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Murphy USA Inc (MUSA)
NYSE:MUSA
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Murphy USA (MUSA) AI Stock Analysis

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MUSA

Murphy USA

(NYSE:MUSA)

Rating:59Neutral
Price Target:
$379.00
▲(1.80% Upside)
The overall stock score for Murphy USA highlights key challenges in technical performance and growth prospects. While the company shows strong profitability and effective cost management, bearish technical indicators and pressures on revenue growth and merchandising weigh heavily on the score. Positive corporate governance developments slightly mitigate these concerns.
Positive Factors
Business Model
Murphy’s has an advantaged business model within the U.S. C-store, and the company and stock have been strong performers, up significantly over the last five years.
Fuel Margins
All-in fuel margins remained robust at 32.0 cents per gallon, supported by disciplined pricing and favorable supply dynamics.
Negative Factors
Customer Volumes
Total retail gallons declined 0.2% YoY, and same-store volumes fell 3.2%, underscoring the impact of lower customer traffic and reduced transaction counts.
Earnings
Q1 earnings per share of $2.63 fell 34% below the consensus of $3.96.
EBITDA Guidance
The real headline was the downward revision to long-term EBITDA guidance—reflecting management’s tempered outlook amid persistent volume challenges and macroeconomic uncertainty.

Murphy USA (MUSA) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Murphy USA Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionMurphy USA Inc. is a leading retailer of gasoline and convenience store merchandise in the United States. The company primarily operates its business through its network of retail gas stations, offering a range of fuel products, including gasoline and diesel, alongside convenience store items such as snacks, beverages, and other daily necessities. Murphy USA's operations are concentrated in the southern and midwestern regions of the U.S., where it focuses on delivering value to customers through competitive pricing and a customer-friendly shopping experience.
How the Company Makes MoneyMurphy USA generates revenue primarily through the sale of fuel and convenience store merchandise. The company's key revenue streams include retail gasoline sales, which account for the largest portion of its earnings, and in-store sales from convenience items. The company has established partnerships with various fuel suppliers to ensure a steady supply of gasoline at competitive prices, allowing it to maintain attractive pricing for customers. Additionally, Murphy USA benefits from its loyalty programs and credit card partnerships, which encourage repeat business and drive sales. The company's strategic location of its gas stations, often near major highways and densely populated areas, also contributes to higher foot traffic and increased sales volume, further solidifying its revenue model.

Murphy USA Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Jul 30, 2025
(Q2-2025)
|
% Change Since: -8.63%|
Next Earnings Date:Oct 22, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The earnings call highlighted resilience in retail fuel margins and digital loyalty growth, alongside operational efficiencies and an optimistic new store pipeline. However, challenges remain with declining fuel volumes, merchandise contribution pressures, and QuickChek performance issues.
Q2-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Digital Loyalty Growth
Murphy USA reported a 31% increase in new loyalty enrollments and an 11% increase in merchandise transactions. The revamped QuickChek loyalty program saw mobile orders double since relaunch, with 35% of in-store pickup items including additional sales.
Improved Retail Fuel Margins
Retail fuel margins showed resilience, with an 80 basis point improvement year-to-date, and an additional 13 basis points from lower credit card fees. This indicates stronger profitability despite lower fuel volumes.
Operational Efficiencies
There were improvements in overtime, labor rates, loss prevention, and maintenance costs, complemented by home office efficiencies that drove G&A lower.
New Store Pipeline
Murphy USA is poised to deliver 50 new stores over the next 12 months, with 40 new stores and 8 raze-and-rebuilds currently under construction.
Negative Updates
Decline in Fuel Volumes
Same-store fuel volumes were down 3.2%, with first half volumes down 3% on an average per store month basis. The second half outlook suggests volumes could fall slightly below the low end of the annual guided range.
Merchandise Contribution Challenges
Merchandise contribution margin is expected to be within but toward the low end of the guided range of $855 million to $875 million, impacted by slow performance in cigarettes and lottery categories.
QuickChek Performance Under Pressure
Older nonfuel QuickChek stores have been impacted by QSR value wars, with food and beverage margins hampered by cost inflation and persistent weakness in Northeast traffic.
Company Guidance
During the Murphy USA Second Quarter 2025 Earnings Conference Call, the company provided detailed updates on various performance metrics and guidance for the year. Key highlights included a 3.2% decline in same-store fuel volumes for Q2, although July volumes rebounded to match prior-year levels. The company projected that second-half fuel volumes might slightly fall below the annual guided range of 240,000 to 245,000 average per store month. While cigarette volumes remained pressured, the growth in noncombustible nicotine categories offset this decline. Retail fuel margins improved by 80 basis points year-to-date, supported by an additional 13 basis points from lower credit card fees. Merchandise contribution at Murphy USA stores was up 8.9% when excluding cigarettes and lottery, despite overall pressures in those categories. The company also achieved significant operational efficiencies, with store operating expenses and SG&A trending below the low end of guided ranges. Capital expenditures are expected to remain within the guided range of $450 million to $500 million, with robust store growth plans including 40 new stores and 8 raze-and-rebuilds under construction. The effective tax rate for the first half was 22%, with full-year expectations at or slightly below the low end of the 24% to 26% guidance range. Murphy USA reaffirmed its commitment to its 50-50 capital allocation strategy, including continued share repurchases as a priority.

