Stock Analysis on Net

ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP)

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Economic Value Added (EVA)

Microsoft Excel

EVA is registered trademark of Stern Stewart.

Economic value added or economic profit is the difference between revenues and costs,where costs include not only expenses, but also cost of capital.

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Economic Profit

ConocoPhillips, economic profit calculation

US$ in millions

Microsoft Excel
12 months ended: Dec 31, 2025 Dec 31, 2024 Dec 31, 2023 Dec 31, 2022 Dec 31, 2021
Net operating profit after taxes (NOPAT)1
Cost of capital2
Invested capital3
 
Economic profit4

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2025-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2024-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31).

1 NOPAT. See details »

2 Cost of capital. See details »

3 Invested capital. See details »

4 2025 Calculation
Economic profit = NOPAT – Cost of capital × Invested capital
= × =


The analysis of economic value added indicates a significant contraction in economic profit over the observed five-year period, moving from a peak in 2022 to near-zero levels by 2025. This trajectory reflects a divergence between the capacity to generate operating profits and the expansion of the capital base.

Net Operating Profit After Taxes (NOPAT)
A volatile trend is observed in NOPAT, which surged from US$ 10,273 million in 2021 to a peak of US$ 21,159 million in 2022. Following this peak, a consistent decline occurred, with values falling to US$ 12,357 million in 2023 and further eroding to US$ 8,950 million by 2025.
Invested Capital
Invested capital exhibited a general upward trend, particularly after 2022. While capital remained stable at approximately US$ 75,520 million to US$ 76,355 million in the first two years, it increased substantially to US$ 106,371 million by 2024, indicating a significant expansion of the asset base used to generate returns.
Cost of Capital
The cost of capital remained relatively stable throughout the period, fluctuating within a narrow range between 8.26% and 8.50%. This consistency suggests that the decline in economic profit was not a result of increasing financing costs or heightened risk premiums, but rather a function of operational performance and capital efficiency.
Economic Profit Trajectory
Economic profit mirrored the performance of NOPAT, peaking at US$ 14,741 million in 2022. However, a sharp downward trend followed, with economic profit falling to US$ 5,508 million in 2023, US$ 1,195 million in 2024, and reaching a low of US$ 189 million in 2025. This collapse is driven by the simultaneous decrease in NOPAT and the increase in the capital charge associated with a larger invested capital base.

Net Operating Profit after Taxes (NOPAT)

ConocoPhillips, NOPAT calculation

US$ in millions

Microsoft Excel
12 months ended: Dec 31, 2025 Dec 31, 2024 Dec 31, 2023 Dec 31, 2022 Dec 31, 2021
Net income
Deferred income tax expense (benefit)1
Increase (decrease) in allowance2
Increase (decrease) in LIFO reserve3
Increase (decrease) in equity equivalents4
Interest and debt expense
Interest expense, operating lease liability5
Adjusted interest and debt expense
Tax benefit of interest and debt expense6
Adjusted interest and debt expense, after taxes7
Interest income
Investment income, before taxes
Tax expense (benefit) of investment income8
Investment income, after taxes9
Net operating profit after taxes (NOPAT)

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2025-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2024-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31).

1 Elimination of deferred tax expense. See details »

2 Addition of increase (decrease) in allowance.

3 Addition of increase (decrease) in LIFO reserve. See details »

4 Addition of increase (decrease) in equity equivalents to net income.

5 2025 Calculation
Interest expense on capitalized operating leases = Operating lease liability × Discount rate
= × =

6 2025 Calculation
Tax benefit of interest and debt expense = Adjusted interest and debt expense × Statutory income tax rate
= × 21.00% =

7 Addition of after taxes interest expense to net income.

8 2025 Calculation
Tax expense (benefit) of investment income = Investment income, before tax × Statutory income tax rate
= × 21.00% =

9 Elimination of after taxes investment income.


Net operating profit after taxes (NOPAT) exhibited significant fluctuation over the five-year period. While net income experienced volatility, NOPAT demonstrated a more pronounced pattern of increase followed by decline. A clear trend of increasing profitability was observed between 2021 and 2022, followed by a subsequent decrease through 2025.

