Tech sales are on the up again

Samsung posted net profits of 1.86 trillion won ($1.57bn; �860m), while sales also grew by a robust 21% from a year earlier to 12.8 trillion won.

The results added to the pattern of strong fourth quarter results from technology firms.

On Wednesday, US firms Intel and Apple pleased investors by unveiling better-than-expected profits.

Core sales boost

However, Samsung is continuing to restructure. The firm announced it was closing one of its UK factories with the loss of 420 jobs on Thursday.

Technology-sector analysts were also less happy with Samsung's results than those of its US peers.

The South Korean firm's net profit rise fell short of market expectations of due to losses at its credit card business.

But sales in its core business grew well, particularly sales of flash memory cards for digital cameras and flat screen technology.

Samsung's shares closed 0.4% higher in Seoul on Thursday.