BG 1Q Profit Doubles on LNG, Higher Prices

BG Group Plc. said profit more than doubled in the first quarter, exceeding expectations, as prices rose and it increased sales of liquefied natural gas to Europe and Asia. Net income jumped to $1.06b from $477m in the year-earlier period. Profit of $989m was expected, according to the median of 10 analyst estimates collected by Bloomberg. Revenue rose 80 percent to $3.5b. BG Group boosted earnings at its LNG unit five-fold by completing a plant in Egypt ahead of schedule and selling cargoes to Japan and Europe, where colder-than-normal winters stoked price gains. Production grew by 28 percent, while LNG operating profit increased to $254m as the company shipped more cargoes to Asia. Pretax profit leaped to $1.7b from $805m in the year-earlier period. Record gas prices in the U.K., which account for about 40 percent of revenue, also lifted earnings. (Source: Bloomberg)