Overall Trend
NOPAT increased substantially from US$10,273 million in 2021 to US$21,159 million in 2022, representing a growth of approximately 106%. This was followed by a consistent decline over the subsequent three years, decreasing to US$8,950 million by 2025. This represents an overall decrease of approximately 58% from the 2022 peak.
Year-over-Year Changes
The largest year-over-year increase occurred between 2021 and 2022, with NOPAT growing by US$10,886 million. The most significant decrease was observed between 2022 and 2023, with a reduction of US$8,802 million. Subsequent declines were more moderate, with decreases of US$369 million between 2023 and 2024, and US$1,026 million between 2024 and 2025.
Relationship to Net Income
While both NOPAT and net income fluctuated, NOPAT consistently exceeded net income throughout the period. The difference between NOPAT and net income suggests the presence of significant non-operating items or differences in accounting treatment impacting reported net income. The gap between NOPAT and net income also varied year to year, indicating changes in these non-operating factors.

The observed decline in NOPAT from 2022 to 2025 warrants further investigation to determine the underlying drivers. Potential factors could include changes in operating expenses, revenue fluctuations, or shifts in the effective tax rate. The consistent difference between NOPAT and net income also suggests a need for detailed analysis of non-operating items to fully understand the company’s profitability.


Cash Operating Taxes

ConocoPhillips, cash operating taxes calculation

US$ in millions

Microsoft Excel
12 months ended: Dec 31, 2025 Dec 31, 2024 Dec 31, 2023 Dec 31, 2022 Dec 31, 2021
Income tax provision
Less: Deferred income tax expense (benefit)
Add: Tax savings from interest and debt expense
Less: Tax imposed on investment income
Cash operating taxes

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2025-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2024-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31).


The income tax provision and cash operating taxes exhibited fluctuating behavior over the five-year period. A significant increase in both metrics occurred between 2021 and 2022, followed by subsequent adjustments in the following years.

Income Tax Provision
The income tax provision increased substantially from US$4,633 million in 2021 to US$9,548 million in 2022. This represents a more than 100% increase. Following this peak, the provision decreased to US$5,331 million in 2023 and further to US$4,427 million in 2024. A slight increase to US$4,668 million was observed in 2025, remaining relatively close to the 2021 level.
Cash Operating Taxes
Cash operating taxes mirrored the trend observed in the income tax provision, increasing from US$3,469 million in 2021 to US$7,594 million in 2022. This also represents an increase exceeding 100%. Subsequent years saw a decline to US$4,270 million in 2023, followed by US$4,150 million in 2024. The value increased slightly in 2025, reaching US$4,242 million.

The close correlation between the income tax provision and cash operating taxes suggests a strong link between reported accounting income and actual cash outflows for tax purposes. The substantial increase in 2022, followed by declines in 2023 and 2024, could be attributable to changes in taxable income, tax rates, or the timing of tax payments. The stabilization in 2025 indicates a potential leveling off of these factors.

Relationship between Metrics
Cash operating taxes consistently remained below the income tax provision throughout the period. This difference could be due to various factors, including deferred tax assets or liabilities, tax credits, or differences in the timing of recognition for accounting and tax purposes. The magnitude of this difference remained relatively stable across the observed years.

Further investigation into the underlying drivers of these fluctuations, such as changes in revenue, expenses, and applicable tax laws, would be necessary to provide a more comprehensive understanding of these trends.


Invested Capital

ConocoPhillips, invested capital calculation (financing approach)

US$ in millions

Microsoft Excel
Dec 31, 2025 Dec 31, 2024 Dec 31, 2023 Dec 31, 2022 Dec 31, 2021
Short-term debt
Long-term debt
Operating lease liability1
Total reported debt & leases
Equity
Net deferred tax (assets) liabilities2
Allowance3
LIFO reserve4
Equity equivalents5
Accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss, net of tax6
Adjusted equity
Marketable securities7
Invested capital

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2025-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2024-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31).

