Europe’s largest oil company Royal Dutch Shell plc (RDS-A – Free Report) reported earnings per ADS (on a current cost of supplies basis, excluding items – the market’s preferred measure) of $1.04, above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.02 and the year-ago profit of 44 cents. Higher realized commodity prices led to the outperformance.

Estimate Revision Trend & Surprise History: Investors should note that the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter has been unchanged in the last seven days.

Coming to earnings surprise history, the blue-chip company has a mixed record: its beaten estimates in two of the last four quarters, as shown in the chart below:

Royal Dutch Shell PLC Price and EPS Surprise

Royal Dutch Shell PLC Price and EPS Surprise | Royal Dutch Shell PLC Quote

Revenue Improves from Last Year: Revenues of $88,124 million were 31.3% above the fourth-quarter 2016 sales of $67,092 million.

Key Stats: Upstream segment recorded a profit of $1,650 million (excluding items) during the quarter, soaring from the paltry $54 million (adjusted) achieved in the year-ago period. Shell’s upstream volumes averaged 2,775 thousand oil-equivalent barrels per day (MBOE/d), 7.4% lower than the year-ago period. The group’s worldwide realized liquids prices were 24% above the year-earlier levels while natural gas prices were up 9%.

In the downstream segment – that focuses on refining, marketing and retailing – the Anglo-Dutch super-major reported adjusted income of $1,396 million, 4.3% more than the $1,339 million earned in the year-ago period.

The Integrated Gas unit reported adjusted income of $1,636 million, an 80.4% improvement from the $907 million in October-December quarter of 2016.

However, the oil major’s operating cash flow fell to $7,275 million, down 20.7% from a year earlier.