SunGard, the US financial software firm, saw net profits surge 23% last year but warned that a 50% slide in revenue growth this year would drag earnings down in 2005.

Pennsylvania-based SunGard posted a $84m (€64m) rise in profits to $454m (€350m) in the 12 months to December 31, driven in part by a $54m gain from the sale of its electronic communications network, Brut to Nasdaq last September.