California Resources Corporation Reports Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2025 Financial and Operating Results; Announces 2026 Guidance
25% Year-Over-Year Production Growth and Highest Annual Free Cash Flow Since 2021
Receipt of New Drilling Permits Supports Planned 2026 Drilling Program
LONG BEACH, Calif., March 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- California Resources Corporation (NYSE: CRC) (CRC) today reported its financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and full-year 2025. The Company plans to host a conference call and webcast at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) on Monday, March 2, 2026. Conference call details can be found within this release.
Fourth Quarter Highlights
2025 Highlights
2026 Outlook
“CRC delivered a landmark year in 2025, driven by strong financial performance, robust cash flow generation, and disciplined execution, while returning substantial cash to shareholders,” said Francisco Leon, CRC’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our teams made meaningful progress improving reservoir management across our high-quality, low-decline conventional asset base and advancing several strategic initiatives that strengthen the company’s long-term foundation.
"Our 2026 priorities are clear: safely and efficiently operate our core businesses, deliver on the synergies from the Berry merger, and continue to advance high-return opportunities across our portfolio while maintaining financial discipline. With a resilient asset base and a strong hedge position, CRC is well positioned to manage near-term volatility and generate strong cash flows from which to enhance shareholder returns.”
Fourth Quarter and Total Year 2025 Results
2025 Proved Reserves
As of December 31, 2025, CRC's total proved reserves were 654 million Boe (MMBoe), of which approximately 83% was oil and 541 MMBoe was proved developed. CRC added 93 MMBoe of proved reserves related to the Berry merger in 2025. Standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows were $6,666 million with a PV-10 1 value of $8,717 million, based on SEC pricing, at December 31, 2025. In 2025, CRC's reserve replacement ratio 1 was 368%. See Attachment 3 for the non-GAAP reconciliation.
2026 Guidance
The following table provides key first quarter and full year 2026 financial and operating guidance 6. In 2026, CRC expects to operate a four-rig program subject to commodity prices and market conditions. CRC currently holds the permits necessary to execute a majority of its planned capital program. See Attachment 2 for further information on CRC's first quarter and full year 2026 guidance.
Shareholder Returns
CRC is committed to increasing shareholder returns over time. In November 2025, CRC increased its annual dividend by approximately 5% to a total annual dividend of $1.62. CRC has increased its dividend every year since 2021.
On March 1, 2026, CRC's Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.405 per share of common stock, payable to shareholders of record on March 13, 2026. The dividend is expected to be paid on March 20, 2026.
In 2025, CRC repurchased 8.3 million shares of its common stock for $377 million 2 at an average price of $45.29 per share and returned $136 million in dividends to shareholders. Since mid-2021, the Company has returned approximately $1,573 million to shareholders 2, including $1,170 million in share repurchases and $403 million in dividends.
In February 2026, CRC’s Board of Directors approved an increase of the Share Repurchase Program to $1.78 billion, an increase of $430 million and extended the program through December 31, 2027. After this increase and repurchases in January 2026, CRC has $600 million of capacity remaining under the repurchase program as of February 28, 2026.
Balance Sheet and Liquidity
In October 2025, CRC's lenders reaffirmed its $1,500 million borrowing base under its Revolving Credit Facility as part of its semi-annual redetermination. In December 2025, elected commitments under the Revolving Credit Facility increased by $10 million to $1,460 million.
At year-end 2025, CRC had liquidity of $1,401 million, consisting of $117 million in available cash and cash equivalents 3 and $1,284 million of available borrowing capacity under its Revolving Credit Facility (which reflects $1,460 million of borrowing capacity less $176 million of outstanding letters of credit). There were no outstanding borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility as of December 31, 2025.
Participation in Upcoming Investor Conferences
CRC is scheduled to participate in the following events in March 2026:
CRC’s presentation materials will be available on the day of the event on its website. See the Events and Presentations page under the Investor Relations section on www.crc.com.
Conference Call Details
A conference call and webcast is planned for 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) on Monday, March 2, 2026. To participate in the call, dial (877) 328-5505 (International calls dial +1 (412) 317-5421) or access via webcast at www.crc.com. Participants may also pre-register for the conference call at https://dpregister.com/sreg/10204776/10070090c28. A digital replay of the conference call will be available for approximately 90 days.
1 See Attachment 3 for the non-GAAP financial measures of adjusted net income (loss), adjusted net income (loss) per share - basic and diluted, net cash provided by operating activities before changes in operating assets and liabilities, net, adjusted EBITDAX, free cash flow, adjusted general and administrative expenses and PV-10 including reconciliations to the most directly comparable GAAP measure without unreasonable effort. See Attachment 2 for the 1Q26 and 2026 estimates of the non-GAAP measures of adjusted EBITDAX, oil and natural gas segment adjusted EBITDAX, carbon management segment adjusted EBITDAX and adjusted general and administrative expenses, including reconciliations to its most directly comparable GAAP measure, without unreasonable effort. See Attachment 1 for a reconciliation of drilling completion and workover capital to total capital investments reported under GAAP.
