AXA says 2012 earnings fall 4 pct, lifts dividend

PARIS Feb 21 (Reuters) - Europe's No. 2 insurer, AXA , said on Thursday its full-year 2012 net income fell 4 percent on a like-for-like basis compared with a year-ago figure inflated by one-off gains from asset sales.

AXA reported a decline in net income to 4.15 billion euros ($5.55 billion) from 4.19 billion in a year-ago period boosted by 1.4 billion in exceptional gains.

Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S had forecast net income of 4.43 billion.