5G to the fore as Ericsson beats expectations in financial year Strong year recorded by comms tech firm from continued high activity levels in North America, Northeast Asia and Europe, with 5G strong Share this item with your network: By Published: 01 Feb 2021 9:15 Modest quarterly and annual sales have translated into strong profits in both the fourth quarter and 2020 calendar year for communications technology provider Ericsson, with network sales and 5G making healthy contributions. For the fourth quarter of the year, sales adjusted for comparable units and currency were SEK69.6bn (£6bn) growing by 13% on an annual basis, driven by sales in Northeast Asia, Europe and North America. Gross margin excluding restructuring charges inched up just over three percentage points from 37.1% to 40.6%, with margin improvements in all segments. Operating income excluding restructuring charges improved annually by 80% to SEK11bn, while reported net income was SEK7.2bn.