Jan 31 (Reuters) - Imperial Oil Ltd 's IMO.TO profit shot up in the fourth quarter, helped by a C$988 million gain from the sale of its retail sites.
The company, which is about 70 percent owned by Exxon Mobil Corp (NYSE:XOM) XOM.N , said net income rose to C$1.44 billion ($1.10 billion), or C$1.70 per share, in the fourth quarter, from C$102 million, or 12 Canadian cents per share, a year earlier. Oil, Canada's No.2 integrated oil producer and refiner, said last March it would sell its remaining company-owned Esso retail stations to five fuel distributors for about C$2.8 billion. Calgary-based company's revenue rose 35.5 percent to C$8.44 billion. ($1 = C$1.31)