French insurance giant AXA SA Thursday said net profit almost quadrupled in 2009 as it shook off the worst effects of the financial crisis and cleaned up its U.S. activities that hurt it at the end of last year.

Net profit for 2009 soared to €3.61 billion ($4.91 billion) from €923 million a year earlier, above an average €2.97 billion forecast from eight analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires. Revenue slid 1.2% to €90.12 billion from €91.22 billion a year ago.