BG. Gas prices over 14% up recently with more to come - global LNG expanding and further exploration rights --- about to break out.

http://www.moneyam.com/action/news/showArticle?id=989336

dikytree.

Skinny; Well at least they didn't say sell at 886P

This is true!

StockMarketWire.com
Canaccord Genuity has downgraded its recommendation on BG Group (LON:BG.) to 'hold' from 'buy' after Royal Dutch Shell (LON:RDSB) confirmed that has reached agreement on the terms of a recommended cash and share offer to acquire the entire issued share capital of BG.

The broker has upped its target price to 1,300 pence a share (from 1,016 pence), which it pointed out only leaves around 3 per cent potential upside.

"If we run the RDS assumptions then our de-risked value would rise to 1499p/sh," analysts added.

"So, RDS does not look like it is overpaying if you assume US$90/bbl long term. Strategically, RDS sees LNG and deepwater projects as its key growth areas. BG is LNG and Brazil deepwater.

"We calculate the combined entity will be EPS accretive from 2017 and CFPS accretive from 2016."

the price has now slipped to about 1180 so shall watch and then buy a few more, for there looks to be an easy 10% to be made in a pretty short time and it's almost underwritten

============

bought perhaps marginally prematurely at 1173.50

StockMarketWire.com
BG Group has started up and loaded its first LNG from the second production train at the Queensland Curtis LNG (QCLNG) facility in Australia. The first LNG from Train 2 set sail on the Maran Gas Posidonia.

At plateau production, expected mid-2016, both trains at QCLNG will be producing enough LNG to load ten vessels per month combined, exporting around eight million tonnes per year. Since production from the first train commenced in December 2014, 27 cargoes have been shipped.

BG Group began commercial operations in May 2015, when control of Train 1 formally transferred to QGC, BG Group's Australian subsidiary, from the constructor Bechtel Australia. Train 2 commercial operations will begin once a similar commissioning process has been completed.

Chief executive Helge Lund said: "The start-up of QCLNG's second LNG train is another important operational milestone delivered in line with our plan. The completion of our upstream infrastructure and the two LNG trains are achievements of which BG Group, particularly our team in Australia, can be proud. We have already shipped more than 1.5 million tonnes of LNG from Queensland, and Train 2 will add significant further volumes and flexibility to our LNG shipping and marketing portfolio."

British Gas to cut gas prices by 5%

StockMarketWire.com
BG Group has confirmed that the recommended cash and share offer for the company to be made by Royal Dutch Shell has received unconditional merger clearance from the Brazilian competition authority (CADE). The unconditional clearance follows CADE's initial approval of the combination on 8 July 2015, and the expiry of the 15 day period during which CADE's decision could be appealed.

The approval is one of the five regulatory clearances that are pre-conditions to the combination and this is the first precondition to be satisfied. Other pre-conditional approvals are required from Australia (anti-trust and foreign investment), China (anti-trust) and the European Union (anti-trust).

StockMarketWire.com
BG Group's first half earnings before interest and tax fell by 60% to $1m572m but the interim dividend is maintained at 14.38c per share.

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation fell by 45% to $2,963m.

Second quarter highlights:
· E&P production up 19% at 703 kboed; full year guidance moved to the upper half of 650 - 690 kboed range

· Australia and Brazil average E&P production more than doubled to 80 kboed and 143 kboed, respectively

· QCLNG pipeline disposal completed with gross proceeds of $4.6 billion; Train 2 start-up in July

· Upstream EBITDA down 39% to $1 138 million; lower commodity prices partially offset by higher volumes

· LNG Shipping & Marketing EBITDA down 66% to $263 million; lower margins partially offset by higher volumes

· Business Performance EPS down 65% to 12.6 cents; Total EPS up 63% to 65.2 cents, reflecting profit on disposal of QCLNG pipeline

Chief executive Helge Lund said: "We achieved a number of key milestones during the quarter while continuing to deliver on our cost and efficiency programmes. Production reached record levels, more than doubling in both Australia and Brazil, and we now expect output for the year to be in the upper half of our forecast range. In Australia, we assumed operational control of the first train at QCLNG, which is now operating at plateau, and produced first LNG from the second train earlier this month. In Brazil, our share of production is now exceeding 150 kboed and the sixth FPSO was recently moored on location. Our LNG business has again produced a robust operating performance to deliver 58 cargoes in the quarter.

"This performance reflects our actions to stabilise and de-risk the business and our teams remain focused on delivering our 2015 commitments."

StockMarketWire.com
BG Group's earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation fell by 37% to $1,244m in the third quarter.

Total results for the period (including disposals, re-measurements and impairments) show earnings before interest and tax down by 84% at $374m.

