OSLO (Reuters) - Aker BP (OL:AKERBP), the oil firm resulting from the merger of BP's (L:BP) Norwegian business and Det norske, posted forecast-beating fourth-quarter earnings due to a one-off $114-million income following a change in the company's pension scheme.
Adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) was $485 million, beating a forecast for $354 million in a Reuters poll
Taxes for the quarter were $277 million, plunging the company's net earnings to a loss of $67 million, far below analysts' expectations of a $43 million profit.
The tax expense was primarily related to a change in deferred taxes, significantly impacted by a weaker crown currency against the U.S. dollar, and taxes generated by the pensions gain.
Aker BP repeated its outlook.