Kansas City Southern 4Q profit rises.

(From AFX Europe (Focus))

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AFX) - Railroad operator Kansas City Southern said Tuesday its fourth-quarter profit rose sharply, as the company charged higher prices and hauled more freight, especially coal.

Quarterly earnings available to common shareholders increased to $35.7 million, or 41 cents per share, from $2.3 million, or 3 cents per share during the same period in 2005, when hurricanes affected results. Revenue improved by 14 percent to $442.4 million from $388.1 million.

Analysts polled by Thomson Financial forecast a profit of 33 cents per share on revenue of $414 million.

Revenue from the company's coal shipments …