Reaching $.3031 billion, DuPont's net profits soared by 70% in 2010, the U.S. chemicals giant announced on Jan. 25.

Net sales for the year rose by 21% to $31.5 billion, nearing the firm's pre-recession figures.

But in the final quarter of 2010 profits were down 15%, against the same period in 2009, coming in at $376 million.

But the group's total consolidated sales were higher, at $7.4 billion in the fourth quarter, beating analysts' expectations of nearly $7 billion.

"The fourth quarter was an outstanding finish to an outstanding year," DuPont's CEO Ellen Kullman said.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2011