據道瓊斯倫敦5月1日消息，在一季度受疫情沖擊導致利潤接近減半后，殼牌自第二次世界大戰以來首次下調股息。

近幾個月能源需求和油價急劇下降，因為全國性封鎖措施限制出行及沖擊經濟增長。隨著部分國家試探重啟經濟，殼牌及其同業公司正迎來貿易環境持續不確定的局面。

殼牌將第一季度的股息下調66%，至每股16美分，這是該公司自1945年以來首次下調股息。

殼牌首席執行官范伯登表示:“鑒于宏觀經濟前景持續惡化，以及重大的中長期不確定性，我們正采取進一步審慎措施，增強我們的韌性，鞏固我們的資產負債表，支持殼牌的長期價值創造。”

殼牌的這一舉措與英國石油公司(BP)形成鮮明對比，后者宣布將維持股息。

殼牌公布，在截至3月31日的三個月里，按當前供應成本(CCS)基礎計算的利潤為27.6億美元，而上年同期為52.9億美元。這一指標類似于美國石油公司公布的凈利潤。

張春曉 摘譯自 道瓊斯

原文如下：

Shell Cuts Dividend for First Time Since World War II

Royal Dutch Shell PLC cut its dividend for the first time since World War II after first-quarter profit fell by nearly half as the coronavirus pandemic hit.

Energy demand and oil prices have plunged in recent months as nationwide lockdowns restrict travel and hit economic growth. With some countries tentatively reopening their economies, Shell and its peers are bracing for the uncertain trading conditions to continue.

Shell cut its first-quarter dividend by 66% to 16 cents a share, its first cut since 1945.

"Given the continued deterioration in the macroeconomic outlook and the significant mid and long-term uncertainty, we are taking further prudent steps to bolster our resilience, underpin the strength of our balance sheet and support the long-term value creation of Shell," said Chief Executive Ben van Beurden.

Shell's move was in contrast to BP PLC, which said it would maintain its dividend.

The Anglo-Dutch oil giant reported a profit on a net current cost-of-supplies basis -- a figure similar to the net income that U.S. oil companies report -- for the three months ended March 31 of $2.76 billion, compared with $5.29 billion in the same period a year ago.