MetLife fourth-quarter profit falls, beats Street

* Company confirms in talks to acquire AIG's ALICO unit
* Operating Q4 EPS 96 cents vs Street view 95 cents
* Operating revenue up 13 percent at $13.32 billion
* Shares slip 2.7 percent in thin trading after the bell

MetLife Inc's (MET.N) fourth-quarter earnings fell 70 percent because of investment losses, but its operating profit beat Wall Street expectations by a penny on Tuesday as the credit market began to thaw boosting revenues at the biggest U.S. life insurer... The company also confirmed it was in talks to buy American International Group Inc's (AIG.N) American Life Insurance Company (ALICO) unit, but no agreement had been reached...

Reuters: MetLife fourth-quarter profit falls, beats Street