Samsung Fire`s earnings rise 31.4 pct

SEOUL, Feb. 3 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Co., South Korea's
leading non-life insurer, said Tuesday its earnings rose 31.4 percent on-year in
the first three quarters of fiscal 2008 on increased sales of insurance policies.

Net profit came to 434 billion won (US$311.6 million) in the April-December
period, compared with 330.4 billion won a year earlier, the company said in a
regulatory filing. Local insurers close the books on March 31.
In the third quarter, its net income rose 16 percent on-year to 120.5 billion
won, it added.
Sales gained 7 percent on-year to 7.37 trillion won and operating profit advanced
22.9 percent to 639.4 billion won, it added.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
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