UPDATE 1-51Job Q4 earnings rise

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March 3 (Reuters) - China's 51Job Inc (JOBS.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), which publishes a weekly newspaper and a runs a namesake jobs Web site, posted a 6.6 percent rise in fourth-quarter earnings, helped by improved performance of its print advertising business.

For the first quarter, the Shanghai-based company expects to earn 12 cents to 14 cents per ADS, excluding share-based compensation expense and other items, on revenue of $30.2 million to $31.5 million.

Analysts were expecting 16 cents a share, including share-based compensation expense, on revenue of $30.8 million.

The company reported fourth-quarter earnings of $2.9 million, or 10 cents per American depositary share (ADS), on total revenue of $29.3 million.

Analysts on average were expecting earnings of 11 cents per ADS, excluding exceptional items but including share-based compensation, on revenue of $27.7 million, according to Reuters Estimates.

Excluding share-based compensation expense and foreign currency translation loss, the company posted earnings 17 cents per ADS.

Print advertising revenues for the quarter rose 9.2 percent to $13.1 million due to a greater volume of advertisements in 51job Weekly which was partially offset by lower average revenue per page. (Reporting by Neetha Mahadevan in Bangalore; Editing by Jarshad Kakkrakandy)