(Reuters) - Chemicals and seed producer DuPont's (DD.N) quarterly profit topped analysts' estimates as the company intensifies its cost-cutting efforts ahead of its merger with Dow Chemical Co (DOW.N).
The company said it expects full-year operating earnings of $2.95-$3.10 per share, compared with analysts' average estimate of $3.10 per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Excluding $622 million of restructuring and other charges, fourth-quarter operating profit was 27 cents per share, slightly above analysts' average estimate of 26 cents.
The company said its cost-reduction efforts added 10 cents to its profit in the three months ended Dec.31.
Net loss attributable to the company was $253 million, or 29 cents per share, in the quarter, compared with a profit of $683 million, or 74 cents per share, a year earlier.
Net sales fell 9.4 percent to $5.3 billion.
Shares of DuPont, a Dow Jones industrial average component, have lost a quarter of their value over the last 12 months, closing at $52.99 on the New York Stock Exchange Monday.
(This version of the story corrects workforce number to 54,000 from 63,000 in sixth paragraph)
(Reporting by Amrutha Gayathri and Swetha Gopinath in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta and Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)