Superior Industries International Inc. swung to a fourth quarter profit Friday, saying sales rose faster than expenses — but the company also said it will have to restate some earnings due to a tax liability.

Superior reported net income in the final quarter of 2007 of $5.8 million (22 cents per share), compared to a loss of $5.4 million (-20 cents) from the same period a year earlier. The results were well ahead of Wall Street’s expectations of 15 cents per share, according to a Thomson Financial poll.

A bump in prices as well as increased volume pushed total sales for the Van Nuys-based aluminum wheel manufacturer up 8 percent to $229 million although that was below analysts’ predictions of $238 million.

For the year, the company swung to a profit of $10.3 million (39 cents per share), and sales rose 21 percent to $967 million.

Superior also said it will also restate results for fiscal 2006 and 2005, whihc will decrease net income for those periods while increasing earnings in fiscal 2004 and 2003 and the first three quarters of 2007; due to the recording of deferred tax liabilities and inventory accounting.

Shares in Superior were up 3.5 percent to $19.76 in early trading Friday.