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BP profit slides by 40% as refinery blackout offsets higher output

BP's firstquarter incomes plunged by 40% to $2.7 billion, missing forecasts after lower energy prices and a U.S. refinery blackout offset increased oil and gas production.

The London-based business held its dividend at 7.27 cents per share and maintained the rate of its share buyback programme at $ 1.75 billion over the next three months, similar to the previous quarter.

Revenue fell 5% short of analyst projections, denting efforts by CEO Murray Auchincloss to consistent the business after a bruising period that followed the abrupt resignation of predecessor Bernard Looney in September.

Auchincloss, who was head of finances under Looney, has promised to simplify BP's operations and cut expenses in the face of financier doubts over strategies to lower the company's focus on oil and gas and broaden a low-carbon service.

BP on Tuesday presented a target to deliver cash expense savings of a minimum of $2 billion by the end of 2026 relative to 2023.

Shares in the business were down 1.9% at 1450 GMT, compared with a 0.5% drop for the European energy index.

First-quarter underlying replacement cost profit, the company's meaning of net income, missed out on the $2.87 billion consensus forecast from analysts surveyed by the company and was well except a $3 billion profit in the previous quarter and $5. billion a year earlier.

BP beat profits forecasts in the previous quarter however had. missed them in the previous two.

The results reflected lower energy costs and the impact of. the failure at its Whiting refinery in Indiana, which was. partially balanced out by a strong oil trading result, higher refining. margins and oil and gas output.

Oil and gas production was up 2.1% from a year earlier at. 2.38 million barrels of oil comparable per day on the back of. field start-ups in Azerbaijan and the United States.

We're seeing great functional momentum, Auchincloss informed. .

BP's cashflow was down 34% at $5 billion after restocking of. diesel and fuel stocks ahead of summertime, Auchincloss stated.

The company's financial obligation increased to $53 billion while its. debt-to-market capitalisation ratio increased to 22% from 19.7% in. the previous quarter.

The earnings miss out on was an outcome of higher tax rate and. interest expenses versus expectations, said HSBC expert Kim. Fustier.

The miss out on is not what BP bulls may have been expecting,. especially after

Shell's

excellent 20% beat last Thursday on the back of strong. trading and refining, Fustier said.

Rival Exxon Mobil also missed earnings forecasts,. while Chevron and TotalEnergies both met. expectations. All three reported sharp drops in profit due to a. lower natural gas costs.

Saudi Arabia's state-owned oil giant Aramco on. Tuesday reported first-quarter net earnings of $27.3 billion, down. 14% from a year previously.

(source: Reuters)