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Centrica treks dividend after British Gas profits surge

British Gas owner Centrica increased its yearly dividend payment by 33% on Thursday after a. rise in its retail department's annual profits, in part since. of federal government aid to balance out the impact of unsettled consumer. expenses.

Shares in the British energy supplier were up by 3.8% to. 139.5 pence at 1009 GMT, leading gains on London's blue-chip. FTSE 100 index.

In Centrica's initial outcomes to the end of 2023, it. stated changed running revenues in British Gas Energy rose to. 751 million pounds ($ 942.58 million), from 72 million pounds in. 2022, in spite of a 218 million pound loss in the second-half.

Overall, Centrica reported an adjusted operating revenue of. 2.8 billion pounds, compared to 3.3 billion pounds a year. previously, however above a company-compiled consensus of 2.6 billion. pounds. This was primarily due to lower seasonal need and less. volatile wholesale rates.

It raised its full-year dividend to 4 cent versus 3 pence. last year.

The profits boost was in part driven by one-off advantages. as the government provided aid for consumers battling with. high-energy expenses and compensated energy suppliers for overdue. debts they could not recover.

CEO Chris O'Shea said the business's bad debt charge practically. doubled last year across domestic and organization clients to. a little over 500 million pounds.

So, people that we think are struggling to pay, they might. continue to struggle. I can't predict where that's going to go,. he stated in a media call.

UK energy regulator Ofgem is planning a one-off boost to. its rate cap on energy costs in between April 2024 and March 2025. to decrease the risk of suppliers folding. The rate cap,. presented in 2019, supplies an allowance to account for financial obligation on. energy expenses that can not be recuperated by energy providers and. would ultimately be crossed out.

This enables suppliers to recover some losses from selling at. the capped rates.

Lower consumption, moderate weather and increased pipeline gas. supply from Norway and liquefied natural gas (LNG) from. nations such as the United States have actually lowered gas costs that. hit record highs in 2022, when the disruption of supplies as a. outcome of the Ukraine war drove issues about supply.

At the height of the energy cost crisis, lots of clients. had a hard time to pay their expenses and numerous smaller sized energy. providers in Britain folded, while numerous energy suppliers made. healthy profits.

In a statement, O'Shea said the strong underlying. operational efficiency had actually continued into early 2024.

The cost outlook, nevertheless, was uncertain.

As you would anticipate, greatly lower product prices and. minimized volatility will naturally lower earnings in comparison. to 2023 as we return to a more normalised environment, he said.

(source: Reuters)