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IMPERIAL OIL LTD

For the period ended Mar 31, 2025. Filed May 5, 2025.

View on SEC.gov

About this filing

A company's report for each of its first three quarters. The financial statements are not audited. It shows how the business has moved since the last annual report, and what management says changed.

Mar 31, 2025 · Filed May 5, 2025

IMO$124.83-0.7%Stored close · as of Nov 6, 2026

What changed in Management’s Discussion and Analysis?

Read the current filing

Previous report: 10-Q

Period ended 2024-09-30; filed 2024-11-04.

0000049938-24-000064

Item 2. Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations

Current report: 10-Q

Period ended 2025-03-31; filed 2025-05-05.

0000049938-25-000028

Item 2. Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations

The baseline is this issuer’s latest earlier reporting period of the same form that was filed before the current report. A previous 10-Q is a different quarter, not a year-over-year comparison. Amendments are excluded.

Compared 70 previous paragraphs and 32 current paragraphs.

17 unchanged; 9 reworded; 6 added; 40 removed; 4 previous and 0 current paragraphs rearranged.

Tables are not compared: 14 previous and 7 current tables excluded. Dates, whitespace, punctuation and numbering changes are ignored; changes to financial figures remain significant.

A changed paragraph is not evidence that risk increased or decreased. An unchanged paragraph does not establish that risk stayed the same.

Added paragraphs (6)

Current report

During the first quarter of 2025, the price of crude oil and the Canadian WTI/WCS spread remained relatively flat with the fourth quarter of 2024. Industry refining margins improved versus the fourth quarter of 2024, reflecting changes in supply and demand balances.

Current report

During 2025, the United States announced a variety of trade-related actions, including the imposition of tariffs on imports from Canada and several other countries. In response, Canada announced its own retaliatory tariffs. Certain tariffs were paused for a period of time but have not been withdrawn. The global trade environment continues to be volatile. The likelihood of the United States, Canada or their trading partners resuming tariffs, imposing new or reciprocal tariffs, export restrictions, or other forms of trade-related sanctions is highly uncertain. Additionally, significant uncertainty exists as to what effects these actions will ultimately have on Imperial, its suppliers and its customers. The company continually monitors the global trade environment and works to mitigate potential impacts.

Current report

Lower production at Kearl was primarily driven by extreme cold weather and unplanned downtime, mitigated by enhanced winter operating procedures.

Current report

Lower refinery throughput was primarily due to additional maintenance in the company's eastern manufacturing hub.

Current report

(a)The company did not purchase any shares in the first quarter of 2025 and 2024.
Removed paragraphs (40)

Previous report

Non-GAAP financial measures and other specified financial measures

Previous report

Certain measures included in this document are not prescribed by U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). These measures constitute "non-GAAP financial measures" under Securities and Exchange Commission Regulation G and Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K, and "specified financial measures" under National Instrument 52-112 Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures Disclosure of the Canadian Securities Administrators.

Previous report

Reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most comparable GAAP measure, and other information required by these regulations, have been provided. Non-GAAP financial measures and specified financial measures are not standardized financial measures under GAAP and do not have a standardized definition. As such, these measures may not be directly comparable to measures presented by other companies, and should not be considered a substitute for GAAP financial measures.

Previous report

Net income (loss) excluding identified items is a non-GAAP financial measure that is total net income (loss) excluding individually significant non-operational events with an absolute corporate total earnings impact of at least $100 million in a given quarter. The net income (loss) impact of an identified item for an individual segment in a given quarter may be less than $100 million when the item impacts several segments or several periods. The most directly comparable financial measure that is disclosed in the financial statements is "Net income (loss)" within the company’s Consolidated statement of income. Management uses these figures to improve comparability of the underlying business across multiple periods by isolating and removing significant non-operational events from business results. The company believes this view provides investors increased transparency into business results and trends, and provides investors with a view of the business as seen through the eyes of management. Net income (loss) excluding identified items is not meant to be viewed in isolation or as a substitute for net income (loss) as prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. All identified items are presented on an after-tax basis.

