SKF sees unchanged first quarter demand, fourth quarter earnings match forecasts

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - SKF, the world's largest maker of industrial bearings, reported stronger than expected quarterly sales growth and an in-line operating profit on Tuesday while forecasting roughly unchanged demand for the group in the first quarter.

SKF's quarterly operating profit, boosted by the sale of its Motion Technologies business, rose to 2.90 billion Swedish crowns (243.24 million pounds) from a year-ago 2.02 billion, in line with a mean forecast of 2.89 billion in a poll of analysts.

SKF shares rose after the report and were up 3.3 percent by 1208 GMT.

(Reporting by Johannes Hellstrom)