The Anglo-Dutch oil and gas company Royal Dutch Shell (AMS:RDSA) has updated investors on its strategy on Tuesday, in addition to setting out a financial outlook until 2025.
The company also revealed that it remains on track to deliver on its previous 2020 commitments.
The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Ben van Beurden, summed up the key points of the update as follows:
“Increased organic free cash flow outlook, greater potential distributions to shareholders and confidence in our world class investment case given our high-margin portfolio, improving returns and a globally recognised brand.”
Shell has delivered on a range of commitments since its last Management Day in 2017. This includes achieving $10 billion additional cash flow from operations from new projects.
“We have reshaped our company with a focus on value and have demonstrated a clear track record delivering on our ambitious promises made at our Management Day in November 2017,” the Chief Executive Officer of Royal Dutch Shell, commented on the announcement.
As for its financial outlook, Shell aims to complete its $25 billion share buyback programme – which is one of the world’s largest share buyback programmes – by the end of next year.
Looking ahead to 2025, van Beurden has set out a “robust” financial outlook, which includes the potential to make distributions to shareholders of $125 billion in the form of dividends and share buybacks. This compares to the roughly $52 billion in shareholder distributions between 2011-2015.
Shell also aims to increase organic free cash flow to roughly $35 billion in 2025 at $60 per barrel.
In terms of its strategy update, it has re-focused its strategic themes into three categories. These categories are Core Upstream, Leading Transition and Emerging power.
“All this adds up to a forward-looking strategy that ensures Shell is well-placed to continue to deliver a world class investment case and thrive in the energy transition,” the Chief Executive Officer continued.
In May, Shell posted a 2% decrease in its profits for the first quarter but still beat a company-provided consensus. It also revealed its highest-third quarter profits in four years at the end of 2018.
At 10:15 CEST Tuesday, shares in Royal Dutch Shell plc (AMS:RDSA) were trading at -1.04%.
