POSCO fourth-quarter operating profit up 10 percent, matches estimates

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean steelmaker POSCO's fourth-quarter operating profit rose 10 percent on increased sales and higher profit margins, according to Reuters' calculations, meeting analysts' forecasts.

The world's fifth-biggest steelmaker on Wednesday released full-year 2018 numbers in a filing, without disclosing fourth-quarter figures. But calculations showed consolidated operating profit for October-December was 1.3 trillion won ($1.16 billion) compared with 1.2 trillion won a year earlier, and an average analyst estimate of 1.3 trillion won in an I/B/E/S Refinitiv poll.

($1 = 1,116.2900 won)

(Reporting by Jane Chung and Ju-min Park; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)