By Reuters Staff
2 Min Read
TOKYO, May 13 (Reuters) - Japan’s biggest oil and gas explorer Inpex Corp raised its net profit forecast for 2021 by 40% on Thursday thanks to higher than expected oil prices but left its capital expenditure plans unchanged so it can repay more debt.
Inpex is now forecasting a net profit of 140 billion yen ($1.3 billion) this year, up from its February prediction of 100 billion yen, after it raised its assumption for average Brent oil prices this year to $60.3 a barrel from $53.0.
“This will mean a V-shaped earnings recovery from last year, when we were forced to book a hefty net loss as the COVID-19 pandemic hit fuel demand and oil prices,” Inpex Managing Executive Officer Daisuke Yamada told a news conference.