Herbalife earnings rise 12 percent

Feb 19 (Reuters) - Weight-loss and vitamin company Herbalife Ltd posted a 12 percent rise in quarterly profit, helped by stronger sales primarily in Asia Pacific.

The company's fourth-quarter income rose to $117.8 million, or $1.05 per share, from $105.4 million, or 86 cents per share, a year earlier.

Revenue rose about 20 percent to $1.06 billion.

The company has been the target of William Ackman, the hedge fund investor who said he was shorting the stock and alleged that the company was a "pyramid scheme".