Kuwait Food Co (Americana) posted a 14.8 per cent fall in fourth-quarter net profit on Thursday, citing rising costs and declining investment income for the drop.

The operator of restaurant franchises in the Middle East including KFC made a net profit of KD8.68 million ($28.75 million) in the three-month period ending Dec. 31, down from KD10.19 million in the prior-year period, it said in a bourse statement.

Americana's statement also said its board had recommended a cash dividend of KD0.1 per share for 2015 and dividends in kind of KD0.133 per share. This compared to a KD0.090 per share payout for 2014. – Reuters