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CRC Stock Analysis - California Resources Corp AI Rating

CRC NYSE Crude Petroleum & Natural Gas DE CIK: 0001609253
Recently Updated • Analysis: Mar 22, 2026 • SEC Data: 2025-12-31
AI Rating
BUY
72% Confidence

📊 CRC Key Takeaways

Revenue: $3.7B
Net Margin: 9.9%
Free Cash Flow: $543.0M
Current Ratio: 0.89x
Debt/Equity: 0.35x
EPS: $4.15
AI Rating: BUY with 72% confidence

Investment Thesis

CRC demonstrates solid operational performance with strong revenue growth of 26.1% YoY and impressive free cash flow generation of $543M, providing substantial financial flexibility. However, the company faces structural challenges including weak liquidity (0.89x current ratio) and modest profitability margins (9.9% net margin) that warrant cautious exposure despite positive cash generation trends.

CRC Strengths

  • + Strong revenue growth of 26.1% YoY indicates robust commodity price environment and/or production gains
  • + Excellent free cash flow generation of $543M with 14.8% FCF margin demonstrates strong cash conversion from operations
  • + Conservative leverage with 0.35x debt-to-equity ratio provides financial stability and debt service capacity
  • + Operating cash flow of $865M significantly exceeds capital expenditure needs, supporting dividend sustainability and debt reduction

CRC Risks

  • ! Weak liquidity position with current ratio of 0.89x below 1.0x threshold raises near-term operational flexibility concerns
  • ! Declining net income (-3.5% YoY) and diluted EPS (-10.2% YoY) despite revenue growth suggests margin compression or increased costs
  • ! Cyclical commodity price exposure creates earnings volatility; revenue growth heavily dependent on crude/natural gas prices
  • ! Modest net margin of 9.9% and ROE of 9.9% indicate limited competitive advantages or operational efficiency relative to industry peers
  • ! High insider trading activity (32 Form 4 filings) warrants monitoring for potential negative signals

Key Metrics to Watch

CRC Financial Metrics

Revenue
$3.7B
Net Income
$363.0M
EPS (Diluted)
$4.15
Free Cash Flow
$543.0M
Total Assets
$7.4B
Cash Position
$132.0M

💡 AI Analyst Insight

The current ratio below 1.0x warrants monitoring of short-term liquidity.

CRC Profitability Ratios

Gross Margin N/A
Operating Margin 16.3%
Net Margin 9.9%
ROE 9.9%
ROA 4.9%
FCF Margin 14.8%

CRC vs Energy Sector

How California Resources Corp compares to Energy sector averages

Net Margin
CRC 9.9%
vs
Sector Avg 12.0%
CRC Sector
ROE
CRC 9.9%
vs
Sector Avg 14.0%
CRC Sector
Current Ratio
CRC 0.9x
vs
Sector Avg 1.3x
CRC Sector
Debt/Equity
CRC 0.3x
vs
Sector Avg 0.6x
CRC Sector

Sector benchmarks are approximate industry averages. Actual sector performance may vary.

CRC Balance Sheet & Liquidity

Current Ratio
0.89x
Quick Ratio
0.79x
Debt/Equity
0.35x
Debt/Assets
0.0%
Interest Coverage
N/A
Long-term Debt
$1.3B

CRC 5-Year Financial Trend

CRC 5-year financial data: Year 2021: Revenue $2.3B, Net Income -$28.0M, EPS $-0.57. Year 2022: Revenue $2.6B, Net Income $1.9B, EPS $40.42. Year 2023: Revenue $2.6B, Net Income $612.0M, EPS $7.37. Year 2024: Revenue $2.6B, Net Income $524.0M, EPS $6.75. Year 2025: Revenue $2.9B, Net Income $564.0M, EPS $7.78.
Revenue
Net Income
EPS (right axis)

5-Year Trend Summary: California Resources Corp's revenue has grown significantly by 28% over the 5-year period, indicating strong business expansion. The most recent EPS of $7.78 reflects profitable operations.

CRC Growth Metrics (YoY)

Revenue Growth
N/A
Year-over-year
Net Income Growth
N/A
Year-over-year
EPS Growth
N/A
Earnings per share
FCF Margin
14.8%
Free cash flow / Revenue

CRC Quarterly Performance

Quarterly financial performance data for California Resources Corp including revenue, net income, and earnings per share.
Quarter Revenue Net Income EPS
Q3 2025 $715.0M $64.0M $0.76
Q2 2025 $412.0M -$2.0M $-0.03
Q1 2025 $429.0M -$10.0M $-0.14
Q3 2024 $510.0M -$22.0M $-0.32
Q2 2024 $412.0M -$2.0M $-0.03
Q1 2024 $429.0M -$10.0M $-0.14
Q3 2023 $510.0M -$22.0M $-0.32
Q2 2023 $447.0M $15.0M $0.19

Data sourced from SEC EDGAR 10-Q quarterly filings. Figures may represent quarterly or cumulative values.

CRC Capital Allocation

Operating Cash Flow
$865.0M
Cash generated from operations
Stock Buybacks
$377.0M
Shares repurchased (TTM)
Capital Expenditures
$322.0M
Investment in assets
Dividends Paid
$330.0M
Returned to shareholders

CRC SEC Filings

Access official SEC EDGAR filings for California Resources Corp (CIK: 0001609253)

📋 Recent SEC Filings

Date Form Document Action
Mar 18, 2026 DEF 14A crc-20260317.htm View →
Mar 16, 2026 4 xslF345X05/ownership.xml View →
Mar 16, 2026 8-K crc-20260316.htm View →
Mar 12, 2026 4 xslF345X05/wk-form4_1773353979.xml View →
Mar 11, 2026 8-K crc-20260311.htm View →

Frequently Asked Questions about CRC

What is the AI rating for CRC?

California Resources Corp (CRC) has an AI rating of BUY with 72% confidence, based on fundamental analysis of SEC EDGAR filings.

What are CRC's key strengths?

Strong revenue growth of 26.1% YoY indicates robust commodity price environment and/or production gains. Excellent free cash flow generation of $543M with 14.8% FCF margin demonstrates strong cash conversion from operations.

What are the risks of investing in CRC?

Weak liquidity position with current ratio of 0.89x below 1.0x threshold raises near-term operational flexibility concerns. Declining net income (-3.5% YoY) and diluted EPS (-10.2% YoY) despite revenue growth suggests margin compression or increased costs.

What is CRC's revenue and growth?

California Resources Corp reported revenue of $3.7B.

Does CRC pay dividends?

California Resources Corp pays dividends, with $330.0M distributed to shareholders in the trailing twelve months.

Where can I find CRC SEC filings?

Official SEC filings for California Resources Corp (CIK: 0001609253) including 10-K, 10-Q, and 8-K reports are available on SEC EDGAR.

What is CRC's EPS?

California Resources Corp has a diluted EPS of $4.15.

How is the AI analysis conducted?

Our AI (Claude) analyzes publicly available SEC EDGAR filings including 10-K annual reports and 10-Q quarterly reports to evaluate financial health, profitability ratios, balance sheet strength, and growth metrics.

Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by Claude AI based on publicly available SEC EDGAR filings. It does not include stock price data and should not be considered financial advice. All fundamental data is sourced from SEC public domain filings. Always conduct your own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Data Source: SEC EDGAR | Analysis Date: Mar 22, 2026 | Data as of: 2025-12-31 | Powered by Claude AI