* Q4 op profit SEK 1.32 bln vs forecast 1.52 bln
* Organic sales growth slowed in quarter
* Dip in N America infrastructure services weighs
* Shares fall 7%
*
(Adds CEO comment, background, share price)
STOCKHOLM, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Sweden's Securitas,
the world's biggest security services group, reported on
Thursday an increase in fourth-quarter operating profit that
lagged market expectations and a slowdown in organic sales
growth, sending its shares down.
Operating profit was 1.32 billion Swedish crowns ($137.7
million) against a year-ago 1.14 billion. Analysts had on
average forecast a 1.52 billion crown profit, according data
from Refinitiv.
Operating profit before amortisation was 1.50 billion crowns
against a year-ago 1.48 billion. Organic sales growth, which
strips out the impact of acquisitions and divestments, slowed to
2% from 4% in the previous quarter and 5% in the same period a
year ago.
"Organic sales growth declined temporarily in North America
and was also hampered by the previously communicated contract
losses in Europe," Chief Executive Magnus Ahlqvist said.
The rival of Britain's G4S said in a statement that
the weaker sales momentum in North America was partly due to a
short-term decline in sales of critical infrastructure services,
which had also weighed on profitability in the quarter.
Shares in the firm fell 7% by 1220 GMT.
($1 = 9.5866 Swedish crowns)
(Reporting by Anna Ringstrom; editing by Niklas Pollard)
