Hutchison Whampoa Chairman Li Ka-shing smiles during a news conference announcing the company's annual results in Hong Kong March 29, 2011. Hutchison Whampoa Ltd, billionaire Li Ka-shing's ports-to-telecoms flagship company, beat expectations with a 47 percent rise in 2010 earnings, driven in part by a turnaround in its 3G telecom operations.[Photo/Agencies]

Hutchison Whampoa Ltd , Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing's flagship ports-to-telecoms company, posted a 632 percent rise in first-half net profit, helped by hefty one-off gain from the spin-off of its port assets, but lagging market forecasts, Reuters reported Thursday. 

Hutchison, whose businesses include telecommunications operator 3 Group and Watsons retail stores, reported a net profit of HK$46.3 billion ($5.95 billion), including a one-off gain of HK$44.3 billion for the first half.

That compared with net profit of HK$6.32 billion for the first half of 2010 and lagged an average forecast of HK$51.2 billion from 10 analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters.

Hutchison said it booked an exceptional gain of HK$44.29 billion in the first half from the Singapore initial public offering of its southern China ports assets -- Hutchison Port Holdings Trust.