ATLANTA (AP) – UPS is seeing more people using cell phones to buy and ship goods over the Internet, a greater number of customers paying for premium services like next-day air and businesses beefing up operations overseas.

The result: A fourth-quarter profit of $757 million, nearly triple the amount from a year earlier. The only blemish was UPS' money-losing freight business, which ships larger items such as gym equipment, grand pianos and automobiles.

The world's largest shipping company continues to position itself for an economic rebound, albeit a gradual one. UPS will spend less money in 2010 than it has historically on things like equipment, airplanes and trucks. It also is cutting jobs – although UPS said Tuesday it will reinstate pay raises for managers.

"UPS has emerged from a very difficult year leaner, more focused and better positioned to take advantage of improving economic trends,'' CEO Scott Davis told analysts during a conference call after the company reported its results.

The company issued a forecast for 2010 earnings that's consistent with Wall Street expectations.

UPS, based in Atlanta, pinned its strong performance in the final three months of 2009 on a good holiday shipping season and solid international business. Significant growth in online retail sales gave a bump to domestic results. UPS saw strong volumes shipping goods ordered on sites like Amazon.com and BestBuy.com.

Also, in November, Manheim Inc., a vehicle auction company, tapped UPS to oversee its entire supply chain for moving millions of used vehicles each year to the wholesale market.

Fourth-quarter profit equaled 75 cents per share, versus a profit of $254 million, or 25 cents per share, a year earlier.