(Adds more results, EBITDA)
By Gram Slattery and Flavia Bohone
BRASILIA, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Lojas Renner SA , Brazil's biggest apparel retailer, missed fourth-quarter profit estimates on Thursday, as a sharp increase in costs outpaced growing revenue amid an aggressive expansion drive.
In a statement, Renner said net income totaled 332 million reais ($101 million), up 10.7 percent from the same period a year earlier. Analysts projected profit of 377 million reais in the period, according to consensus estimates compiled by Reuters.
Same-store sales, a measure of sales at stores open for at least 12 months, climbed 8.7 percent from the same period a year before in the fourth-quarter, below an estimate of 9.6 percent by analysts at BTG Pactual.
Operational costs, meanwhile, shot up 22.8 percent, with a heavy increase in general and administrative costs putting pressure on margins. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization rose 6.3 percent in the quarter to 603 million reais, below a Reuters estimate of 661 million reais.
Renner, based in the southern city of Porto Alegre, has become an investor-darling as an effective transition from a traditional department store to a tech-savvy fast-fashion retailer - combined with a consumer-led rebound in Brazil - has boosted sales and profit. Shares in 2017 climbed over 70 percent.
However, results have occasionally come in below analysts' lofty expectations. (Reporting by Gram Slattery; Editing by Chris Reese and Diane Craft)
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.