Russian food retailer X5 posts 36 pct fall in Q4 earnings

MOSCOW, March 19 (Reuters) - Russia's second-biggest food retailer X5 said on Thursday its fourth-quarter net profit dropped 35.6 percent, year-on-year, to 2.8 billion roubles ($46.6 million).

X5 also said its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose 19.4 percent to 13.5 billion roubles, with its EBITDA margin sliding to 7.4 percent from 7.5 percent a year earlier. ($1 = 60.0350 roubles) (Reporting by Maria Kiselyova; Editing by Alexander Winning)