Previous report

Reconciliation of net income (loss) excluding identified items

Previous report

There were no identified items in the third quarter or year-to-date 2024 and 2023 periods.

Previous report

During the third quarter, crude prices decreased versus the second quarter, reflecting uncertainty about future China demand and OPEC+ supply. The Canadian WTI/WCS spread remained stable in the third quarter and narrowed versus the 2023 full-year average. Industry refining margins declined versus the second quarter as increased supply outpaced global demand.

Previous report

Price – Average bitumen realizations decreased by $8.81 per barrel, primarily driven by lower marker prices. Synthetic crude oil realizations decreased by $8.57 per barrel, generally in line with WTI.

Previous report

Volumes– Higher volumes were primarily at Cold Lake driven by Grand Rapids, and by production and steam cycle timing.

Previous report

Royalty– Lower royalties were primarily driven by lower commodity prices, partially offset by higher volumes.

Previous report

Other– Includes lower operating expenses of about $80 million, primarily due to lower energy prices.

Previous report

Margins – Lower margins primarily reflect weaker market conditions.

Previous report

Refinery throughput in the third quarter of 2024 reflects the impact of turnaround activities at the Nanticoke and Strathcona refineries. Refinery throughput in the third quarter of 2023 reflected the impact of turnaround activity at the Sarnia refinery.

Previous report

(a)Share repurchases were made under and in connection with the company's normal course issuer bid program, and include shares purchased from Exxon Mobil Corporation.

Previous report

Volumes – Higher volumes were primarily driven by improved mine fleet productivity and optimized turnaround at Kearl, as well as Grand Rapids and production and steam cycle timing at Cold Lake.

Previous report

Royalty – Higher royalties were primarily driven by higher volumes.

Previous report

Other – Includes lower operating expenses of about $200 million, primarily from lower energy prices, and favourable foreign exchange impacts of about $70 million, partially offset by lower electricity sales at Cold Lake due to lower prices.

Previous report

Higher production at Kearl was primarily driven by improved mine fleet productivity and optimized turnaround.

Previous report

Margins – Lower margins primarily reflect weaker market conditions.

Previous report

Lower refinery throughput in 2024 mainly reflects the impact of turnaround activity at the Nanticoke refinery.

Previous report

Cash flows from operating activities primarily reflect the absence of unfavourable working capital impacts mainly related to an income tax catch-up payment of $2.1 billion in the prior year.

Previous report

On June 24, 2024, the company announced by news release that it had received final approval from the Toronto Stock Exchange for a new normal course issuer bid and will continue its existing share purchase program. The program enables the company to purchase up to a maximum of 26,791,840 common shares during the period June 29, 2024 to June 28, 2025. This maximum includes shares purchased under the normal course issuer bid from Exxon Mobil Corporation. As in the past, Exxon Mobil Corporation has advised the company that it intends to participate to maintain its ownership percentage at approximately 69.6 percent. The program will end should the company purchase the maximum allowable number of shares or otherwise on June 28, 2025. Imperial plans to accelerate its share purchases under the normal course issuer bid program, and anticipates repurchasing all remaining allowable shares prior to year end. Purchase plans may be modified at any time without prior notice.

Previous report

As previously communicated, in June 2024, the company extended the maturity date of its existing long-term, variable-rate, Canadian dollar loan from ExxonMobil to June 30, 2035. All other terms and conditions remain unchanged.

Previous report

As previously communicated, in the first quarter of 2024, the company entered into a long-term purchase agreement with a third party for about $2 billion. It has no material impact on the 2024 and 2025 obligations disclosed in Imperial's 2023 annual report on Form 10-K. The company does not believe that the additional obligation will have a material effect on Imperial's operations, financial condition or financial statements.

