Samsung reports 15 percent gain in 4Q operating profit
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Samsung Electronics says its fourth-quarter profit rose 15 percent over a year earlier.
The South Korean company reported Friday that it had 6.1 trillion won ($5.1 billion) in operating profit for the October-December quarter.
Samsung was expected to report 6.6 trillion won in operating profit, according to financial data provider FactSet.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Sales stayed nearly flat at 53 trillion won ($44.3 billion), also slightly lower than expectations. It did not give net profit or other details.
The preliminary results showed that the company's annual profit dropped for a second time in three years.
Analysts have recently lowered their earnings forecasts on Samsung, citing weak global demand for personal computers and smartphones that hurt its semiconductor business.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Samsung's stock price closed at a three-month low in the previous session.