The American oil services group Halliburton saw its profit grow in 2022 thanks to strong demand for its services and equipment against a backdrop of soaring hydrocarbon prices.
Oil and gas prices continued to move at high levels at the end of last year, still driven by the drying up of Russian exports, a consequence of sanctions against Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine.
Halliburton’s annual net profit hit $1.6 billion last year, the group showed on Tuesday, up 8% from 2021.
In the fourth quarter, net profit was $656 million. Reported per share and adjusted for exceptional items, it was 72 cents, above market expectations.
“Our two operating divisions have generated strong margins in international and North American markets,” Halliburton boss Jeff Miller said in a statement.
The group’s turnover increased, both in production activities and in the drilling and evaluation unit, to reach 5.6 billion dollars (+30.5%) over the quarter and 20.3 billion (+33%) over the whole year.
Halliburton took advantage of these good results to increase by 33% the amount of the dividend which will be paid to shareholders at the end of March for the first quarter of the current year, increasing it to 16 cents per share.
On the New York Stock Exchange, Halliburton’s stock rose about 1% in pre-opening electronic trading.
/ATS