A rise in larger orders lifted Indianapolis-based Interactive Intelligence Inc. to higher profit and revenue in the fourth quarter.

The business-communications software firm said Friday morning that profit more than doubled to $10.4 million, or 54 cents per share, in the quarter ended Dec. 31, up from $5.1 million, or 28 cents per share, in the same period in 2009.

Profit beat analyst estimates by 4 cents, according to a survey of Thomson Reuters analysts.

Revenue leaped to $50.7 million, an increase of 41 percent over revenue of $35.9 million a year ago.

“Our fourth-quarter orders were very strong from both new and existing customers, with good contributions from North America, Europe and Australia,” said Interactive Intelligence CEO Donald E. Brown in a prepared statement.

Brown said orders of at least $250,000 jumped from 19 in the fourth quarter of 2009 to 31 in the same quarter last year.

For the year, the company reported profit of $26.5 million, or $1.40 per share, compared with $18.2 million, or $1 per share, in 2009.

Revenue in 2010 grew 27 percent, to $166.3 million.

Shares have soared nearly 30 percent since Interactive Intelligence provided a preview of the strong fourth-quarter earnings earlier this month.

Shares opened trading Friday morning at $34 each.

Brown said the outlook for 2011 is annual revenue of at least $200 million, or growth of 20 percent over 2010.