KT&G Corp., South Korea’s largest tobacco manufacturer, said Thursday its fourth-quarter net income fell 25.3 percent from a year earlier due to decreased exports. Net profit came to 78.82 billion won ($74.1 million) in the October-December period, compared with 105.57 billion won a year ago, the company said in a regulatory filing.

Sales, however, rose 3.4 percent to 987.10 billion won and operating profit rose 22.9 percent to 222.84 billion won.

The figures reflect performances by KT&G and its subsidiaries, including Korea Ginseng Corp.

According to the company’s earnings report, the poor fourth-quarter performance stemmed from its sluggish exports. KT&G’s exports for the period came to 157.8 billion won, down 12 percent from 179.3 billion won a year earlier. (Yonhap News)