Shell plc, the London‑listed oil and gas company, reported a year‑end profit of £17.84 billion ($18.5 billion) for the 2025 financial year, the company said in its full‑year financial results, maintaining profitability despite a downturn in global oil prices and broader market challenges.
The results were published as energy markets experienced volatility and price declines.
According to the company’s annual results, adjusted earnings for 2025 fell to approximately $18.5 billion from $23.7 billion in 2024, reflecting a 22 per cent decrease driven by weaker commodity prices across global markets.
Shell’s chief executive officer, Wael Sawan, said the company generated strong free cash flow of $26 billion, supported by operational performance and cost‑saving measures implemented during the year.
The company also reported $5 billion in cost savings since 2022 as part of its ongoing efforts to manage financial performance amid market pressures.
During 2025, Brent crude prices, a global benchmark, declined significantly, contributing to weaker energy market conditions that affected profit margins across the industry.
Despite this, Shell maintained profitability and pursued shareholder return measures, including a 4 per cent increase in its dividend and continued share buyback programmes.
Shell’s annual results also showed that earnings in the fourth quarter were lower, with reported adjusted earnings of about $3.3 billion, compared with the prior year’s figures, amid weaker trading performance and lower crude oil prices.
The company continued its $3.5 billion share buyback programme, marking a consecutive quarter of significant shareholder returns.
The performance figures underscore how the company navigated a challenging global energy market environment, balancing operational resilience with sustained returns to investors through dividends and buybacks.
Shell’s reported profits and shareholder return actions provide insight into how the business managed financial outcomes during a period when oil and gas prices experienced considerable downward movement, highlighting the ongoing effects of external market conditions on energy sector earnings.
