Nokia Nails Quarter

Nokia (NOK Quote) blew away fourth-quarter estimates even as wireless phone prices continue to plunge.

The Helsinki-based handset giant made $1.65 billion, or 42 cents a share, for the fourth quarter, as sales rose 13% from a year ago to $15.2 billion. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial were looking for a 34-cent profit on sales of $14.6 billion.

The combined mobile device volume of Nokia's Mobile Phones, Multimedia and Enterprise Solutions business groups for the fourth quarter 2006 was a record 106 million units, up 19% sequentially and 26% year on year.

Nokia's estimated market share for the fourth quarter 2006 was 36%, flat sequentially and up from 34% in the fourth quarter 2005. On a sequential basis, Nokia gained market share in Europe. This gain was offset by market-share declines in Latin America, North America and Asia-Pacific, while market share in China and Middle East and Africa remained virtually unchanged sequentially. On a year-on-year basis, Nokia gained market share in every area except North America in the fourth quarter 2006. ...