Beiersdorf continues sales growth

Pharmacy supplier Beiersdorf has published its financial report for the first half of the 2008 fiscal year, with the company reporting continued strong sales growth.

Group sales at the firm rose 11.5 per cent adjusted for currency translation effects to 3,091 million euros (2,427 million pounds).

The operating result at the company rose to 392 million euros, with the EBIT margin in its consumer business segment rose to 13.5 per cent.

Profit after tax excluding special factors rose from 244 million euros to 282 million euros, with return on sales rising to 9.1 per cent.

Thomas-B Quaas, chairman of the executive board of the firm, said: “Beiersdorf is growing at least twice as fast as the market and is gaining market share in its strategic growth regions.”

Beiersdorf supplies a range of major brands, including Elastoplast, Labello and Nivea, which it describes as the world’s biggest personal care brand.