成本削减帮助西方石油第一季度扭亏为盈

据道琼斯5月5日消息，受巨额税务利益的影响，西方石油公司第一季度实现赢利，因为在能源价格处于低位之际，该公司继续削减成本。

位于休斯敦的西方石油公司是一家油气勘探和开采公司，已经受到能源价格持续下跌的冲击。一季度公司的油气现金操作成本同比减少23%，但是实现的原油价格同比下跌39%至29.42美元/桶。

西方石油公司表示，该公司正在继续减少在包括巴林、伊拉克和也门在内的中东、北非地区的业务敞口。这些地区的产量减少了41%。

该公司第一季度实现利润7,800万美元，合每股收益10美分；与之相比，上年同期亏损2.18亿美元，合每股亏损28美分。

该公司第一季度的所得税利益为2.03亿美元，上年同期为1,900万美元。而来自于非持续运营的业务的收益为4.38亿美元，去年同期为亏损300万美元。

不包括终止经营业务和其他项目，西方石油第一季度每股亏损56美分，接受汤森路透调查的分析师此前预计为每股亏损40美分。

第一季度公司的销售额下降26%，至22.8亿美元，三大业务销售额全部下滑。

唐绍红摘译自道琼斯

原文如下：

Occidental Petroleum Posts Profit Amid Cost Cutting

By Austen Hufford

Occidental Petroleum Corp. posted a profit in its latest quarter, helped by a hefty tax benefit, as the company continues to cut costs amid a low-energy-price environment.

Houston-based Occidental, an oil and gas exploration and production company, has been hurt by the sustained tumble in energy prices. Oil and gas cash operating costs fell 23% in the first quarter compared with the same quarter last year even as its realized crude oil price fell 39% to $29.42 per barrel.

Occidental said it is continuing to reduce its exposure to the Middle East and North Africa region, including in Bahrain, Iraq and Yemen. Production there fell 41%.

Occidental reported a profit of $78 million, or 10 cents a share, compared with a loss of $218 million, or 28 cents a share, a year prior.

The company posted a $203 million income-tax benefit in the latest quarter, compared with $19 million a year earlier, and income from discontinued operations of $438 million, compared with a $3 million loss from discontinued operations in the year-earlier period.

Excluding discontinued operations and other items, Occidental posted a loss of 56 cents a share, while analysts polled by Thomson Reuters had forecast a loss of 40 cents a share.

Total sales from fell 26% to $2.28 billion with declines across all three of its segments.