Sampo Posts Upbeat Q4 Profit

Sampo Oyj SAXPY posted a rise in its fourth-quarter net profit. Sampo's quarterly net profit surged to EUR401 million, versus EUR279 million, in the year-ago period. However, analysts were expecting a profit of EUR330 million. It proposed a dividend for 2012 of EUR1.35 per share, versus EUR1.20 in the prior year. Sampo shares closed at $18.43 yesterday.