BP 's fourth-quarter earnings increased five-fold as it benefited from higher oil prices, increased production and lower costs.
Underlying replacement cost profit jumped to $2.1 billion from $400 million in the same quarter a year earlier, the London-based company said Tuesday. The figure, which excludes one-time items and fluctuations in the value of inventories, is the industry's preferred gauge of earnings.
Net income fell to $27 million from $497 million, largely due to another $1.7 billion charge for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill and a $900 million charge related to changes in the U.S. tax code.
"This has been a really, really good year...