1 Addition of capitalized operating leases.

2 Elimination of deferred taxes from assets and liabilities. See details »

3 Addition of allowance for doubtful accounts receivable.

4 Addition of LIFO reserve. See details »

5 Addition of equity equivalents to equity.

6 Removal of accumulated other comprehensive income.

7 Subtraction of marketable securities.


The reported invested capital exhibited a fluctuating pattern over the five-year period. Initially, a slight decrease is observed between 2021 and 2022, followed by a period of growth and then a minor contraction. Concurrent changes are noted in the components contributing to invested capital – total reported debt & leases and equity.

Invested Capital Trend
Invested capital decreased marginally from US$76,355 million in 2021 to US$75,520 million in 2022, representing a decline of approximately 1.1%. A subsequent increase occurred, with invested capital reaching US$81,278 million in 2023. This growth accelerated in 2024, with invested capital rising to US$106,371 million. A slight decrease was then recorded in 2025, with invested capital settling at US$105,245 million.
Debt & Leases
Total reported debt & leases decreased significantly from US$20,601 million in 2021 to US$17,188 million in 2022. An increase followed in 2023, reaching US$19,634 million, and continued into 2024, with debt & leases rising to US$25,348 million. A modest decrease was observed in 2025, with the value reported as US$24,394 million.
Equity
Equity demonstrated a consistent upward trend from 2021 to 2024. It increased from US$45,406 million in 2021 to US$48,003 million in 2022, then to US$49,279 million in 2023, and reached US$64,796 million in 2024. A slight decrease was recorded in 2025, with equity reported at US$64,487 million.

The substantial increase in invested capital between 2023 and 2024 appears to be driven by a combination of increased debt & leases and a significant rise in equity. The minor decrease in invested capital in 2025 is attributable to a slight reduction in both debt & leases and equity. The growth in equity is more pronounced than the fluctuations in debt & leases, suggesting equity is becoming a more dominant component of the invested capital base.


Cost of Capital

ConocoPhillips, cost of capital calculations

Capital (fair value)1 Weights Cost of capital
Equity2 ÷ = × =
Debt, including finance leases3 ÷ = × × (1 – 21.00%) =
Operating lease liability4 ÷ = × × (1 – 21.00%) =
Total:

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2025-12-31).

1 US$ in millions

2 Equity. See details »

3 Debt, including finance leases. See details »

4 Operating lease liability. See details »

Capital (fair value)1 Weights Cost of capital
Equity2 ÷ = × =
Debt, including finance leases3 ÷ = × × (1 – 21.00%) =
Operating lease liability4 ÷ = × × (1 – 21.00%) =
Total:

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2024-12-31).

1 US$ in millions

2 Equity. See details »

3 Debt, including finance leases. See details »

4 Operating lease liability. See details »

Capital (fair value)1 Weights Cost of capital
Equity2 ÷ = × =
Debt, including finance leases3 ÷ = × × (1 – 21.00%) =
Operating lease liability4 ÷ = × × (1 – 21.00%) =
Total:

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31).

1 US$ in millions

2 Equity. See details »

3 Debt, including finance leases. See details »

4 Operating lease liability. See details »

Capital (fair value)1 Weights Cost of capital
Equity2 ÷ = × =
Debt, including finance leases3 ÷ = × × (1 – 21.00%) =
Operating lease liability4 ÷ = × × (1 – 21.00%) =
Total:

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31).

1 US$ in millions

2 Equity. See details »

3 Debt, including finance leases. See details »

4 Operating lease liability. See details »

Capital (fair value)1 Weights Cost of capital
Equity2 ÷ = × =
Debt, including finance leases3 ÷ = × × (1 – 21.00%) =
Operating lease liability4 ÷ = × × (1 – 21.00%) =
Total:

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31).

1 US$ in millions

2 Equity. See details »

3 Debt, including finance leases. See details »

4 Operating lease liability. See details »


Economic Spread Ratio

ConocoPhillips, economic spread ratio calculation, comparison to benchmarks

Microsoft Excel
Dec 31, 2025 Dec 31, 2024 Dec 31, 2023 Dec 31, 2022 Dec 31, 2021
Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions)
Economic profit1
Invested capital2
Performance Ratio
Economic spread ratio3
Benchmarks
Economic Spread Ratio, Competitors4
Chevron Corp.
Exxon Mobil Corp.

