SAP earnings lower in 4th quarter

BERLIN (AP) -- Business software maker SAP AG says its fourth-quarter net earnings were down 8 percent but is reporting a 14 percent rise in revenue from software and software-related services.

The Walldorf, Germany-based company said Wednesday that it earned €1.1 billion ($1.4 billion) in the October-December quarter, down from nearly €1.2 billion a year earlier. Software and software-related service revenue, a key figure for the company, was up to €4.23 billion from €3.72 billion.

For the whole of 2012, earnings were 18 percent lower at €2.83 billion, while the revenue figure was 16 percent higher at €13.16 billion.

SAP forecast somewhat slower growth this year in revenue from software and software-related services.