Net profit of Royal Dutch Shell oil company decreased by 56% in quarter 1, 2015, but exceeded the forecast of the analysts, owing to oil refining and trade subdivision.
The company made $3.2 billion and preserved the dividends of $0.47 per share.
The profit from oil refining and trading increased up to $2.65 billion from $1.58 billion a year earlier, but profit of the production subdivision dropped to $675 million from $5.7 billion.
“The results reflect stability of our integrated commercial operations against the background of slump of oil prices,” said General Director Ben van Bjorden.
This year Shell sold the assets to the amount of $2 billion to leave itself only the most profitable ones. In January the company announced that it will cut costs by $15 billion in response to slump of oil prices.
In quarter 1, 2015 average price of Brent oil was $55.00 per barrel, almost twice below the average price a year ago, reported http://www.reuters.com.