Previous report

The term "project" as used in this report can refer to a variety of different activities and does not necessarily have the same meaning as in any government payment transparency reports.
Reworded paragraphs (9)

Previous wording

Price – Average bitumen realizations increased by $6.90 per barrel, primarily driven by the narrowing WTI/WCS spread, lower diluent costs, and higher marker prices. Synthetic crude oil realizations decreased by $2.70 per barrel, primarily driven by a weaker Synthetic/WTI spread, partially offset by higher WTI.

Current wording

Price – Average bitumen realizations increased by $8.75 per barrel, primarily driven by the narrowing WTI/WCS spread. Synthetic crude oil realizations increased by $5.28 per barrel, primarily driven by an improved Synthetic/WTI spread.

Previous wording

Other – Primarily due to lower turnaround impacts of about $110 million.

Current wording

Other– Primarily due to favourable foreign exchange impacts of about $130 million.

Previous wording

(a)In 2024, Syncrude gross production included about 1 thousand barrels per day of bitumen and other products (2023 - 1 thousand barrels per day) that were exported to the operator's facilities using an existing interconnect pipeline.

Current wording

(a)In the first quarter of 2025, Syncrude gross production included about 2 thousand barrels per day of bitumen and other products (2024 - 0 thousand barrels per day) that were exported to the operator's facilities using an existing interconnect pipeline.

Previous wording

Higher production at Cold Lake was primarily driven by Grand Rapids, and by production and steam cycle timing.

Current wording

Higher production at Cold Lake was primarily driven by Grand Rapids solvent-assisted SAGD, partially offset by production and steam cycle timing.

Previous wording

Cash flows from operating activities primarily reflect unfavourable working capital impacts.

Current wording

Cash flows from operating activities primarily reflect higher Upstream realizations and lower unfavourable working capital impacts.

Previous wording

Cash flows used in investing activities primarily reflect higher additions to property, plant and equipment.

Current wording

Cash flows used in investing activities primarily reflect lower additions to property, plant and equipment.

Previous wording

Statements of future events or conditions in this report, including projections, targets, expectations, estimates, and business plans are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as believe, anticipate, intend, propose, plan, goal, seek, project, predict, target, estimate, expect, strategy, outlook, schedule, future, continue, likely, may, should, will and similar references to future periods. Forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, references to the company’s purchases under the normal course issuer bid and plans to accelerate completion prior to year end; the use of derivative instruments and effectiveness of risk mitigation; the continued evaluation of the company’s share purchase program in the context of overall capital activities; and the company’s belief that the commitment related to the long-term purchase agreement will not have a material effect on the company’s operations, financial condition or financial statements.

Current wording

Statements of future events or conditions in this report, including projections, targets, expectations, estimates, and business plans are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as believe, anticipate, intend, propose, plan, goal, seek, project, predict, target, estimate, expect, strategy, outlook, schedule, future, continue, likely, may, should, will and similar references to future periods. Forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, references to the use of derivative instruments and effectiveness of risk mitigation.

Previous wording

Forward-looking statements are based on the company's current expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions at the time the statements are made. Actual future financial and operating results, including expectations and assumptions concerning future energy demand, supply and mix; production rates, growth and mix across various assets; for shareholder returns, assumptions such as cash flow forecasts, financing sources and capital structure, participation of the company’s majority shareholder and the results of periodic and ongoing evaluation of alternate uses of capital; project plans, timing, costs, technical evaluations and capacities and the company’s ability to effectively execute on these plans and operate its assets, including the Cold Lake Grand Rapids project and the Strathcona renewable diesel project and the Leming SAGD redevelopment project; capital and environmental expenditures; the ability to offset any ongoing inflationary pressures; applicable laws and government policies, including with respect to climate change, greenhouse gas emissions reductions and low carbon fuels; cash generation, financing sources and capital structure, such as dividends and shareholder returns, including the timing and amounts of share repurchases; and commodity prices, foreign exchange rates and general market conditions, could differ materially depending on a number of factors.

