ZCZC
BCN-05
SAUDI ARABIA-ARAMCO-PROFIT
Saudi oil giant Aramco’s net income down 44 pct in 2020
RIYADH, March 21,2021 (BSS/XINHUA) – The Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Aramco) on Sunday announced a net income of 49 billion U.S. dollars in 2020, down from 88.2 billion dollars in 2019, or 44.4 percent.
Aramco, in a statement, attributed the reduction to lower crude prices due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Aramco CEO Amin Nasser described it as “one of the most challenging years in recent history.”
However, the company also declared a dividend of 75 billion U.S. dollars for the year, which Nasser said reflects the outcome of the company’s strong performance.
Through its flexible capital program and prudent financial management, said Nasser, the company was able to adjust spending and focus on high-return opportunities.
Capital expenditure in 2020 was 27 billion dollars due to the implementation of optimization and efficiency programs, representing a significant saving on capital expenditure of 33 billion dollars in 2019.
Aramco expects capital expenditure for 2021 to be around 35 billion dollars, significantly lower than the previous guidance of 40-45 billion dollars.
BSS/XINHUA/TT/1916HRS