PARIS (dpa-AFX) - French industrial and medical gases maker Air Liquide SA (AIQUY.PK) reported that Group revenue for the first-quarter 2015 was 3.993 billion euros, up 7.0% on a reported basis and up 3.0% on a comparable basis compared to the first-quarter of 2014.
Sales in Gas & Services, which amounted to 3.632 billion euros, rose by 6.3% on a reported basis and by 2.6% on a comparable basis. The positive currency effect (+7.3%) was partly offset by a negative energy impact (-3.6%), which was particularly evident in Large Industries.
Benoît Potier, Chairman and CEO of Air Liquide, said, 'Growth this quarter was driven by the dynamism of Healthcare and Electronics, and by developing economies, especially China where sales rose by nearly +20% on a comparable basis......Growth in the next few years will be supported by the recent major new contract signings, the investment backlog of €2.6 billion, and the innovations and technologies currently under development.'
Looking ahead, Air Liquide said it is confident in its ability to deliver another year of net profit growth in 2015.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX