Quarter Analysis
Income attributable to Shell plc shareholders, compared with the fourth quarter 2023, reflected lower operating expenses, higher margins from crude and oil products trading and optimisation, and higher refining margins, partly offset by lower LNG trading and optimisation margins, and unfavourable tax movements in comparison to the fourth quarter 2023.
First quarter 2024 income attributable to Shell plc shareholders also included unfavourable movements due to the fair value accounting of commodity derivatives, and favourable differences in exchange rates and inflationary adjustments on deferred tax. These items are included in identified items amounting to a net loss of $0.6 billion in the quarter. This compares with identified items in the fourth quarter 2023 which amounted to a net loss of $6.0 billion, and included net impairment charges and reversals ($3.9 billion), and unfavourable movements due to the fair value accounting of commodity derivatives.
Adjusted Earnings and Adjusted EBITDA2 were driven by the same factors as income attributable to Shell plc shareholders and adjusted for the above identified items and the cost of supplies adjustment of negative $0.3 billion.
Cash flow from operating activities for the first quarter 2024 was $13.3 billion, and primarily driven by Adjusted EBITDA, partly offset by a working capital outflow of $2.8 billion, and tax payments of $2.6 billion. The working capital outflow mainly reflected accounts receivable and payable movements, and inventory movements due to higher crude and oil products prices.
Cash flow from investing activities for the quarter was an outflow of $3.5 billion, and included cash capital expenditure of $4.5 billion, and divestment proceeds of $1.0 billion.
And later;
Shareholder distributions
Total shareholder distributions in the quarter amounted to $5.0 billion comprising repurchases of shares of $2.8 billion and cash dividends paid to Shell plc shareholders of $2.2 billion. Dividends declared to Shell plc shareholders for the first quarter 2024 amount to $0.3440 per share. Shell has now completed $3.5 billion of share buybacks announced in the fourth quarter 2023 results announcement. Today, Shell announces a share buyback programme of $3.5 billion which is expected to be completed by the second quarter 2024 results announcement.
0.344 per share Ex div 16 May 24, paid 24 Jun 24.
https://www.investegate.co.uk/announcem ... ts/8169093
Also posted on Company News here; viewtopic.php?p=662368#p662368
I hold these in my HYP, and know others here do too, so this may be of interest here.
Ian.