US independent EQT Resources posted sharply higher profits in the fourth quarter mainly on the back of a one-off gain related to US tax changes, but also cited the impact of its $6.7 billion merger with Rice Energy, writes Julia Martinez.

EQT received a tax benefit of approximately $1.2 billion as a result of federal tax reform legislation in the fourth quarter that helped the company move out of the red and report quarterly net income at $1.28