Web retail giant Amazon saw fourth quarter earning surge 71 per cent thanks to a strong holiday season and heavy demand for its electronic book reader the Kindle, the company said Thursday, dpa reported.
Amazon said sales jumped 42 per cent to 9.52 billion dollars, helping push profits up from 225 million dollars a year ago to 284 million dollars.
Amazon said sales of electronics and general merchandise were particularly strong, rising 60 per cent to 4.6 billion dollars. Media sales grew 29 per cent to 4.68 billion dollars.
Sales in North America were 4.96 billion dollars, up 36 per cent from the fourth quarter 2008, while international sales, representing the company's UK, German, Japanese, French and Chinese sites, were 4.56 billion dollars, up 49 per cent from the fourth quarter 2008.