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ONEOK Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 5 raised, 3 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net income and adjusted EBITDA rose: Net income rose 12% to $776 million, or $1.23 per diluted share, and adjusted EBITDA rose 13% to $2.0 billion, compared with the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Natural Gas Liquids adjusted EBITDA rose: Natural Gas Liquids adjusted EBITDA was $706 million against $635 million, with capital expenditures of $310 million against $171 million. Source
  • Gathering volumes added earnings: Natural Gas Gathering and Processing adjusted EBITDA was $467 million against $491 million; higher volumes from increased production in all regions added $27 million. Source
  • NGL raw feed throughput rose 15%: NGL raw feed throughput averaged 1,493 MBbl/d against 1,293, with Gulf Coast/Permian up 31%, Rocky Mountain up 11% and Mid-Continent up 4%. Source
  • Constructive market from late first quarter: Management linked the higher 2026 guidance to segment performance, increased system opportunities, and a more constructive market beginning late in the first quarter. Source
  • Waha and Katy spread added earnings: Pipelines optimization and marketing rose $92 million, including $70 million from Waha Hub and Katy price differentials and $19 million from Winter Storm Fern. Source
  • Capital expenditures rose: Capital expenditures including maintenance were $864 million against $629 million, and maintenance capital was $128 million against $74 million. Source

“ONEOK’s first-quarter performance reflects year-over-year volume growth and continued operational execution across our integrated asset portfolio,”

Pierce H. Norton II, ONEOK president and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net income Source2026 full yearmidpoint $3.5 billion; range $3.21 billion to $3.79 billionRaised from midpoint $3.45 billion; range $3,190 - $3,710 million
Diluted earnings per share Source2026 full yearmidpoint $5.53Raised from midpoint $5.45
Adjusted EBITDA Source2026 full yearmidpoint $8.25 billion; range $8.0 billion to $8.5 billionRaised from midpoint $8.1 billion; range $7.9 billion to $8.3 billion
Total capital expenditures Source2026 full yearapproximately $2.7 billion to $3.2 billionKept
Income taxes (reconciliation table, $ millions) Source2026 full year985 - 1,185Raised from 980 - 1,160
Adjusted EBITDA from unconsolidated affiliates (reconciliation table, $ millions) Source2026 full year560 - 530Raised from 560 - 520
Depreciation and amortization (reconciliation table, $ millions) Source2026 full year1,600 - 1,520Kept
Interest expense, net of capitalized interest (reconciliation table, $ millions) Source2026 full year1,835 - 1,735Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: 2026 net income guidance midpoint raised from $3.45 billion to $3.5 billion. Source
  • Guidance raised: 2026 diluted EPS guidance midpoint raised from $5.45 to $5.53. Source
  • Guidance raised: 2026 adjusted EBITDA guidance midpoint raised from $8.1 billion to $8.25 billion. Source
  • Guidance kept: Total 2026 capital expenditure guidance of approximately $2.7 billion to $3.2 billion was unchanged. Source
  • New: In April 2026 the company entered into a $1.2 billion term loan agreement. Source
  • New: In April 2026 the company redeemed the remaining $491 million of 4.85% senior notes due July 2026. Source
  • New: In the first quarter of 2026 the company completed relocation of a 150 MMcf/d processing plant from North Texas to the Permian Basin. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net income and adjusted EBITDA rose: Net income rose 12% to $776 million, or $1.23 per diluted share, and adjusted EBITDA rose 13% to $2.0 billion, compared with the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Attributable income and diluted EPS higher: Net income attributable to ONEOK was $774 million against $636 million, and diluted EPS was $1.23 against $1.04. Source
  • Volumes and marketing lifted results: Management said higher NGL, natural gas processing and refined products volumes, higher firm transportation earnings, and increased optimization and marketing all benefited results. Source
  • Prior-year quarter included deal costs: The first quarter 2025 adjusted EBITDA included $31 million of transaction costs, related primarily to the EnLink acquisition. Source

