Short answer: Does Marathon own Speedway?
Yes, Marathon Petroleum Corporation owns the Speedway chain of gas stations and convenience stores. The acquisition was completed in 2018 for $23.3 billion, making it one of the largest deals in the retail sector.
Step-by-Step: Did Marathon Really Acquire Speedway?
On the 2nd of August, Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) announced that it had agreed to buy the Speedway gas station chain from its parent company, Andeavor. The deal was reportedly worth $23.3 billion and marked one of the largest-ever acquisitions by an oil refiner.
As soon as the news hit, various media outlets and analysts began to analyze the specifics of the proposed purchase. Was this a good move for MPC? Would it significantly boost their earnings? And most importantly – would they actually be able to complete the transaction?
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of what we know so far about Marathon’s acquisition of Speedway.
1. What is Marathon Petroleum Corporation?
Marathon Petroleum Corporation is one of America’s largest oil refining companies. It operates a total of 16 refineries across the country and produces over 3 million barrels per day.
The company also owns and operates a network of gas stations under various brand names, including Speedway, ARCO, and SuperAmerica.
2. What is Speedway?
Speedway LLC is a subsidiary of Andeavor (formerly Tesoro Corporation), which was acquired by Marathon in 2018. As one of America’s largest retail gasoline brands, it operates in around 35 states with more than 4,000 stores.
In addition to selling fuel, Speedway also offers convenience store items such as snacks and beverages.
3. Why did MPC want to acquire Speedway?
The main reason behind MPC’s interest in buying Speedway was likely their potential to generate significant profits.
The gas station industry has been undergoing consolidation for some time now due to rising competition from alternative fuels like electric cars or natural gas vehicles (NGVs). Many smaller stations have already gone out of business or sold up due to these challenges, making larger chains like Speedway increasingly attractive targets for acquisition.
Furthermore, buying additional stores would allow MPC to leverage its scale advantages in buying fuel supplies at lower costs, and to distribute its own refined products over a greater number of outlets.
4. How did the deal come about?
According to reports, MPC had been in talks with Andeavor for several months prior to the announcement of the deal.
Various factors may have played into Andeavor’s decision to sell Speedway – including changes in consumer preferences and increasing competition from larger gasoline chains like BP or Shell. By divesting from its retail unit, Andeavor also hoped to focus more on its core refining operations.
5. What are the potential benefits for MPC?
The acquisition of Speedway has several clear advantages for Marathon Petroleum Corporation.
Firstly, it would enable MPC to consolidate its position as one of America’s largest retail gasoline companies, giving them greater scale and bargaining power in terms of fuel supply and distribution arrangements.
Secondly, buying Speedway could expand MPC’s convenience store business (which already accounts for 15% of its earnings) without having to build new stores from scratch. This would be especially beneficial given that convenience stores often have higher profit margins than gasoline sales.
Finally, the
Common Questions About the Alleged Ownership of Speedway by Marathon
There has been quite a buzz in the racing community lately about the alleged ownership of Speedway by Marathon. To shed light on this issue, we have compiled some of the most common questions asked by fans and provided an in-depth, witty and clever explanation to help you understand what’s going on.
Q: Is Speedway really owned by Marathon Oil?
A: No, it’s not that simple. Speedway is actually owned by a subsidiary called Speedway LLC, which was formed in 2011 after being spun off from parent company Marathon Petroleum Corporation. While Marathon Oil does own a significant portion of MPC’s shares, they are not directly involved in the day-to-day operations of Speedway.
Q: Why do people think that Marathon owns Speedway?
A: It all started with a tweet from President Trump last year in which he congratulated “Marathon Petroleum” for opening new refinery locations. The problem was that he mistakenly referred to Speedway gas stations as part of the company. This led to confusion and speculation about whether or not Marathon did indeed own Speedway.
Q: Does it even matter who owns Speedway?
A: Yes, it does matter because ownership can impact various aspects of the business such as pricing strategy and operational decisions. However, for the everyday consumer who just wants to fill up their tank with gas or grab a snack, it may not make much difference.
Q: Could this alleged ownership affect NASCAR or other racing leagues?
A: It’s highly unlikely. While Speedway is known for hosting races like Daytona 500, its ownership (whether it be Marathon or someone else) should have no impact on competitions themselves as they are separate entities.
Q: What does MPC plan to do with its investment in Speedway long term?
A: There has been some talk of potentially spinning off Speedways into its public entity separate from MPC entirely at some point in time, however there are still many considerations yet to be made before any concrete plans are put into motion.
Q: Should I expect changes to the Speedway gas stations or brand as a result of this confusion?
A: Probably not. Despite any rumors swirling around, Speedway is still operating business as usual and continuing to serve customers under its current brand and ownership structure. If there are any significant changes in the future, we will be sure to update our audience on what’s happening!
In summary, while it may have been a case of mistaken identity by some insiders and confused consumers alike- Marathon Oil does not actually own Speedways after all (in fact, they even issued a statement afterwards clarifying their lack of involvement). Nevertheless, speculation about ownership could continue to grow in the near future due to MPC’s long-term plans for Speedway. But in this moment, it appears that racing fans can rest easy knowing that their beloved speedways remain out from whosever race card IPOs at market price!
Is It True That Marathon Owns Speedway? Here’s What You Need to Know
It’s a common misconception that Marathon Petroleum Corporation owns Speedway gas stations. While it’s true that these two companies are connected, the relationship between them is a bit more complicated than some might think.
First off, let’s start with Marathon Petroleum Corporation, or MPC for short. This company is one of the largest oil refiners and marketers in the United States, with assets including over 16 refineries and more than 5,000 gas stations across the country.
Now let’s take a look at Speedway LLC. This company operates a chain of convenience stores and gas stations throughout the Midwest and Northeast regions of the United States.
So what’s the connection between Marathon and Speedway? Well, back in 2011, MPC acquired all outstanding shares of Hess Corporation’s retail operations, which included approximately 1,300 gas stations primarily located on the East Coast. As part of this acquisition, MPC also gained control of Speedway LLC.
However, while MPC does technically “own” Speedway as a subsidiary company, they operate independently from one another. In fact, according to reports by Forbes in 2020 following speculation about the sale of Speedway to Seven & i Holdings Co., owner of 7-Eleven inc., both Marathon Petroleum Corporation and Seven & i Holdings Co.’s intention was to give up direct involvement in retail convenience stores as an operating unit completely.
Despite having separate management teams and operating structures from MPC itself, one area where Speedway does work closely with its parent company is in fuel supply. Because MPC operates refineries that produce gasoline and other petroleum products that are sold at Speedway locations (among countless others), there is obviously an important symbiotic relationship between these two companies – but again: it remains unclear how strong or crucial such may be under current corporate restructuring plans on both sides.
So there you have it – while Marathon Petroleum Corporation may own Speedway as more alternative investment vehicle rather than core business concern since selling retail assets in 2020 as both MPC and Seven & i. Holdings have divested themselves of direct retail operations, the two companies operate independently from one another. So next time someone asks you if Marathon owns Speedway, you can confidently explain this somewhat complicated relationship between these two closely affiliated corporations with an additional insight on their recent strategic diversification despite uncertain pandemic-driven market fluctuations.
