Tax benefits drive up Chrysler 4Q net earnings

DETROIT — Chrysler Group’s fourth-quarter net income more than quadrupled to $1.62 billion, aided by $962 million in one-time tax benefits.

Without the benefits, the company made $659 million, still 74 percent more than a year ago.

Chrysler’s performance helped to prop up Fiat, its Italian owner, which made $345 million excluding one-time items. Without earnings from Chrysler, Fiat would have lost$321 million.

Fiat owned 58.5 percent of Chrysler last year. It has since bought the rest from a trust fund that pays health care bills for union retirees.

Chrysler’s 10th-straight profitable quarter came because of strong U.S. sales of Ram pickups and Jeep Grand Cherokees.

For the full year, Chrysler made $1.8 billion excluding tax benefits, its best performance since leaving bankruptcy in 2009.