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Eni's fourth quarter benefits from favourable arbitration one-off

Italian energy group Eni on Friday reported fourthquarter adjusted net profit of 1.64 billion euros, which beat experts' forecasts thanks to a record efficiency from its worldwide gas and LNG division that included a oneoff arbitration.

The gas and LNG operations reached an adjusted EBIT of 0.68 billion euros assisted by the favourable arbitration outcome, the state-controlled group said, without supplying additional information.

Sources told last year that Germany's largest gas trader Uniper had been bought to pay 550 million euros to Eni by an arbitration court over a melted natural gas supply contract that expired in 2022.

The gas and LNG department went beyond the group's guidance throughout 2023, but this was partly balanced out by weak outcomes at The chemicals business, with Eni pointing out slowing need as greater energy and input expenses.

With little in terms of positive assistance, we see this as a neutral set of results, however some investors might see the arbitration proceeds as 'one-off' in nature and think about the underlying outcomes disappointing, RBC Europe expert Biraj Borkhataria stated in a report.

Shares in Eni were down 1.9% at 1020 GMT, underperforming a 0.5% increase in Milan's blue-chip index.

The company will provide its updated method on March 14.

Eni has pledged to redeem shares worth 2.2 billion euros by April. The buyback and cancellation of the shares might provide Italy's government the opportunity to trim its stake in the energy group, Italy's finance minister said last year.

The government currently owns a combined 32.4% of Eni, which is anticipated to increase to more than 34% as a result of the share redeemed programme.

When the buyback is completed, the Treasury could potentially offer 4% of Eni, which is worth around 2 billion euros at current market prices.

Competitors Exxon Mobil, Chevron and Shell earlier this month beat revenue expectations on a mix of strong trading outcomes and higher oil and gas production.

Shell, Chevron and TotalEnergies increased their dividends while BP increased the rate of its buybacks.

Eni continued to establish its energy shift companies Plenitude and Enilive under its so-called satellite approach, which intends to develop independent systems able to attract investors.

Our results were underpinned by our distinct satellite model that continues to prove to be an efficient lever in speeding up development and value creation, CEO Claudio Descalzi said.

Eni's full-year net earnings amounted to 8.3 billion euros, down 38% from a year when energy prices soared.

Eni's fourth-quarter adjusted operating profit

(source: Reuters)