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2025-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2024-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31).

1 Economic profit. See details »

2 Invested capital. See details »

3 2025 Calculation
Economic spread ratio = 100 × Economic profit ÷ Invested capital
= 100 × ÷ =

4 Click competitor name to see calculations.


The financial trajectory from 2021 to 2025 indicates a period of extreme volatility in value creation, characterized by a sharp peak in 2022 followed by a consistent and severe contraction in economic performance. While the capital base has expanded significantly over the period, the returns generated above the cost of capital have diminished, leading to a near-total erosion of the economic spread by the end of 2025.

Economic Profit Trends
Economic profit experienced a dramatic surge in 2022, reaching a peak of 14,741 million USD. However, this peak was followed by a steep downward trend, falling to 5,508 million USD in 2023, 1,195 million USD in 2024, and ultimately bottoming out at 189 million USD in 2025. This represents a near-complete reversal of the value creation gains achieved during the 2022 fiscal year.
Invested Capital Expansion
Invested capital remained relatively stable between 2021 and 2022, hovering around 76 billion USD. Starting in 2023, a marked increase in capital investment is observed, with the balance rising to 81,278 million USD and peaking at 106,371 million USD in 2024, before stabilizing slightly at 105,245 million USD in 2025. This indicates a significant expansion of the asset base despite declining profitability.
Economic Spread Ratio Analysis
The economic spread ratio mirrors the volatility of economic profit, peaking at 19.52% in 2022. Subsequent years show a rapid deterioration of this ratio, falling to 6.78% in 2023, 1.12% in 2024, and reaching a marginal 0.18% by 2025. The divergence between the increasing invested capital and the plummeting spread ratio suggests that the additional capital deployed has failed to generate proportional economic returns, resulting in a state where the company is barely exceeding its cost of capital by 2025.

Economic Profit Margin

ConocoPhillips, economic profit margin calculation, comparison to benchmarks

Microsoft Excel
Dec 31, 2025 Dec 31, 2024 Dec 31, 2023 Dec 31, 2022 Dec 31, 2021
Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions)
Economic profit1
Sales and other operating revenues
Performance Ratio
Economic profit margin2
Benchmarks
Economic Profit Margin, Competitors3
Chevron Corp.
Exxon Mobil Corp.

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2025-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2024-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31).

1 Economic profit. See details »

2 2025 Calculation
Economic profit margin = 100 × Economic profit ÷ Sales and other operating revenues
= 100 × ÷ =

3 Click competitor name to see calculations.


The analysis of economic value generation indicates a period of extreme volatility followed by a steep decline in profitability relative to the cost of capital. While a significant peak in economic performance was achieved in 2022, subsequent years show a consistent erosion of economic value creation, culminating in a near-zero economic profit margin by the end of 2025.

Economic Profit Trajectory
Absolute economic profit experienced a sharp increase from US$ 3,969 million in 2021 to a peak of US$ 14,741 million in 2022. However, this growth was not sustained, as a precipitous decline occurred over the following three years. By December 31, 2025, economic profit fell to US$ 189 million, representing a substantial reduction in the surplus generated above the required return on capital.
Revenue Performance and Correlation
Sales and other operating revenues mirrored the peak observed in economic profit, rising from US$ 45,828 million in 2021 to US$ 78,494 million in 2022. Following this spike, revenues stabilized within a range of US$ 54,745 million to US$ 58,944 million between 2023 and 2025. A critical divergence is observed in 2025, where a modest increase in revenue failed to prevent a further collapse in economic profit, suggesting an increase in capital charges or a compression of operating margins.
Economic Profit Margin Erosion
The economic profit margin demonstrates a severe and continuous contraction following the 2022 high of 18.78%. The margin declined to 9.81% in 2023, 2.18% in 2024, and reached a low of 0.32% in 2025. This trend signifies a drastic reduction in the efficiency of value creation relative to sales, indicating that the company is barely generating returns in excess of its cost of capital by the end of the analyzed period.