SAN FRANCISCO, April 15 -- Google Inc. on Thursday reported that its profit rose nearly 37 percent in the first quarter of this year, slightly better than consensus estimate but falling short of some analysts' higher expectations.

In the three months ended on March 31, Google earned 1.96 billion U.S. dollars or 6.06 dollars a share, compared with 1.42 billion dollars or 4.49 dollars a share in the year-ago period.

Excluding some costs, earnings a share was 6.76 dollars. However, estimates compiled by Bloomberg were as high as 6.91 dollars.

The Internet company's revenue in the quarter was 6.78 billion dollars, an increase of 23 percent from a year earlier. Paid clicks to ads on Google and partners' sites rose 15 percent year- on-year and increased 5 percent over the fourth quarter of 2009.

Shares of Google fell more than 4 percent in after-hours trading after the earnings results were released.