Feb 28 (Reuters) - Austrian lender Erste Group beat expectations regarding its operating profit on Friday as it released fourth-quarter results, on the back of higher net interest income.
The Vienna-based bank posted for the fourth quarter an operating profit of 1.39 billion euros ($1.44 billion), above analysts expectations that saw it reach 1.34 billion euros according to a company-provided poll.
($1 = 0.9630 euros)
(Reporting by Tristan Veyet in Gdansk; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
((Tristan.Chabba@thomsonreuters.com;))