Motorola Solutions Q4 Profit Rises - Update

(RTTNews) - Motorola Solutions Inc. (MSI) on Wednesday, reported an increase in profit for the fourth quarter, driven largely by sales growth at government segment, even as both earnings and revenue easily trumped Wall Street estimates.

Motorola Solutions, which makes bar-code scanners and walkie-talkies, said sales for the quarter grew 3 percent to $2.50 billion from $2.44 billion a year ago. Sixteen analysts polled by Thomson Reuters had a consensus revenue estimate of $2.49 billion for the quarter.

Government sales were up 4 percent to $1.77 billion, while enterprise segment sales marginally improved to $736 million from $733 million a year ago.

Schaumburg, Illinois-based Motorola Solutions' fourth-quarter profit rose to $343 million or $1.31 per share from $336 million or $1.18 per share last year.

Adjusted earnings from continuing operations were $1.67 per share for the quarter. On average, 17 analysts expected a profit of $1.62 per share for the quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.

Looking forward to the first quarter, Motorola expect adjusted earnings from continuing operations in the range of $0.46 to $0.52 per share and a revenue decline of 4 percent to 6 percent. Analysts currently expect a first-quarter profit of $0.77 per share and revenue to increase by 2.40 percent.

For the full-year 2014, the company expects adjusted operating earnings of about 18.5 percent of sales and revenue growth of flat to 2 percent.

MSI is currently trading at $64.57, down $2.54 or 3.78%, on the NYSE.