EXHIBIT 99.1 ==================================================================== [OXY LOGO] NEWS RELEASE OCCIDENTAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION ==================================================================== 10889 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90024 (310) 208-8800 For Immediate Release: January 22, 2004 OCCIDENTAL PETROLEUM ANNOUNCES FOURTH QUARTER 2003 RESULTS ---------------------------------------------------------- LOS ANGELES -- Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY) announced net income for the fourth quarter 2003 of $382 million ($0.99 per share), compared with $322 million ($0.85 per share) for the fourth quarter 2002. In announcing the results, Dr. Ray R. Irani, chairman and chief executive officer, said, "Continued strong oil and gas prices combined with record oil and gas production of 547,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day for the year contributed to Occidental's second best year ever, with annual net income of $1.527 billion. Our core earnings for the year of $1.635 billion were the highest in the Company's history. We ended the year with our debt to capitalization ratio at 37 percent, the lowest level in more than two decades." OIL AND GAS ----------- Oil and gas segment earnings were $640 million for the fourth quarter 2003, compared with $490 million for the fourth quarter 2002. The improvement in the fourth quarter 2003 earnings reflected higher worldwide crude oil and natural gas prices, increased crude oil sales volumes, lower exploration expense and a $38 million refund of property taxes, partially offset by higher DD&A rates and operating costs. The increased crude oil production results largely from higher Ecuador and Horn Mountain production. CHEMICALS --------- Chemical segment earnings were $71 million for the fourth quarter 2003, compared with $58 million for the fourth quarter 2002. The improvement in the fourth quarter 2003 core earnings reflected higher sales prices in all major products (PVC, EDC, chlorine and caustic); partially offset by higher energy and ethylene costs. TWELVE-MONTH RESULTS -------------------- For the twelve months of 2003, net income was $1.527 billion ($3.98 per share), compared with $989 million ($2.63 per share) for the twelve months of 2002. Core earnings were $1.635 billion for 2003 compared with $999 million for 2002. See the attached schedule for a reconciliation of net income to core earnings for the fourth quarter and twelve months. For details of items affecting the comparability of core earnings between periods in 2003 and 2002, see the attached schedule. Contacts: Lawrence P. Meriage (media) 310-443-6562 Kenneth J. Huffman (investors) 212-603-8183 For further analysis of Occidental's quarterly performance, please visit the website: WWW.OXY.COM Statements in this presentation that contain words such as "will" or "expect", or otherwise relate to the future, are forward-looking and involve risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect expected results. Factors that could cause results to differ materially include, but are not limited to: global commodity pricing fluctuations, and supply/demand consideration for oil, gas and chemicals; higher-than-expected costs; and not successfully completing (or any material delay in) any expansion, capital expenditure, acquisition, or disposition. Occidental disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements. 2 SUMMARY OF SEGMENT NET SALES AND EARNINGS Fourth Quarter Twelve Months ------------------ ------------------ ($ millions) 2003 2002 2003 2002 ================================= ======= ======= ======= ======= SEGMENT NET SALES Oil and gas $ 1,530 $ 1,287 $ 6,003 $ 4,634 Chemical 810 698 3,178 2,704 Other 30 -- 145 -- ------- ------- ------- ------- Net sales $ 2,370 $ 1,985 $ 9,326 $ 7,338 ================================= ======= ======= ======= ======= SEGMENT EARNINGS Oil and gas $ 640 $ 490 $ 2,664 $ 1,707 Chemical 71 58 210 275 ------- ------- ------- ------- 711 548 2,874 1,982 UNALLOCATED CORPORATE ITEMS Interest expense, net (a) Debt, net (53) (58) (289) (253) Trust preferred distributions & other (10) (12) (44) (47) Income taxes (b) (157) (114) (662) (364) Other (c) (109) (41) (284) (155) ------- ------- ------- ------- INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS 382 323 1,595 1,163 Discontinued operations, net -- (1) -- (79) Cumulative effect of changes in accounting principles, net (d) -- -- (68) (95) ------- ------- ------- ------- NET INCOME $ 382 $ 322 $ 1,527 $ 989 ======= ======= ======= ======= BASIC EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE Income from continuing operations $ 0.99 $ 0.85 $ 4.16 $ 3.09 Discontinued operations, net -- -- -- (0.21) Cumulative effect of changes in accounting principles, net -- -- (0.18) (0.25) ------- ------- ------- ------- $ 0.99 $ 0.85 $ 3.98 $ 2.63 ======= ======= ======= ======= DILUTED EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE Income from continuing operations $ 0.97 $ 0.84 $ 4.11 $ 3.07 Discontinued operations, net -- -- -- (0.21) Cumulative effect of changes in accounting principles, net -- -- (0.18) (0.25) ------- ------- ------- ------- $ 0.97 $ 0.84 $ 3.93 $ 2.61 ======= ======= ======= ======= AVERAGE BASIC COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING 387.7 377.6 383.9 376.2 ================================= ======= ======= ======= ======= See footnotes on following page. 3 (a) The twelve-months 2003 includes a $61 million interest charge to repay a $450-million 6.4-percent senior-notes issue that had ten years of remaining life, but was subject to remarketing on April 1, 2003. The twelve months 2002 includes $22 million of interest income on notes receivable from Altura partners. The partnership exercised an option in May 2002 to redeem the sellers' remaining partnership interests in exchange for the outstanding balance on the notes. (b) Excludes U.S. federal income tax charges and credits allocated to the segments and foreign taxes. Oil and gas segment earnings for the twelve-months 2003 and 2002 include charges of $6 million and $1 million, respectively. Chemical segment earnings include credits of $403 million for the twelve months 2002. (c) The twelve-months 2002 includes $20 million of preferred distributions to the Occidental Permian partners. This is essentially offset by the interest income discussed in (a) above. The partnership exercised an option in May 2002 to redeem the sellers' remaining partnership interests in exchange for the outstanding balance on the notes. The twelve-months 2003 includes $58 million of equity losses from investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries, compared with a $25 million loss for the same period in 2002. The twelve-months 2003 also includes a $63 million environmental remediation expense, compared with a $23 million expense for the twelve-months 2002. (d) Effective January 1, 2003, Occidental implemented SFAS No. 143 - "Accounting For Asset Retirement Obligations." Adoption of this new accounting standard resulted in a cumulative after-tax reduction in net income of $50 million. Also effective January 1, 2003, Occidental implemented the rescission of EITF 98-10, which precludes mark-to-market accounting for all energy-trading contracts that are not derivatives and fair value accounting for inventories purchased from third parties. Adoption of this accounting change resulted in a cumulative after-tax reduction in net income of $18 million. Effective January 1, 2002, Occidental implemented SFAS No. 142 - "Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets." Adoption of this new accounting standard resulted in a cumulative after-tax reduction in net income of $95 million. 4 SUMMARY OF OPERATING STATISTICS Fourth Quarter Twelve Months ------------------ ------------------ 2003 2002 2003 2002 ================================= ======= ======= ======= ======= NET OIL, GAS AND LIQUIDS PRODUCTION PER DAY United States Crude oil and liquids (MBBL) California 82 84 81 86 Permian 152 142 150 142 Horn Mountain 25 2 21 1 Hugoton 4 4 4 3 ------- ------- ------- ------- Total 263 232 256 232 Natural Gas (MMCF) California 246 266 252 286 Hugoton 130 139 138 148 Permian 133 133 129 130 Horn Mountain 16 -- 13 -- ------- ------- ------- ------- Total 525 538 532 564 Latin America Crude oil (MBBL) Colombia 44 47 37 40 Ecuador 39 13 25 13 ------- ------- ------- ------- Total 83 60 62 53 Middle East Crude oil (MBBL) Oman 12 13 