Seoul: BNK Financial Group Inc. on Thursday reported its fourth-quarter net profit of 102.8 billion won (US$71 million), marking a significant turnaround from a loss of 16.7 billion won in the same period the previous year. This positive shift highlights the company's improved financial performance during the October-December timeframe.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the financial group's operating income for the fourth quarter reached 128 billion won, a stark contrast to the loss of 67.7 billion won recorded a year ago. The company also reported a 7.6 percent increase in revenue, reaching 2.61 trillion won. These figures were disclosed in a regulatory filing, emphasizing the firm's robust recovery.

The latest earnings report surpassed market expectations, with the average net profit estimate by analysts standing at 99 billion won. This data was gathered through a survey conducted by Yonhap Infomax, the financial data arm of Yonhap News Agency, indicating BNK Financial Group's strong performance relative to industry predictions.