Current wording

Forward-looking statements are based on the company's current expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions at the time the statements are made. Actual future financial and operating results, including expectations and assumptions concerning future energy demand, supply and mix; production rates, growth and mix across various assets; for shareholder returns, assumptions such as cash flow forecasts, financing sources and capital structure, participation of the company’s majority shareholder and the results of periodic and ongoing evaluation of alternate uses of capital; project plans, timing, costs, technical evaluations and capacities and the company’s ability to effectively execute on these plans and operate its assets, including the Strathcona renewable diesel project, the Leming, Grand Rapids and LASER projects at Cold Lake, and autonomous operations at Kearl; performance of third-party service providers including service providers located outside of Canada; capital and environmental expenditures; the ability to offset any ongoing or renewed inflationary pressures; applicable laws and government policies, including with respect to climate change, greenhouse gas emissions reductions and low carbon fuels; cash generation, financing sources and capital structure, such as dividends and shareholder returns, including the timing and amounts of share repurchases; and commodity prices, foreign exchange rates and general market conditions, could differ materially depending on a number of factors.

Previous wording

These factors include global, regional or local changes in supply and demand for oil, natural gas, and petroleum and petrochemical products and resulting price, differential and margin impacts, including foreign government action with respect to supply levels and prices, and the occurrence of wars; political or regulatory events, including changes in law or government policy, applicable royalty rates, and tax laws; third-party opposition to company and service provider operations, projects and infrastructure; failure, delay or uncertainty regarding supportive policy and market development for the adoption of emerging lower emission energy technologies and other technologies that support emissions reductions; the receipt, in a timely manner, of regulatory and third-party approvals, including for new technologies that will help the company meet its lower emissions goals; availability and allocation of capital; project management and schedules and timely completion of projects; unanticipated technical or operational difficulties; availability and performance of third-party service providers; environmental risks inherent in oil and gas exploration and production activities; environmental regulation, including climate change and greenhouse gas regulation and changes to such regulation; management effectiveness and disaster response preparedness; operational hazards and risks; cybersecurity incidents; currency exchange rates; general economic conditions, including inflation and the occurrence and duration of economic recessions or downturns; and other factors discussed in Item 1A risk factors and Item 7 management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations of Imperial’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K.

Current wording

These factors include global, regional or local changes in supply and demand for oil, natural gas, petroleum and petrochemical products, feedstocks and other market factors, economic conditions and seasonal fluctuations and resulting demand, price, differential and margin impacts, including Canadian and foreign government action with respect to supply levels, prices, trade tariffs, trade sanctions or trade controls, the occurrence of disruptions in trade or military alliances, or a broader breakdown in global trade; political or regulatory events, including changes in law or government policy, applicable royalty rates, and tax laws including taxes on share repurchases; third-party opposition to company and service provider operations, projects and infrastructure; failure, delay, reduction, revocation or uncertainty regarding supportive policy and market development for the adoption of emerging lower emission energy technologies and other technologies that support emissions reductions; the receipt, in a timely manner, of regulatory and third-party approvals, including for new technologies relating to the company’s lower emissions business activities; competition from alternative energy sources and established competitors in such markets; availability and allocation of capital; project management and schedules and timely completion of projects; unanticipated technical or operational difficulties; availability and performance of third-party service providers including those located outside of Canada; environmental risks inherent in oil and gas exploration and production activities; environmental regulation, including climate change and greenhouse gas regulation and changes to such regulation; management effectiveness and disaster response preparedness; operational hazards and risks; cybersecurity incidents including incidents caused by actors employing emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence; currency exchange rates; general economic conditions, including inflation and the occurrence and duration of economic recessions or downturns; and other factors discussed in “Item 1A risk factors” and “Item 7 management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations” of Imperial’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K.
Rearranged previous paragraphs (4)

Previous report — wording carried elsewhere

Higher production at Cold Lake was primarily driven by Grand Rapids, and by production and steam cycle timing.

Previous report — wording carried elsewhere

Refinery utilization and petroleum product sales

Previous report — wording carried elsewhere

Cash flows used in investing activities primarily reflect higher additions to property, plant and equipment.

Previous report — wording carried elsewhere

Cash flows used in financing activities primarily reflect: