Noble's Q1 net more than trebles to US$152.3m

COMMODITY trader Noble Group's net profit more than trebled for the first quarter ended March 2014 to US$152.3 million from a year ago, led by improved margins in its energy and minerals division and lower losses in its agriculture business.

The group's operating income from supply chains jumped 30 per cent to US$497.4 million, although revenue fell 7 per cent to US$17.96 billion.

Operating margin rose to 2.77 per cent from 1.98 per cent a year earlier.