Bank of America Corp reported a fourth-quarter loss of $5.2 billion, hurt by higher credit costs, lower net interest income and its repayment of U.S. government bailout aid.

The nation's largest bank said the loss was equal to 60 cents per share, and compared with a year-earlier loss of $2.4 billion, or 48 cents a share.

It was expected to report a loss of 52 cents per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S poll of 25 analysts.

Revenue increased 59 percent to $25.4 billion, primarily due to the addition of Merrill Lynch & Co.

In early December, Charlotte, North Carolina-based Bank of America repaid $45 billion in Troubled Asset Relief Program funds, leading a wave of bailout repayments by the country's biggest banks.

(Reporting by Joe Rauch; editing by John Wallace)

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