STOCKHOLM, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Swedish telecom equipment

maker Ericsson reported on Friday a rise in

fourth-quarter revenue and adjusted operating profit as its

mainstay North American market returned to growth.

Net sales rose 1% to 72.9 billion crowns ($6.66 billion),

beating estimates of 72.5 billion. In North America, sales were

up 54%.

"We see further signs that the overall RAN (Radio Access

Network) market is now stabilizing, with strong growth in North

America supporting a return to Networks sales growth in Q4," CEO

Borje Ekholm said in a statement.

Sales in Asia decreased by double digits, mainly in

India, where demand fell following a rapid growth in 2023.

Operating profit excluding restructuring costs and

impairments stood at 10.2 billion crowns compared with a

year-earlier 8.2 billion. The mean forecast in an LSEG poll of

analysts was 10.3 billion.

Ericsson proposed a dividend of 2.85 crowns per share

for 2024, up from 2.70 crowns for 2023.

($1 = 10.9536 Swedish crowns)