Ericsson returns to profits amid weak sales

Stockholm - Swedish telecom equipment maker Ericsson said Thursday it doubled profits in 2013 despite sluggish sales and a weak fourth quarter.

The group's net profit rose by 108% to 12bn kronor (€1.36bn, $1.84bn) thanks to a reorientation towards more profitable projects.

"Our focus on profitability started to pay off and operating margin for the group gradually improved in 2013, despite significant currency headwind, driven primarily by improvements in Networks and Network Rollout," the group's chief executive Hans Vestberg said in a statement.

Sales fell in northeast Asia following a drop in investments in the GSM telecom system in China and a slowdown in business in Japan and South Korea.

The group's North American sales were also cut in half in the CDMA business, a different system used for mobile phone access.

Ericsson said it would continue with cost cutting measures, particularly in Sweden.

At 6.41bn kronor, the group's fourth quarter revenue fell short of analysts' expectations of 7.22bn kronor.

The Swedish company's annual turnover also remained stable at just over 67bn kronor, despite receiving a sizeable settlement in a licensing dispute with the South Korean mobile giant Samsung.

The group's shares were up 3.49% on the Stockholm Stock Exchange at 13:00 GMT in an overall market down by 0.66%.