Murphy USA Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Murphy USA exhibits strong profitability and cash generation capabilities, but faces challenges in sustaining revenue growth and managing leverage. The company's solid profit margins and robust cash flows are counterbalanced by a reliance on debt and declining free cash flow growth.
Income Statement
75
Positive
Murphy USA demonstrates solid profitability with a consistent gross profit margin of around 10% across the periods and a healthy net profit margin of approximately 2-3%. However, the company faces challenges in maintaining revenue growth, as evidenced by a negative revenue growth rate of -3.77% from 2024 to the TTM period. The EBIT and EBITDA margins are stable, reflecting efficient operational management.
Balance Sheet
68
Positive
The balance sheet shows a moderate debt-to-equity ratio, indicating a reliance on debt financing, which has increased over time. Although the return on equity (ROE) is strong at around 75.92% in the TTM period, the equity ratio is low, at approximately 13.98%, pointing to potential financial risk if leverage becomes unsustainable.
Cash Flow
70
Positive
Murphy USA maintains a positive operating cash flow to net income ratio of about 1.26 in the TTM period, indicating robust cash generation relative to earnings. However, the free cash flow growth rate is concerning, with a significant decline from 2024 to the TTM period. The free cash flow to net income ratio has decreased, reflecting a need to manage capital expenditures more effectively.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue19.48B20.24B21.53B23.45B17.36B11.26B
Gross Profit1.97B2.31B2.31B2.40B1.85B1.44B
EBITDA996.40M996.70M1.07B1.19B820.30M722.70M
Net Income490.50M502.50M556.80M672.90M396.90M386.10M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets4.62B4.54B4.34B4.12B4.05B2.69B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments54.10M47.00M124.90M78.40M256.40M163.60M
Total Debt2.59B2.37B2.27B2.27B2.24B1.14B
Total Liabilities3.98B3.70B3.51B3.48B3.24B1.90B
Stockholders Equity646.10M840.10M828.90M640.70M807.20M784.10M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow364.70M389.50M448.40M689.40M462.70M333.00M
Operating Cash Flow834.40M847.60M784.00M994.70M737.40M563.70M
Investing Cash Flow-460.70M-445.80M-323.60M-319.30M-914.20M-224.30M
Financing Cash Flow-399.40M-472.60M-403.10M-871.30M269.60M-456.10M

Murphy USA Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price372.30
Price Trends
50DMA
402.77
Negative
100DMA
433.31
Negative
200DMA
463.84
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-6.64
Negative
RSI
37.87
Neutral
STOCH
12.83
Positive
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For MUSA, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 372.3 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 382.08, below the 50-day MA of 402.77, and below the 200-day MA of 463.84, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -6.64 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 37.87 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 12.83 is Positive, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for MUSA.

Murphy USA Risk Analysis

Murphy USA disclosed 33 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Murphy USA reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Murphy USA Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
77
Outperform
$18.71B34.3916.75%0.42%7.25%9.12%
72
Outperform
$16.43B44.3276.24%7.64%369.79%
71
Outperform
$3.58B9.9420.14%0.89%-3.57%-17.43%
62
Neutral
$560.33M66.884.01%2.31%-13.05%-68.59%
61
Neutral
$17.72B12.54-5.48%3.05%1.52%-15.30%
59
Neutral
$7.18B15.6767.31%0.54%-7.95%-2.60%
48
Neutral
$3.57B59.62-24.78%1.68%-22.50%-35219.23%
* Consumer Cyclical Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
MUSA
Murphy USA
377.79
-137.40
-26.67%
AAP
Advance Auto Parts
60.19
13.49
28.89%
CASY
Casey's General
496.61
125.37
33.77%
CHWY
Chewy
39.74
13.88
53.67%
ARKO
ARKO Corp
5.02
-1.07
-17.57%
ASO
Academy Sports and Outdoors
53.74
-1.64
-2.96%

Murphy USA Corporate Events

Business Operations and StrategyFinancial Disclosures
Murphy USA Releases Q2 Operational Update
Neutral
Jun 16, 2025

On June 16, 2025, Murphy USA released an operational update ahead of its participation in two investor conferences. The update highlighted second quarter-to-date metrics, revealing a slight increase in total fuel volumes and merchandise sales, despite a decline in same-store sales for nicotine and non-nicotine products. The company also reported a rise in operating expenses and announced the construction of 22 new stores and 18 rebuilds, indicating ongoing expansion efforts.

The most recent analyst rating on (MUSA) stock is a Hold with a $540.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Murphy USA stock, see the MUSA Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Aug 01, 2025