"Origin expects that underlying profit for the current financial year will be approximately 30 to 40 per cent higher than the prior year,'' chairman Kevin McCann told the company's annual general meeting in Sydney.
The company cited market conditions for oil prices, exchange rates and interest rates, and the receipt of the payment from ConocoPhillips and subsequent on-market buyback for the earnings forecast.
Origin and ConocoPhillips have formed a $9.6 billion joint venture to commercialise the energy retailers coal seam gas assets through a liquefied natural gas (LNG) development.
The energy retailer will receive an initial $US5 billion ($A7.16 billion) payment at the completion of the ConocoPhillips transaction.
Managing director Grant King said the company was "optimistic" about its future despite the economic outlook being "more challenging than ever''.
A number of "interesting acquisition opportunities'' may emerge given the current market conditions, he said.
"We believe that the next few years will present more opportunities to grow either by acquisition or development,'' Mr King told shareholders.
Origin was the focus of a hostile $13.8 billion takeover bid from UK-based BG Group this year, which was targeting the energy retailer in part to secure its vast coal seam gas reserves.
The takeover fell over after Origin formed a joint venture with ConocoPhillips.
Australia's coal seam gas sector has evolved rapidly this year after the entry of large international players including Royal Dutch Shell and Malaysia's state-owned Petronas, which are jostling to develop separate LNG plants in central Queensland using coal seam gas as feed.
The companies are looking to take advantage of the expanding, and lucrative, Asian export markets for LNG. Origin shares dropped 32 cents to $15.18 by 11.18 AEDT.
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