Marathon Petroleum's Q1 loss was driven by planned maintenance and weak crack spreads, but the Q2 outlook is stronger with improved spreads and completed maintenance.MPC's extensive refining & midstream assets, especially MPLX, position it for long-term growth, with MPLX being the primary growth engine.Q1 midstream EBITDA grew 8%, and the company is allocating more capital to grow MPLX, which currently yields 7.6%, as compared to its Refining & Marketing Segment.With Q2 earnings ahead, I expect improved results driven by better refining margins and robust midstream results.However, MPC's yield and dividend growth remain muted as the company continues to massively over-emphasize share buybacks as compared to dividends directly to shareholders.\n\nIn Q1, America's largest refiner, Marathon Petroleum (NYSE:MPC), posted a loss primarily due to large planned refining maintenance combined with a weak 3:2:1 refining crack spread. The company's Q2 earnings report is\n\nThis article was written by\n\nMichael Fitzsimmons is a retired electronics engineer and avid investor. He advises investors to construct a well-diversified portfolio built on a core foundation of a high-quality low-cost S&P500 fund. For investors who can tolerate short-term risks, he advises an over-weight position in the technology sector, which he believes is still in the early stages of a long-term secular bull-market. For dividend income, and as a 4th generation oil & gas man, Fitzsimmons suggests investors consider a position in large O&G companies that provide strong dividend income and dividend growth. Fitzsimmons' articles on portfolio management recommend a top-down capital allocation approach that is aligned with each individual investor's personal situation (i.e. age, retired/working, risk tolerance, income, net worth, goals, etc) and might include allocations into investment categories such as the S&P500, technology, dividend income, sector ETFs, growth, speculative growth, gold, and cash.

Marathon Petroleum: Stronger Q2 Crack Spreads For America's Largest Refiner (NYSE:MPC)

Marathon Petroleum (MPC) reported a Q1 loss driven by planned maintenance and weak crack spreads, but its Q2 outlook is stronger with improved spreads and completed maintenance. The company's midstream assets, particularly MPLX, are key growth drivers, with Q1 midstream EBITDA rising 8%. However, MPC's dividend growth remains muted as the company prioritizes share buybacks over direct dividend payouts.