Givaudan 3Q Sales Up 4.9%; Repeats Full-Year Revenue, Margin Goal
October 08 2010 - 1:45AM
Dow Jones News
Givaudan SA (GIVN.VX) Friday reported a 4.9% rise in
third-quarter sales, and repeated full-year goals of at least 5%
sales growth in local currencies and an operating margin of
22.7%.
The Swiss manufacturer of flavors and ingredients for luxury
perfumes like J'Adore by Dior and Armani Code said sales in the
three months ended Sept. 31 rose to CHF1.08 billion Swiss francs
($1.11 billion), according to a calculation by Dow Jones Newswires,
from CHF1.03 billion in the year-ago period. This missed analysts'
expectations, which averaged CHF1.09 billion in a poll.
"For the fourth quarter 2010, Givaudan expects a continued good
performance and is therefore confident of achieving its stated 2010
full year objectives," Givaudan said in a statement. The company
issues full earnings for the half-year and full-year only.
Even with sales growth in the third quarter edging off the more
than 10% posted in the first six months, Givaudan is all but
guaranteed to reach its 5% sales goal in local currencies for the
year. The company already said in August shareholders could expect
a higher dividend than the CHF20.60 a share paid out in 2009.
Shortly after that, Givaudan laid out a cost-savings plan to meet
sales targets over the next five years. To do so, it will move
production of savory flavors from Switzerland and the U.K. to
Hungary, where it is investing CHF170 million in a new production
site.
Over the next five years, Givaudan wants to expand sales by 4.5%
to 5.5% annually, which is above market growth, estimated by the
Swiss company between 2% and 3%.
The company repeated its pledge to return more than 60% of free
cash flow to shareholders once debt it slashed.
Givaudan shares, which have gained 21% so far this year,
outpacing a 8.1% rise in the Stoxx Europe 600 chemical index,
closed at CHF1,004 Thursday.
Givaudan, which bought Dutch rival Quest three years ago, is the
world's largest manufacturer of flavors and fragrances measured by
sales. It is followed by International Flavors & Fragrances
Inc. (IFF)--or IFF for short--and privately-owned Geneva-based
Firmenich.
-By Katharina Bart, Dow Jones Newswires; +41 43 443 8043;
katharina.bart@dowjones.com
International Flavors an... (NYSE:IFF)
Historical Stock Chart
From Aug 2024 to Sep 2024
International Flavors an... (NYSE:IFF)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2023 to Sep 2024