Company Description
CVR Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CVI) is a diversified holding company in the petroleum refining and nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing space. According to its public disclosures, CVR Energy is primarily engaged in the renewable fuels and petroleum refining and marketing business, as well as in the nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing business through its interest in CVR Partners, LP. The company is headquartered in Sugar Land, Texas and operates in the Manufacturing sector, with a core industry focus on petroleum refineries and related downstream activities.
Through its subsidiaries, CVR Energy participates in petroleum refining and associated logistics and marketing. Polygon data and company descriptions indicate that its operations include complex, full-coking crude oil refineries, a crude oil gathering system, pipelines and storage tanks, and marketing and supply functions. These refineries are described as being able to process blends of heavy sour and light sweet crude oil. Crude oil for these refineries is supplied through a wholly owned gathering system and pipeline, and refined products are supplied from the refineries to customers via tanker trucks and throughput terminals.
CVR Energy also has a significant presence in the nitrogen fertilizer market through its interest in CVR Partners, LP (NYSE: UAN). CVR Energy subsidiaries serve as the general partner and own a substantial portion of the common units of CVR Partners, which is focused on the production, marketing and distribution of nitrogen fertilizer products. CVR Partners primarily produces urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) and ammonia, which its disclosures state are predominantly used by farmers to improve crop yield and quality. CVR Partners operates nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing facilities in Coffeyville, Kansas, and East Dubuque, Illinois, with dedicated ammonia and UAN production units and a dual-train gasifier complex at Coffeyville.
Business Segments
CVR Energy reports its activities through several operating segments:
- Petroleum Segment – This segment encompasses the company’s petroleum refining and marketing activities. Public earnings releases describe combined total throughput measured in barrels per day and a refining margin derived from net sales less cost of materials and other. The Petroleum Segment’s performance is influenced by crack spreads, crude slate, throughput levels and compliance costs associated with the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).
- Renewables Segment – CVR Energy has identified a Renewables segment that includes the operations of a renewable diesel unit and a renewable feedstock pretreater at its refinery in Wynnewood, Oklahoma. Company disclosures describe vegetable oil throughput, renewable diesel yields, and margins influenced by heating oil–bean oil spreads, biomass-based diesel RIN prices and Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) credit prices. In its third quarter 2025 reporting, CVR Energy noted that it had resolved to revert the renewable diesel unit at Wynnewood back to hydrocarbon processing service at the next scheduled catalyst change in December 2025, while indicating it expects to maintain the option to switch back to renewable diesel service if incentivized.
- Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment – This segment reflects CVR Energy’s economic interest in CVR Partners. Segment disclosures include ammonia and UAN production volumes, utilization rates, realized gate prices and EBITDA. The nitrogen fertilizer facilities upgrade a portion of ammonia into UAN and other fertilizer products, with utilization rates presented as an important measure of operational output.
Operations and Customers
Based on Polygon data, CVR Energy’s refining operations are supported by crude oil gathering systems, pipelines and storage tanks. From its refineries, the company supplies products through tanker trucks directly to customers located in close geographic proximity and to customers at throughput terminals. The same source notes that CVR Energy’s customers include retailers, railroads and farm cooperatives, reflecting a mix of end markets for refined products.
Through CVR Partners, the company participates in the agricultural supply chain. CVR Partners’ facilities produce ammonia and UAN, with a portion of ammonia sold directly and the remainder upgraded into UAN and other fertilizer products. Disclosures emphasize that these nitrogen fertilizers are predominantly used by farmers to improve crop yields and quality, and that utilization rates and production volumes are key metrics for the business.
Financial Reporting and Capital Allocation Themes
CVR Energy’s periodic earnings releases and Form 8-K filings highlight several recurring themes that are relevant for investors:
- Refining Margin and Crack Spreads – The company reports refining margin as the difference between Petroleum Segment net sales and cost of materials and other. It also discloses an adjusted refining margin that removes certain noncash and other items management believes are not indicative of underlying operations. Crack spreads, including the Group 3 2-1-1 crack spread, are cited as important drivers of refining profitability.
- Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Compliance – CVR Energy’s filings discuss the cost of complying with the RFS and the impact of Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) on results. In 2025, the company reported both unfavorable and favorable mark-to-market impacts on its outstanding RFS obligation, and it highlighted a decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granting full or partial small refinery exemptions for certain historical compliance periods for its subsidiary Wynnewood Refining Company, LLC.
- Capital Structure and Term Loan – The company has disclosed a senior secured term loan facility. In multiple releases and an 8-K dated January 5, 2026, CVR Energy reported that certain subsidiaries prepaid portions of this term loan, including a $75 million principal prepayment on December 31, 2025, which reduced the total outstanding principal to approximately $165 million. Earlier in 2025, the company also reported prepayments of $70 million and $20 million on the same facility.
- Capital Expenditures – CVR Energy provides capital spending estimates by segment. In its January 2026 press release, the company outlined preliminary 2026 capital spending estimates for its Petroleum and Nitrogen Fertilizer segments and noted that capital expenditures for the Renewables segment are expected to be minimal following the reversion of the renewable diesel unit back to hydrocarbon processing service, with these expenditures included in an “Other” category for guidance purposes.
