(RTTNews) -  Distributor and marketer of energy products and related services UGI Corp. (UGI: News ) reported Wednesday a wider loss for the fourth quarter, hurt by lower volumes as well as reduced unit margins in the electricity generation and distribution business. Loss per share for the quarter widened, but came in narrower than analysts' expectations by two cents. The company also reiterated its earnings forecast range for the full year 2010, provided in late October.

In a statement, chairman and chief executive officer, Lon Greenberg said, "We are pleased that our diversified energy businesses were able to generate strong earnings per share growth in an extremely difficult economic environment. Earnings in fiscal 2009 significantly benefited from higher unit margins in our propane businesses resulting from a rapid decline in wholesale propane costs. This benefit was offset somewhat by the effects on our businesses of recessionary market conditions, which adversely affected volumes in all of our business units, and reduced unit margins in our electricity generation and distribution businesses."

The King of Prussia, Pennsylvania-based company reported a seasonal net loss of $11.0 million or $0.10 per share for the fourth quarter, wider than $6.3 million or $0.06 per share in the prior-year quarter.

On average, four analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to a loss of $0.12 per share for the fourth quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.

Total revenues for the quarter declined to $859.3 million from $1.19 billion in the same quarter last year. Wall Street analysts had a consensus revenue estimate of $1.08 billion for the quarter.

UGI's domestic propane distributor, AmeriGas Partners, L.P. or APU contributed a seasonal net loss of $6.60 million for the quarter, compared to a loss of $4.6 million last year. Revenues dropped to $337.0 million from $525.2 million a year ago.
International Propane recorded a net loss of $8.4 million, wider than $5.4 million last year, on revenues of $174.7 million, which declined from $188.6 million in the year-ago quarter.

Gas Utility posted a net loss of $1.1 million for the quarter, narrower than $5.6 million a year ago, and revenues dropped to $110.9 million from $132.7 million in the prior-year quarter.

Electric Utility reported net income of $0.7 million, down from $1.5 million a year ago. Revenues for the quarter dipped to $33.7 million from $35.9 million in the comparable period last year.

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