12 13 Qatar 40 37 45 42 Yemen 33 37 35 37 ------- ------- ------- ------- Total 85 87 92 92 Other Eastern Hemisphere Crude oil (MBBL) Pakistan 9 12 9 10 Natural Gas (MMCF) Pakistan 72 76 74 63 BARRELS OF OIL EQUIVALENT (MBOE) Subtotal consolidated subsidiaries 540 493 520 492 Other Interests Colombia-minority interest (7) (6) (5) (5) Russia-Occidental net interest 30 29 30 27 Yemen-Occidental net interest 2 2 2 1 ------- ------- ------- ------- TOTAL WORLDWIDE PRODUCTION 565 518 547 515 ======= ======= ======= ======= CAPITAL EXPENDITURES (millions) $ 450 $ 396 $ 1,601 $ 1,236 ======= ======= ======= ======= DEPRECIATION, DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION OF ASSETS (millions) $ 311 $ 253 $ 1,177 $ 1,012 ================================= ======= ======= ======= ======= 5 SIGNIFICANT TRANSACTIONS AND EVENTS AFFECTING EARNINGS Occidental's results of operations often include the effects of significant transactions and events affecting earnings that vary widely and unpredictably in nature, timing, and amount. Therefore, management uses a measure called "core earnings", which excludes those items. This non-GAAP measure is not meant to disassociate those items from management's performance, but rather is meant to provide useful information to investors interested in comparing Occidental's earnings performance between periods. Reported earnings are considered representative of management's performance over the long term. Core earnings is not considered to be an alternative to operating income in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The following table sets forth the core earnings and significant items affecting earnings for each operating segment and corporate: Fourth Quarter ($ millions, except -------------------------------------------- per-share amounts) 2003 EPS 2002 EPS ================================ ======== ======== ======== ======== TOTAL REPORTED EARNINGS $ 382 $ 0.99 $ 322 $ 0.85 ======== ======== ======== ======== OIL AND GAS Segment Earnings $ 640 $ 490 No significant items affecting earnings -- -- -------- -------- Segment Core Earnings 640 490 -------- -------- CHEMICALS Segment Earnings 71 58 No significant items affecting earnings -- -- -------- -------- Segment Core Earnings 71 58 -------- -------- CORPORATE Results (329) (226) Less: Discontinued operations, net* -- (1) -------- -------- TOTAL CORE EARNINGS $ 382 $ 0.99 $ 323 $ 0.86 ================================ ======== ======== ======== ======== * These amounts are shown after tax. 6 SIGNIFICANT TRANSACTIONS AND EVENTS AFFECTING EARNINGS (continued) Twelve Months ($ millions, except -------------------------------------------- per-share amounts) 2003 EPS 2002 EPS ================================ ======== ======== ======== ======== TOTAL REPORTED EARNINGS $ 1,527 $ 3.98 $ 989 $ 2.63 ======== ======== ======== ======== OIL AND GAS Segment Earnings $ 2,664 $ 1,707 No significant items affecting earnings -- -- -------- -------- Segment Core Earnings 2,664 1,707 -------- -------- CHEMICALS Segment Earnings 210 275 Less: Sale of Equistar investment* -- 164 -------- -------- Segment Core Earnings 210 111 -------- -------- CORPORATE Results (1,347) (993) Less: Debt repayment charge (61) -- Tax effect of pre-tax adjustment 21 -- Discontinued operations, net* -- (79) Changes in accounting principles, net* (68) (95) -------- -------- TOTAL CORE EARNINGS $ 1,635 $ 4.26 $ 999 $ 2.66 ================================ ======== ======== ======== ======== * These amounts are shown after tax. 7 ITEMS AFFECTING COMPARABILITY OF CORE EARNINGS BETWEEN PERIODS Fourth Quarter Twelve Months -------------------- -------------------- ($ millions) 2003 2002 2003 2002 ================================ ======== ======== ======== ======== PRE-TAX INCOME / (EXPENSE) OIL AND GAS Gain on sale of GOM assets (a) $ -- $ -- $ 14 $ 7 Property tax refund 38 -- 38 -- CHEMICALS Asset idling and impairments -- -- (9) (37) State tax reserves adjustment -- 7 -- 7 Equistar equity results -- -- -- (33) Self insurance and litigation adjustments -- 15 -- 15 Reorganizations/severance -- -- (15) (14) CORPORATE Gain on sale of stock investment -- 32 -- 32 Environmental remediation (50) (15) (63) (23) Equity earnings (16) (22) (58) (25) (a) Net of tax. 8