Aramco restarts Ras Tanura, approves $3B buyback amid West Asia conflict

• Aramco CEO Amin H Nasser announced the restart of Ras Tanura refinery operations after a temporary shutdown due to a drone attack.
• The company approved a $3 billion share buyback program, its first since the 2019 IPO, to boost investor confidence.
• Aramco increased its base dividend to $21.9 billion for Q4, primarily benefiting the Saudi government and its sovereign wealth fund.
• Operations were disrupted by the West Asia conflict, leading to temporary output cuts, refinery shutdown, and rerouting of shipments due to Strait of Hormuz slowdown.
• Q4 net income fell 20% to $17.8 billion; full-year 2025 net profit dropped 12% to $93.4 billion.