Samsung Electronics, the world's largest maker of chips, flat screens and smartphones, saw its operating profit decline in the fourth quarter of last year due to negative currency impact and one-off expenses for marketing and special incentives.

Samsung's operating profit was 8.31 trillion won (7.72 billion U.S. dollars) in the three months through December, down 18.23 percent from three months earlier, the company said in an e-mailed statement.

Sales increased 0.33 percent from three months earlier to 59.28 trillion won in the fourth quarter, but net profit reduced 11.44 percent to 7.3 trillion won.

"Our earnings were lower than what the market expected due to a negative currency impact of around 700 billion won and a significant one-off expense of about 800 billion won," said Robert Yi, Samsung's senior vice president and head of investor relations (IR). Endi