KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian state energy firm Petroliam Nasional Berhad, or Petronas, reported a 61 percent rise in fourth-quarter profit on Friday, helped by higher oil prices and lower costs.
Net profit for the quarter ended December rose to 18.2 billion ringgit ($4.65 billion) from 11.3 billion ringgit in the same quarter last year.
Revenue rose 13.8 percent to 61.8 billion ringgit.
"Subject to sustainability of (oil) price recovery, the group expects to deliver a satisfactory performance in the next financial year," Petronas said in a statement.
Chief Executive Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin said the sustainability of current oil prices remains to be seen, although the company pledged a higher dividend payout and increased capital expenditure for 2018.
Wan Zulkiflee said Petronas is committed to pay a dividend of 19 billion ringgit this year to its sole shareholder, the Malaysian government, up from 16 billion ringgit last year.
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The company also plans capital expenditure of around 55 billion ringgit, higher than last year's 44.5 billion ringgit.
($1 = 3.9140 ringgit)
(Reporting by A. Ananthalakshmi and Emily Chow; editing by Richard Pullin)