HOUSTON (AP) -- Independent oil and natural gas driller Cobalt International Energy Inc. said Tuesday its fourth-quarter loss widened on higher operating and interest costs.
The Houston-based company posted a loss of $66.5 million, or 16 cents per share, compared with a loss of $51.1 million, or 13 cents per share, in the same quarter last year. The company didn't report any revenue for either period.
Analysts, on average, expected a loss of 11 cents per share, according to FactSet.
Total operating costs and expenses increased 23 percent to $64.4 million. The company incurred $3.2 million in interest expense during the recent quarter compared with none in the year-ago period.
For the full year 2012, Cobalt posted a loss of $283 million, or 70 cents per share, compared with a loss of $133.6 million, or 35 cents per share, in 2011. The company didn't report any revenue,
Cobalt shares fell 52 cents, or 2 percent, to $23.09 in late trading.
