Monster Worldwide earnings up 15 percent

Monster Worldwide earnings up 15 percent

NEW YORK (AP) – Online job listings company Monster Worldwide Inc. on Thursday said its fourth-quarter profit rose more than 15 percent on strong international revenue growth.

The company reported net income of $45 million, or 36 cents per share, compared with $39.1 million, or 30 cents per share, in the year-ago period.

Revenue jumped to $354 million from $298.6 million, driven by a more than 59 percent jump in international revenue to $143.3 million.

Analysts polled by Thomson Financial expected a profit of 38 cents per share on revenue of $352.7 million.

For 2007, Monster reported a profit of $146.4 million, or $1.12 per share, compared with $37.1 million, or 28 cents per share, in 2006.

“Despite the current weaker economic environment, we are optimistic about our longer-term growth prospects,” Sal Iannuzzi, the company’s chairman and chief executive, said in a release.

Shares of Monster Worldwide dipped 76 cents to $27.85 in regular trading. In aftermarket activity, they added 85 cents, or 3.1 percent, to $28.70.