An increase in output and high international oil prices helped boost net profit to $US1.32 billion from $US850 million in the same quarter of 2002 and $950 million in the previous quarter.

The firm's shares closed at $10.28, up 0.78 percent by close of trade Friday on the RTS exchange.

A Kremlin lead campaign against the company has seen all of its major shareholders indicted with fraud and or tax evasion charges, including demands for over $US3 billion in back taxes.

In one piece of good news for the company in its survival campaign senior Yukos official, Kuibyshev refinery chief Rafail Zainullin, was released from jail after there was deemed to be a lack of evidence. It is the second time fraud charges against Zainullin have been thrown out of court.

The company's third-quarter earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization rose to $US1.67 billion, while revenues rose by a third year-on-year to $US4.48 billion, in line with the forecast.