SingTel's Q4 profit up 3.5% to $898m but misses estimates

[SINGAPORE] Singapore Telecommunications' (SingTel) fourth quarter bottom line missed estimates, as regional currencies weakened and revenue from Australia declined.

The group's net profit grew 3.5 per cent to $898 million for the quarter ending March 31, 2014, falling short of the $904 million average of analysts' estimates for net income compiled by Bloomberg.

A much smaller exceptional loss - $21 million against $132 million in the fourth quarter of the previous financial year - had prodded net profit upwards. Nevertheless, underlying net profit took an 8.1 per cent hit, coming in at $920 million.

Operating revenue also sank 7.9 per cent to $4.13 bil…