Ingram Micro 4Q Profit Climbs 7.5% On Broad Revenue Growth

    DOW JONES NEWSWIRES 
 

Ingram Micro Inc.'s (IM) fourth-quarter earnings rose 7.5% as the company saw revenue growth across all of its operating regions.

"For the first quarter, we expect sales to follow a historical seasonal pattern, with a normal sequential decline and modest year-over-year growth," said Chief Executive Gregory Spierkel. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expect year-over-year growth of 7%.

The computer-equipment distributor serves as a go-between for some of the world's leading hardware and software companies and information-technology departments. Demand has picked up for the company in recent quarters as the economy gets better and demand for electronics has improved.

Ingram reported a profit of $115 million, or 71 cents a share, up from $107 million, or 64 cents, a year earlier. The most-recent quarter included a 5-cent benefit for commercial taxes on software imports into Brazil, while the year-earlier quarter included a 3-cent benefit.

Revenue jumped 12% to $9.9 billion.

Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters had most recently forecast earnings of 67 cents on $9.57 billion in revenue.

Gross margin was flat at 5.7%, while operating expenses increased 11%.

In North America, sales rose 13%, while the Europe, Middle East and Africa region's sales climbed 9.9% and the Asia-Pacific region's top line jumped 15%. Revenue in Latin America rose 11%.

Shares closed at $20.78 and were inactive after hours. The stock has risen 20% the past year.

-By Nathan Becker, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2855; [e-mail];