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By Ron Bousso and Shadia Nasralla
LONDON, April 29 (Reuters) - Royal Dutch Shell
raised its dividend by 4% on Thursday after reporting
stronger-than-expected first quarter profits due to asset sales
and higher oil and liquefied natural gas prices.
First-quarter adjusted earnings rose to $3.23 billion, up
more than seven-fold from the previous quarter and exceeding an
average analyst forecast provided by the company for a $3.125
billion profit.
That compares with earnings of $2.9 billion a year ago.
Shell said in February it would increase its dividend in the
first quarter by 4%, the second increase since its slashed its
payout by two-thirds at the start of last year due to the
pandemic.
(Reporting by Ron Bousso; Editing by David Clarke and Edmund
Blair)
