Record H1 profit, higher dividend, and Iraqi crude sales lift CNOOC
Record first-half profit and production CNOOC's first-half net profit rose 23.4% to a record 85.8 billion yuan, with revenue up 16.9% and oil and gas output up 3.7%. Strong earnings and cash flow support the shares because they show the company is making more money from selling more energy.
The record profit is the core fundamental driver of the period and directly supports the stock price.
Highest-ever interim dividend and payout CNOOC declared an interim dividend of HK$0.94 per share, the highest since listing, and later set the A-share cash payout at RMB 0.81324 per share. A bigger dividend returns cash to shareholders and often attracts income-focused investors, supporting the stock price.
The dividend is a concrete shareholder-return event that affects valuation and investor demand for the stock.
CNOOC sells Iraqi crude to Chinese refiners Chinese refiners bought at least 8 million barrels of Iraqi crude to replace lost Saudi and ADNOC supply, with CNOOC among the sellers. This adds near-term sales volume and revenue for CNOOC's trading business, helping its earnings and stock price.
This is a new revenue-generating activity for CNOOC that supports its earnings outlook.
Energy stocks outperform amid China slowdown China's second-quarter GDP grew just 4.3%, the slowest in over a year, but energy stocks like CNOOC rose as investors favored defensive, dividend-paying sectors. CNOOC jumped 4.72% that day, showing it can attract money even when the broader economy is weak.
It explains why CNOOC's stock moved up despite weak economic news, highlighting its defensive appeal.