2 All of CRC’s future quarterly dividends and share repurchases are subject to commodity prices, debt agreement covenants and Board of Directors' approval. The total value of shares purchased excludes commissions and excise taxes. Commissions paid on share repurchases were not significant in all periods presented. The total value of share repurchases excludes excise taxes of approximately $2 million in the year ended December 31, 2024. Excise taxes were insignificant in the year ended December 31, 2025. The total value of shares repurchased excludes approximately $3 million related to excise taxes and commissions paid on share repurchases since the inception of the Share Repurchase Program.
3 Excludes restricted cash of $15 million.
4 MOUs and CDMAs are non-binding agreements. The projects and transactions described in an MOU or CDMA are subject to certain conditions precedent, typically including the negotiation of definitive documents, a final investment decision by the parties and receipt of EPA Class VI permits and other regulatory approvals.
5 Net production per day for the periods presented reflects the impact of transaction timing. Aera Energy volumes contributed for the full year in 2025 and for approximately six months in 2024, while Berry Corporation volumes contributed for approximately 14 days in 2025 following the transaction close. Production amounts shown are reported results and are not presented on a pro forma basis.
6 1Q26 guidance assumes Brent price of $66.42 per barrel of oil, NGL realizations as a percentage of Brent consistent with prior years and a NYMEX gas price of $5.22 per mcf. Total year 2026 guidance assumes Brent price of $65.57 per barrel of oil, NGL realizations as a percentage of Brent consistent with prior years and a NYMEX gas price of $4.13 per mcf.
About California Resources Corporation
California Resources Corporation (CRC) is an independent energy and carbon management company advancing the energy transition. CRC is committed to environmental stewardship while safely providing local, responsibly sourced energy. CRC is also focused on maximizing the value of its land, mineral ownership, and energy expertise for decarbonization by developing CCS and other emissions reducing projects. For more information about CRC, please visit crc.com.
About Carbon TerraVault
Carbon TerraVault (CTV), CRC’s carbon management business, is developing services to capture, transport and permanently store CO 2 for its customers. CTV is engaged in a series of proposed CCS projects to inject CO 2 captured from industrial sources into depleted reservoirs deep underground for permanent sequestration. For more information, visit carbonterravault.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Information set forth in this communication, including financial estimates and statements as to the effects of the Berry Merger, constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other securities laws. All statements other than historical facts are forward-looking statements, and include statements regarding the benefits of the Berry Merger, CRC's future financial position, business strategy, projected revenues, earnings, costs, capital expenditures and plans and objectives and intentions of management for the future. Words such as “expect,” “could,” “may,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “ability,” “believe,” “seek,” “see,” “will,” “would,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “target,” “guidance,” “outlook,” “opportunity” or “strategy” or similar expressions are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the management of CRC and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, projected in, or implied by, such statements.
Although CRC believes the expectations and forecasts reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, they are inherently subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond its control. No assurance can be given that such forward-looking statements will be correct or achieved or that the assumptions are accurate or will not change over time. Particular uncertainties that could cause CRC’s actual results to be materially different than those expressed in its forward-looking statements are described in its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and its other periodic filings with the SEC. These factors include, but are not limited to: fluctuations in commodity prices; production levels and/or pricing by OPEC, OPEC+ or U.S. producers; government policy, war and political conditions and events; integration efforts and projected synergies and other benefits in connection with the Berry Merger and other acquisitions; divestitures and joint ventures; regulatory actions and changes that affect the oil and gas industry generally and us in particular; the efforts of activists to delay or prevent oil and gas activities or the development of CRC’s carbon management segment; changes in business strategy and the ability and financial resources to execute our capital plan in a timely manner; lower-than-expected production; changes to estimates of reserves and related future cash flows; the recoverability of resources and unexpected geologic conditions; general economic conditions and trends; results from operations and competition in the industries in which it operates; CRC’s ability to realize the anticipated benefits from prior or future efforts to reduce costs; environmental risks and liability; the benefits contemplated by its energy transition strategies and initiatives; CRC’s ability to successfully identify, develop and finance carbon capture and storage projects, power projects and other renewable energy efforts; delays from government approvals and otherwise that could affect the timing of first injection of CO 2; future dividends and share repurchases and de-leveraging efforts; and natural disasters, accidents, mechanical failures, power outages, labor difficulties, cybersecurity breaches or attacks or other catastrophic events.
CRC cautions you not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this document, which speak only as of the date hereof, and CRC is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any obligation to update, alter or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This communication may also contain information from third-party sources. This data may involve a number of assumptions and limitations, and CRC has not independently verified them and does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of such third-party information.
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