- Non-GAAP Measures – The company regularly presents non-GAAP measures such as EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, refining margin and adjusted refining margin, and explains that these are used by management to evaluate operating performance and liquidity in conjunction with GAAP results.
Relationship with CVR Partners, LP
CVR Energy’s relationship with CVR Partners is central to its nitrogen fertilizer activities. Public disclosures state that CVR Partners is a Delaware limited partnership headquartered in Sugar Land, Texas, focused on the production, marketing and distribution of nitrogen fertilizer products. CVR Partners operates:
- A Coffeyville, Kansas nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing facility that includes a 1,300 ton-per-day ammonia unit, a 3,100 ton-per-day UAN unit and a dual-train gasifier complex with hydrogen capacity.
- An East Dubuque, Illinois nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing facility that includes a 1,075 ton-per-day ammonia unit and a 950 ton-per-day UAN unit.
CVR Energy’s subsidiaries serve as the general partner of CVR Partners and own a significant portion of its common units. CVR Partners is described as a variable distribution master limited partnership, with distributions that can vary from quarter to quarter based on operating performance, product pricing, maintenance capital expenditures and cash reserves deemed appropriate by its board.
Regulatory and Reporting Environment
CVR Energy files periodic reports and current reports on Form 8-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These filings cover topics such as quarterly and annual results, capital structure changes, leadership transitions, investor presentations and regulatory developments. For example, an 8-K dated December 29, 2025, describes the appointment of a new President and Chief Executive Officer effective January 1, 2026, while several 8-K filings reference the use of investor presentations furnished under Regulation FD.
The company’s communications often include forward-looking statements disclaimers and references to risk factors discussed in its Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. These disclosures emphasize that results can be affected by factors such as demand for fossil fuels, commodity price volatility, regulatory changes, plant outages, and broader economic and political conditions.
Stock and Investor Profile
CVR Energy’s common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol CVI. Investors following CVI are typically interested in the performance of its Petroleum, Renewables and Nitrogen Fertilizer segments, the impact of RFS-related costs and exemptions, capital allocation decisions such as debt prepayments, and the distributions declared by CVR Partners, in which CVR Energy holds an interest.
FAQs about CVR Energy, Inc. (CVI)
- What does CVR Energy, Inc. do?
According to its public disclosures, CVR Energy is a diversified holding company primarily engaged in renewable fuels and petroleum refining and marketing, as well as nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing through its interest in CVR Partners, LP. - In which sector and industry does CVR Energy operate?
CVR Energy is classified in the Manufacturing sector with an industry focus on petroleum refineries. It also has exposure to the nitrogen fertilizer industry through CVR Partners. - Where is CVR Energy headquartered?
Company disclosures state that CVR Energy is headquartered in Sugar Land, Texas. - What are CVR Energy’s main business segments?
CVR Energy reports a Petroleum Segment for refining and marketing, a Renewables Segment that includes a renewable diesel unit and feedstock pretreater at its Wynnewood refinery, and a Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment that reflects its interest in CVR Partners’ fertilizer operations. - How is CVR Energy involved in nitrogen fertilizer?
CVR Energy’s subsidiaries serve as the general partner of CVR Partners, LP and own a significant portion of its common units. CVR Partners produces, markets and distributes nitrogen fertilizer products, primarily UAN and ammonia, from facilities in Coffeyville, Kansas and East Dubuque, Illinois. - Who are CVR Energy’s customers?
Polygon data indicates that customers for CVR Energy’s refined products include retailers, railroads and farm cooperatives. Through CVR Partners, nitrogen fertilizer products are predominantly used by farmers to improve crop yield and quality. - What is the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) issue mentioned in CVR Energy’s filings?
CVR Energy’s earnings releases discuss the cost of complying with the RFS and the impact of Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) on results. In 2025, the company reported both unfavorable and favorable mark-to-market impacts on its RFS obligation, and it disclosed an EPA decision granting full or partial small refinery exemptions for certain historical compliance periods for its subsidiary Wynnewood Refining Company, LLC. - What is notable about CVR Energy’s capital structure and term loan?
The company has a senior secured term loan facility. In 2025 and early 2026, CVR Energy reported several voluntary prepayments on this term loan, including a $75 million principal prepayment on December 31, 2025, which reduced the outstanding principal to approximately $165 million, as disclosed in an 8-K filed on January 5, 2026. - How does CVR Energy describe its non-GAAP financial measures?
CVR Energy presents non-GAAP measures such as EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, refining margin and adjusted refining margin. Management states that these measures are used to evaluate operating performance and liquidity in conjunction with GAAP results and that reconciliations are provided in its earnings materials. - Is CVR Energy still an active public company?
Based on recent news releases and SEC Form 8-K filings through early 2026, CVR Energy continues to report financial results, capital allocation decisions and leadership changes as a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CVI.