Astra Q4 net jumps 36 pct on record car sales

* Q4 net 4.01 trln rph vs 2.94 trln in 2009-Reuters calculation

* Astra 2010 FY net profit up 43 pct, beats forecasts

* Record vehicle sales, higher commodity prices lift profits

PT Astra International ,  Indonesia's main vehicle distributor and biggest listed company, on Thursday said 2010 fourth-quarter net profit jumped 36 percent, driven by surging auto sales and higher commodities prices. 

Profit growth may slow in 2011 because of forecasts for a slowdown in booming car sales in Southeast Asia's biggest economy, as the market matures and motorists face surging oil prices and higher interest rates. 

Astra's fourth-quarter net profit rose to a record 4.01 trillion rupiah, from 2.94 trillion rupiah in the same period a year ago, Reuters calculations based on published nine-month and full-year figures showed. 

Huge demand for cars as interest rates stayed at a record low last year pushed sales in 2010 to a record 764,088 units, up 57 percent from 2009 and above forecasts of 720,000 units, according to Indonesia's automotive association. 

Astra, which is controlled by Singapore's Jardine Cycle & Carriage Ltd , reported 2010 net profit of 14.37 trillion rupiah. That compared with a net profit of 10.04 trillion rupiah a year earlier. 

Analysts had forecast full year 2010 net profit up 33 percent to 13.38 trillion rupiah, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Astra's 2010 full-year revenue rose 32 percent to 130 trillion rupiah. 

Indonesia's economy beat expectations in the fourth quarter to grow 6.9 percent from a year ago, the fastest pace in six years, though investors took profits in January from last year's 46 percent rally in the benchmark stock index on worries over building inflation and high valuations. 

Astra shares closed down 0.96 percent on Thursday ahead of the result, and have slipped 6 percent so far this year. Astra shares jumped 57 percent in 2010, outperforming the broader market rally, as investors bet on consumer stocks. Source: Reuters