Bang & Olufsen Q4 profit tops forecast, upbeat on yr ahead

COPENHAGEN Aug 15 (Reuters) - Danish luxury electronics maker Bang & Olufsen reported a bigger-than-expected rise in fourth-quarter profits on Wednesday, helped by new products, and forecast a stronger profit in the year ahead.

Pretax profits at the maker of upmarket televisions and sound systems rose to 77 million Danish crowns ($12.8 million) in B&O's March-May fourth quarter from 8.1 million crowns in the same period last year, beating analysts' average expectation of a rise to 59.1 million in a Reuters poll.

Providing guidance for its 2012/13 financial year for the first time, B&O said it expected double-digit revenue growth in the year ahead and a stronger operating margin.

($1 = 6.0406 Danish crowns) (Reporting by Copenhagen newsroom)