Ericsson reports smaller fourth-quarter operating loss than expected

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Mobile telecom equipment maker Ericsson reported on Friday a smaller fourth-quarter operating loss than expected and said it was on track to reach its financial goals.

The Swedish firm posted an operating loss of 1.9 billion crowns ($209.7 million), against a 19.3 billion loss a year ago, and a mean forecast for a 3.0 billion loss seen in a Reuters poll of analysts.

($1 = 9.0614 Swedish crowns)

(Reporting by Helena Soderpalm and Olof Swahnberg, editing by Anna Ringstrom)