Century Aluminum posts fourth-quarter profit

NEW YORK, Feb 15 （Reuters） - Century Aluminum Co （CENX.O） reported a fourth-quarter profit on Tuesday after a loss the previous year.

Net profit was $65.3 million, or 64 cents per share, compared with a loss of $24.4 million, or 28 cents per share, in the same quarter of 2009, the Monterey, California-based company said.

Sales rose to $316.9 million from $256.8 million, a year earlier.

Shares of Century rose 5.5 percent to $16.30 in after-hours trading from their $15.45 close.