Segments and regions

  • Natural Gas Liquids adjusted EBITDA rose: Natural Gas Liquids adjusted EBITDA was $706 million against $635 million, with capital expenditures of $310 million against $171 million. Source
  • Exchange fee rates and spreads reduced earnings: Lower average fee rates in the Gulf Coast/Permian and Mid-Continent regions reduced exchange services by $41 million, and narrower product price differentials reduced them by $19 million. Source
  • Refined products transportation earnings rose: Refined Products and Crude adjusted EBITDA was $492 million against $471 million, with crude marketing earnings adding $24 million. Source
  • Gathering volumes added earnings: Natural Gas Gathering and Processing adjusted EBITDA was $467 million against $491 million; higher volumes from increased production in all regions added $27 million. Source
  • Pipelines adjusted EBITDA rose: Natural Gas Pipelines adjusted EBITDA was $339 million against $212 million, with unconsolidated affiliates adding $17 million from higher Northern Border Pipeline earnings. Source

Volumes and throughput

  • NGL raw feed throughput rose 15%: NGL raw feed throughput averaged 1,493 MBbl/d against 1,293, with Gulf Coast/Permian up 31%, Rocky Mountain up 11% and Mid-Continent up 4%. Source
  • Refined products shipments increased: Refined products volume shipped averaged 1,568 MBbl/d against 1,401; crude oil volume shipped fell to 1,613 MBbl/d from 1,846. Source
  • Natural gas processing volumes rose: Natural gas processed averaged 5,490 MMcf/d against 5,250, with Mid-Continent up 7% and Permian up 4%. Source
  • Pipeline contracting edged higher: Natural gas transportation capacity contracted averaged 7,837 MDth/d against 7,301, and 93% of transportation capacity was contracted against 91%. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Operating costs slightly lower: Operating costs were $746 million against $752 million, and operations and maintenance was $634 million against $655 million. Source
  • Methane fees no longer incurred: Natural Gas Gathering and Processing operating costs fell $14 million because methane fees were not incurred in 2026 after regulatory changes. Source
  • Interest expense slightly lower: Interest expense, net of capitalized interest, was $439 million against $442 million, and capitalized interest rose to $27 million from $10 million. Source
  • Income taxes rose: Income taxes were $245 million against $197 million, on income before income taxes of $1,021 million against $888 million. Source

Demand and market environment

  • Constructive market from late first quarter: Management linked the higher 2026 guidance to segment performance, increased system opportunities, and a more constructive market beginning late in the first quarter. Source
  • Waha and Katy spread added earnings: Pipelines optimization and marketing rose $92 million, including $70 million from Waha Hub and Katy price differentials and $19 million from Winter Storm Fern. Source
  • Purity NGL inventory sales added earnings: Natural Gas Liquids optimization and marketing rose $42 million, with $25 million from higher earnings on purity NGL inventory sales and $9 million from optimization volumes. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Capital expenditures rose: Capital expenditures including maintenance were $864 million against $629 million, and maintenance capital was $128 million against $74 million. Source
  • Operating cash flow rose: Cash provided by operating activities was $934 million against $904 million, while cash used in investing activities was $1,007 million against $694 million. Source
  • Dividends paid and short-term borrowing: Dividends paid were $674 million against $643 million, and short-term borrowings, net, provided $827 million against $200 million. Source
  • Short-term borrowings increased: Short-term borrowings were $1,647 million at March 31, 2026, against $820 million at Dec. 31, 2025, and cash and cash equivalents were $172 million against $78 million. Source
  • Quarterly dividend declared at $1.07: The company declared a quarterly dividend of $1.07 per share, or $4.28 per share annualized, in April 2026. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: A $60 million noncash impairment of a joint-venture investment in Refined Products and Crude reduced net income by a net 7 cents per diluted share after tax. Source
  • External: Lower realized NGL and natural gas prices, net of hedging, reduced Natural Gas Gathering and Processing adjusted EBITDA by $64 million. Source
  • Operational: Losses at Powder Springs Logistics, a 50% owned joint venture, reduced adjusted EBITDA from unconsolidated affiliates by $24 million. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said the 2026 capital expenditure guidance remains unchanged at approximately $2.7 billion to $3.2 billion. Source
  • Not stated: Management described the 2026 net income guidance as increased from the earlier range, without stating whether earlier targets were met. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.