oil and gas production of the Company was 332.63 million barrels of oil equivalent, down by 3.2% over the same period last year, of which crude oil production dropped by 4.0% while natural gas grew by 21.0%. The Exploration and Production Segment had an operating loss of RMB 26.523 billion with reduction of RMB 3.893 billion compared with same period last year.

Refining:

The Company's refined oil products mix has been optimised to address market demand changes, more high value-added products were produced and diesel-to-gasoline ratio was 1.16. The Company actively promoted refined oil products quality upgrading, and the GB VI quality upgrading plan for "2+26" cities in North China completed ahead of schedule. The Company optimised crude oil sourcing and allocation, as well as adjusting procurement strategy according to changes of crude oil price, to lower our feedstock cost and transportation fee, and increased export of refined oil products to help maintain high utilisation rates of refining facilities. The advantages of centralised marketing took full play, and profitability of asphalt, lubricant and LPG was maintained. In the first three quarters, refinery throughput and refined oil products production increased by 1.3% and 1.1% respectively, among which gasoline up by 1.5%, jet fuel up by 6.3% and diesel down by 1.3% over the same period last year. The Refining Segment realised an operating profit of RMB 43.854 billion, up by 3.4% over the same period last year.

Marketing and Distribution:

The Company took full advantages of our integrated business and distribution network, as well as further enhancing the synergy between fuel and non-fuel businesses, to actively respond to more competitive market conditions, and achieved good operational results. The Company optimised internal and external resources, put all efforts to expand market, and realised sustained growth in total sales volume of refined oil products. The Company flexibly adjusted our marketing strategies, promoted branding gasoline and increased retail volume of premium gasoline. The Company innovated operational models and optimised layout of service stations, and expedited revamping of storage and transportation facilities of refined oil products to further improve our distribution network. By means of "Internet+" and other marketing measures, the Company put more efforts on cultivation of major products and self-owned brand products and promoted rapid growth of non-fuel business. The Company proactively promoted vehicle natural gas business, expediting the construction and operation of CNG/LNG stations. In the first three quarters, total sales volume of refined oil products was 150 million tonnes, up by 3.1% over the same period last year. Total domestic sales volume of refined oil products was 133 million tonnes, up by 2.8%. Vehicle natural gas sales volume increased by 32.9% over the same period last year. Transaction of non-fuel business reached RMB 41 billion, up by 52.3% compared with the same period last year. The Marketing and Distribution Segment realised an operating profit of RMB 23.482 billion, down by 3.3% over the same period last year.

Chemicals:

The Company continued the "basic and high-end" chemical business development concept to promote effective supply. In the first three quarters, the Company optimised operations based on marginal contribution and gross margin of chemical facilities to promote profitability. The Company deepened adjustments of feedstock mix to reduce chemical feedstock cost, and pressed ahead optimisation of product slate, producing more market-oriented and high value-added products. The Company put advantages of marketing network into full play and conducted differentiated and tailor-made measures to expand sales scale. The Company strengthened the integration among production, sales, R&D and application, and intensified efforts on R&D, production and promotion of new products, with the ratio of performance compound reaching 62.5% and the differential ratio of synthetic fiber reaching 89.1%. In the first three quarters, ethylene production reached 8.534million tonnes, up by 5.2% and chemical sales volume was 57.58 million tonnes, up by 14.1% over the same period last year. The Chemicals Segment realised an operating profit of RMB 16.727 billion, up by 8.3% over the same period last year.

Capital Expenditure:

Focusing on quality and returns of investment, the Company continuously optimised its investment projects. In the first three quarters, total capital expenditures were RMB 29.101 billion. Capital expenditures for the exploration and production segment were RMB 10.896 billion, mainly for Fuling Shale Gas and Hangjinqi Natural Gas capacity construction, Shengli oilfield and Xibei oilfield crude oil capacity construction, Guangxi LNG Terminal Project, Tianjin LNG Terminal Project, Wen 23 Gas Storage Project, boosting project of Sichuan-to-East China Pipeline as well as overseas projects. Capital expenditures for the refining segment were RMB 8.522 billion, mainly for Zhongke integrated refining and chemical project, product mix adjustments of Zhenhai and Maoming refineries, and GB VI gasoline and diesel quality upgrading projects. Capital expenditures for the marketing and distribution segment were RMB 5.254 billion, mainly for constructing refined oil products depots, pipelines and service stations. Capital expenditures for the chemicals segment were RMB 3.735 billion, mainly for Zhongke integrated refining and chemical project, Hainan aromatics project, capital injection of Gulei integrated refining and chemical project, Zhongan and other coal chemical projects, as well as feedstock optimisation projects and product mix adjustment projects of Jinling and Maoming. Capital expenditures for corporate and others were RMB 694 million, mainly for R&D facilities and information technology application projects.

Focusing on transformation of growth pattern and structural adjustments, as well as improvement of quality and efficiency and upgrading of operation, the Company optimises capital expenditure arrangement for 2017 which is adjusted from RMB 110.2 billion to RMB 98.5 billion, of which, capital expenditure for the exploration and production segment is RMB 42.7 billion, for the refining segment is RMB 21.3 billion, for the chemicals segment is 12.5 billion, for corporate and others is RMB 4.0 billion and for the marketing and distribution segment maintains at RMB 18.0 billion. 

About Sinopec Corp.

Sinopec Corp. is one of the largest integrated energy and chemical companies in China. Its principal operations include the exploration and production, pipeline transportation and sale of petroleum and natural gas; the sale, storage and transportation of petroleum products, petrochemical products, coal chemical products, synthetic fibre and other chemical products; the import and export, including an import and export agency business, of petroleum, natural gas, petroleum products, petrochemical and chemical products, and other commodities and technologies; and research, development and application of technologies and information.

Sinopec Corp. sets 'fueling beautiful life' as its corporate mission, puts 'people, responsibility, integrity, precision, innovation and win-win' as its corporate core values, pursues strategies of value-orientation, innovation-driven development, integrated resource allocation, open cooperation, and green and low-carbon growth, and strives to achieve its corporate vision of building a world leading energy and chemical company.

Disclaimer

This press release includes "forward-looking statements". All statements, other than statements of historical facts that address activities, events or developments that Sinopec Corp. expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including but not limited to projections, targets, reserve volume, other estimates and business plans) are forward-looking statements. Sinopec Corp.'s actual results or developments may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors and uncertainties, including but not limited to the price fluctuation, possible changes in actual demand, foreign exchange rate, results of oil exploration, estimates of oil and gas reserves, market shares, competition, environmental risks, possible changes to laws, finance and regulations, conditions of the global economy and financial markets, political risks, possible delay of projects, government approval of projects, cost estimates and other factors beyond Sinopec Corp.'s control. In addition, Sinopec Corp. makes the forward-looking statements referred to herein as of today and undertakes no obligation to update these statements.

SOURCE China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation