Kuwait's National Mobile Telecommunications Company (Wataniya) beat analysts' forecasts for fourth-quarter profit with KD21.3 million, ($77 million) though it was the second consecutive decline in net income.

Profit in the three months to December 31 fell almost 8 per cent from 23.08 million dinars in the year-earlier period, Reuters calculated based on annual earnings the company released.

Wataniya, a unit of Qatar Telecommunications Company, posted profit of 80.7 million dinars in the year to December 31, a 50 per cent rise on 2006, the telecom provider said.

It proposed a cash dividend of 50 per cent and 10 free shares for every 100 held. Earnings per share rose to 177 fils in 2007, 50 percent up on 2006.  There are 1,000 fils to the dinar.-Reuters