Inpex raises full-year guidance on higher oil prices and LNG project

INPEX

07/08/2026 12:19

By Yuka Obayashi
TOKYO, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Japanese oil and gas explorer Inpex Corp 1605.T raised its full-year profit forecast by up to 46% to a record 510 billion yen ($3.22 billion) on Friday, citing higher oil prices and strong output from its Ichthys LNG project in Australia. 
The company had forecast 2026 net profit of 350 billion yen to 450 billion yen in May. For January-June, it booked a 17.7% rise in net profit to 263 billion yen.
Inpex also raised its full-year dividend forecast to 112 yen per share from 108 yen and announced a share buyback of up to 50 million shares, or 140 billion yen.
Toshiaki Takimoto, senior executive vice president, said its crude oil sales from Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) fell by about 30% year on year in the six months to June 30 due to the Iran war. The company still aims to invest in boosting production in the region, he added.
Shipments from the Ichthys project have remained smooth and are expected to exceed 120 cargoes this year, Takimoto said.
One train at the Ichthys project will undergo planned maintenance for about a month and a half from mid-July 2027, the company said.
Takimoto said the company remains on track to make a final investment decision on the Abadi LNG project in Indonesia in mid-2027.
($1 = 158.3800 yen)

(Reporting by Yuka Obayashi
Editing by David Goodman)
((Yuka.Obayashi@thomsonreuters.com; +813-4520-1265;))