Chesapeake qtrly profit, rev short of Street

HOUSTON: Chesapeake Energy reported a fourth-quarter profit compared with a year-ago loss, but revenue came in short of analysts' expectations and the US oil and gas company's stock fell after a session of big gains.

Chesapeake -- which has pledged to reduce its debt and increase its oil production over the next two years -- reported revenue that missed Wall Street estimates as the prices it realized for oil and gas were lower than a year ago.

The company's shares, which climbed as much as 8 percent during regular trading on news of a big asset sale to Australia's BHP Billiton, fell 1 percent post market.

Chesapeake, the second largest producer of natural gas in the United States