What You Need To Know Ahead of Marathon Petroleum’s Earnings Release

Findlay, Ohio-based Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) is a leading U.S. downstream and midstream energy company. With a market capitalization of approximately $86.7 billion, it operates the nation's largest refining system, markets fuel through Marathon-branded retail locations, and owns a majority interest in MPLX, which provides crude oil, natural gas, and logistics infrastructure services.

MPC is set to report its Q2 earnings on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, before the market opens. Ahead of the release, analysts expect the company to report diluted EPS of $13.26, up 234.9% from $3.96 in the year-ago quarter. MPC has surpassed Wall Street's EPS estimates in three of the last four quarters, while missing expectations in the remaining quarter.

For fiscal 2026, analysts expect the company to report EPS of $33.00, reflecting a 208.4% increase from $10.70 in fiscal 2025. 

MPC stock has climbed 72.8% over the past 52 weeks, significantly outperforming both the S&P 500 Index ($SPX), which returned 20.3%, and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE), which gained 29.2% during the same period.

On July 13, 2026, Marathon Petroleum shares climbed more than 4% as WTI crude oil surged over 9% to a 3.5-week high following escalating U.S. Iran tensions and renewed concerns over disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. The sharp rise in oil prices lifted energy stocks broadly, reflecting expectations of stronger industry profitability despite broader market weakness.

Analysts remain cautiously optimistic about MPC, with the stock carrying a consensus "Moderate Buy" rating. Among the 17 analysts covering the stock, seven recommend a "Strong Buy," three rate it a "Moderate Buy," and seven suggest a "Hold." While the stock currently trades above the average analyst price target of $292.94, the Street-high price target of $344 suggests an upswing potential of 17.4% from the current market price.