Key points:
· E&P production up 26% at 716 kboed; full year guidance increased to 680-700 kboed

· 45 cargoes delivered from QCLNG in the nine months to end September; Train 2 commissioning in progress

· FPSO 6 onstream; Brazil net production reached 175 kboed in October

· Upstream EBITDA down 22% to $1 087 million; lower commodity prices partially offset by higher volumes, increased oil in mix and higher liquefaction contribution

· LNG Shipping & Marketing EBITDA down 65% to $213 million; higher volumes more than offset by lower sales prices

· Business Performance EPS down 63% to 8.2 cents; Total EPS down to (3.0) cents due to non-cash foreign exchange impacts on tax balances

· Unconditional anti-trust approval for Shell offer received from European Commission; two of the five pre-conditions now satisfied

Chief executive Helge Lund said: "Our teams delivered another strong operational performance in the third quarter. In our Upstream business, we maintained positive momentum in our growth projects in Australia and Brazil, and we continued to improve reliability and efficiency in our base assets. We are now increasing our full year guidance for production to 680-700 kboed. Our LNG operations had a robust operating performance, despite challenging market conditions, and we have maintained our EBITDA guidance for 2015.

"We are on track to deliver our promised operating and capital cost savings for 2015 and are adding new low cash cost volumes through Australia and Brazil. These actions will help mitigate the impact of lower commodity prices on our financial results.

"We continue to work with Shell on integration planning and to secure the necessary regulatory approvals ahead of the shareholder vote. The transaction remains on track to complete in early 2016."

Chinese competition authority approval of Shell offer


BG Group plc ("BG Group" or "the Company") today confirms the receipt of unconditional merger clearance from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce ("MOFCOM") of the recommended cash and share offer for the Company to be made by Royal Dutch Shell plc ("Shell").

This approval from China is the final regulatory clearance that is a pre-condition to the Combination. Other pre-conditional clearances have already been received from the authorities in Australia, Brazil and the European Union.

BG Group's Chief Executive, Helge Lund said: "Following today's approval from MOFCOM, all pre-conditional regulatory approvals for the combination have been received and we now move to the next phase. I am pleased that we have continued to deliver a strong operating and safety performance throughout the offer period which is a credit to our teams across the business. The proposed combination has strong industrial logic, particularly in deep water production and LNG, and will accelerate the delivery of value to our shareholders."

The proposed combination will require support from both BG Group and Shell shareholders and BG Group shareholders should now await further communications from their board.

The pre-conditions and conditions to the Combination are set out in the announcement of the proposed offer released on 8 April 2015 (the "Announcement").

StockMarketWire.com
BG Group's full year results were hit by lower commodity prices with upstream EBITDA down 35% at $4,167m and LNG EBITDA down 46% at $1,456m.

Revenue and other operating income decreased 16% to $16 419 million, reflecting the significant fall in realised sales prices impacting both the Upstream and LNG Shipping & Marketing segments. The impact of lower prices was partly offset by higher volumes in both segments, the start-up of liquefaction operations at QCLNG and weather-related gains in North America in the LNG Shipping & Marketing segment. E&P production volumes were up 16% and LNG delivered volumes were up 63%. EBIT decreased by $3 948 million to $2 429 million, reflecting the reduction in EBITDA combined with increased DD&A charges, which resulted from higher E&P production volumes and the start-up of QCLNG.

Net finance costs of $260 million included foreign exchange gains of $nil (2014 net finance costs of $109 million included realised foreign exchange hedge gains of $28 million and other foreign exchange gains of $21 million). Excluding the impact of foreign exchange, net finance costs increased by $102 million to $260 million, reflecting the reduction in the amount of interest on borrowings that can be capitalised against assets under construction following the start-up of QCLNG.

The tax charge for the full year reduced to $472 million and reflects the lower profit before tax and the reduction in the Group's full year effective tax rate (excluding BG Group's share of joint ventures and associates' results and tax) to 24.0% (2014 36.9%), and includes the impact of further changes in the Group's mix of profits and revisions to certain tax positions.

Group earnings of $1 697 million and EPS of 49.7 cents both decreased 58%, with the reduction in EBIT and higher net finance costs only partially offset by the reduction in the Group's tax charge.

Chief executive Helge Lund said: "We are pleased to have delivered an excellent operational performance in 2015 with results in line with, or ahead of, our guidance for the year. The ramp up of both LNG trains at our QCLNG project in Australia and the ramp up in Brazil, including the start-up of our sixth FPSO, drove a strong E&P operational performance. Our LNG Shipping & Marketing business delivered 282 cargoes, an increase of 58% on 2014, in difficult market conditions.

"The addition of new low cash cost volumes in Brazil and Australia and delivery of our operating and capital cost savings has helped to partly mitigate the impact of lower commodity prices.

"This strong operational performance is the result of the capability and commitment of our teams across the organisation and we will deliver a high-performing business into the Combination with Shell."

i think the epic for this stock has changed
anyone know what the new one is or is it all now under RDS banner (Shell)?

got the answer, at least for CFD

holders of BG will get ~£3.00 cash per share + a number of RDSB stock
the exchange and settlement will be automatic in due course

BG.L?

BG Group .... yes