Heinz pours on 9.7 pct rise in 4Q net income

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Food maker H.J. Heinz says rising sales in emerging markets pushed its fourth-quarter net income up 9.7 percent.

Cost-cutting and higher prices also helped offset rising ingredient prices.

The maker of Ore-Ida potatoes and Classico pasta sauce, as well as its signature ketchup, says it earned $192.4 million, or 60 cents per share, in the three months ending April 28. That's up from $175.1 million, or 55 cents per share, a year ago.

Revenue rose 8.3 percent to $2.72 billion.

According to Thomson Reuters, analysts expected earnings per share of 59 cents on revenue of $2.75 billion.