Marathon Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:MPC) today issued the following statement regarding the letter and presentation released by Elliott Management to MPC’s Board of Directors.

“We have a history of engaging with shareholders on the important issues facing our company and have always considered their views objectively,” said Gary R. Heminger, MPC’s chairman, president and chief executive officer. “We agree with Elliott Management that there is upside to our valuation, which we are addressing with the value-creating actions we announced last month, but we disagree with their letter and presentation.”

“On October 27, we announced several sound, aggressive actions, including a schedule of substantial dropdown transactions to MPLX designed to support continued strong distribution growth of MPLX and drive value back to MPC. As discussed with Elliott, there are tax and other impediments to an immediate dropdown of all the assets to MPLX. In addition, we are evaluating strategic opportunities to highlight and capture the value of MPC’s general partner interest in MPLX and optimize the cost of capital for MPLX. We also are assessing changes to our segment reporting structure related to our midstream assets.”

“We have delivered substantial value through our integrated and diversified model, including our Speedway retail business with its best-in-class EBITDA per store. MPC has generated total shareholder return of 140% since our spinoff (vs. 86% for S&P 500).i We have returned over $10 billion to shareholders and tripled our stable cash flows.”

Heminger concluded: “MPC has a strong and longstanding track record of taking aggressive actions to increase shareholder value. We are confident our plan will deliver substantial shareholder value and we are moving ahead expeditiously on each of these actions.”

About Marathon Petroleum Corporation

MPC is the nation's third-largest refiner, with a crude oil refining capacity of approximately 1.8 million barrels per calendar day in its seven-refinery system. Marathon brand gasoline is sold through approximately 5,400 independently owned retail outlets across 19 states. In addition, Speedway LLC, an MPC subsidiary, owns and operates the nation's second-largest convenience store chain, with approximately 2,770 convenience stores in 22 states. MPC owns, leases or has ownership interests in approximately 8,400 miles of crude and light product pipelines and more than 5,500 miles of gas gathering and natural gas liquids (NGL) pipelines. MPC also has ownership interests in 54 gas processing plants, 13 NGL fractionation facilities and two condensate stabilization facilities. Through subsidiaries, MPC owns the general partner of MPLX LP, a midstream master limited partnership. MPC's fully integrated system provides operational flexibility to move crude oil, NGLs, feedstocks and petroleum-related products efficiently through the company's distribution network and midstream service businesses in the Midwest, Northeast, East Coast, Southeast and Gulf Coast regions.

Forward-looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws regarding Marathon Petroleum Corporation ("MPC") and MPLX LP ("MPLX").These forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, expectations, estimates and projections concerning the business and operations of MPC and MPLX, including proposed strategic initiatives. You can identify forward-looking statements by words such as "expect," "forecast," "guidance," "intend," "opportunity," "plan," "predict," "potential," "strategy," "target," "could," "may," "should," "would," "will" or other similar expressions that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond the companies' control and are difficult to predict. Factors that could cause MPC's actual results to differ materially from those implied in the forward-looking statements include: the time and costs required to consummate the strategic initiatives discussed herein; the satisfaction or waiver of conditions in the agreements governing the strategic initiatives discussed herein; our ability to achieve the strategic and other objectives related to the strategic initiatives discussed herein; the impact of adverse market conditions affecting MPC’s and MPLX’s midstream businesses; adverse changes in laws including with respect to tax and regulatory matters; inability to agree with the MPLX conflicts committee with respect to the timing of and value attributed to assets identified for dropdown; risks described below relating to MPLX; modifications to MPLX earnings and distribution growth objectives; continued/further volatility in and/or degradation of market and industry conditions; changes to MPC's capital budget; other risk factors inherent to MPC's industry; and the factors set forth under the heading "Risk Factors" in MPC's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2015, filed with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Factors that could cause MPLX's actual results to differ materially from those implied in the forward-looking statements include: the time and costs required to consummate the strategic initiatives discussed herein; the satisfaction or waiver of conditions in the agreements governing the strategic initiatives discussed herein; our ability to achieve the strategic and other objectives related to the strategic initiatives discussed herein; negative capital market conditions, including a persistence or increase of the current yield on common units, which is higher than historical yields, adversely affecting MPLX's ability to meet its distribution growth guidance; inability to agree with respect to the timing of and value attributed to assets identified for dropdown; the adequacy of MPLX's capital resources and liquidity, including, but not limited to, availability of sufficient cash flow to pay distributions, and the ability to successfully execute its business plans and growth strategy; continued/further volatility in and/or degradation of market and industry conditions; changes to the expected construction costs and timing of projects; the suspension, reduction or termination of MPC's obligations under MPLX's commercial agreements; modifications to earnings and distribution growth objectives; the level of support from MPC, including dropdowns, alternative financing arrangements, taking equity units, and other methods of sponsor support, as a result of the capital allocation needs of the enterprise as a whole and its ability to provide support on commercially reasonable terms; changes to MPLX's capital budget; other risk factors inherent to MPLX's industry; and the factors set forth under the heading "Risk Factors" in MPLX's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2015, and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2016, filed with the SEC. In addition, the forward-looking statements included herein could be affected by general domestic and international economic and political conditions. Unpredictable or unknown factors not discussed here, in MPC's Form 10-K or in MPLX's Form 10-K or Form 10-Q could also have material adverse effects on forward-looking statements. Copies of MPC's Form 10-K are available on the SEC website, MPC's website at http://ir.marathonpetroleum.com or by contacting MPC's Investor Relations office. Copies of MPLX's Form 10-K and Form 10-Q are available on the SEC website, MPLX's website at http://ir.mplx.com or by contacting MPLX's Investor Relations office.

Important Additional Information

MPC, its directors and certain of its executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from MPC shareholders in connection with the matters to be considered at MPC’s 2017 Annual Meeting. MPC intends to file a proxy statement with the SEC in connection with any such solicitation of proxies from MPC shareholders. MPC shareholders are encouraged to read any such proxy statement and accompanying white proxy card when they become available as they will contain important information. Information regarding the ownership of MPC’s directors and executive officers in MPC shares, restricted shares and options is included in their SEC filings on Forms 3, 4 and 5. More detailed information regarding the identity of potential participants, and their direct or indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be set forth in the proxy statement and other materials to be filed with the SEC in connection with MPC’s 2017 Annual Meeting. Information can also be found in MPC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2015, filed with the SEC, and Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on Oct. 5, 2016. Shareholders will be able to obtain any proxy statement, any amendments or supplements to the proxy statement and other documents filed by MPC with the SEC for no charge on the SEC website, MPC’s website at http://ir.marathonpetroleum.com or by contacting MPC’s Investor Relations office.

 

i TSR as of 11/18/16.