Priceline.com 4th-quarter profit rises

Feb 26 (Reuters) - Priceline.com, the online travel agency known for its name your own price auction, on Tuesday reported higher quarterly profit, citing improved hotel and car-rental reservations, and its shares rose in extended trading.

The company, which competes with Expedia Inc and Orbitz Worldwide, said fourth-quarter net income of $288.7 million, or $5.63 per share, compared with $225.7 million, or $4.41 per share, a year earlier.

Shares of Priceline.com were up 5.2 percent after the company announced its financial results.