PARIS (Thomson Financial) - Essilor International posted full-year sales in line with market expectations as trading remained solid in the fourth quarter.
The lens maker also confirmed its guidance for higher full-year earnings and margins.
Essilor said 2007 sales reached 2.908 bln eur, up 8.1 pct from 2.690 bln in 2006. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial News had forecast sales of 2.909-2.922 bln.
For the fourth quarter, Essilor reported sales of 708 mln eur, up 6.1 pct from 667.3 a year earlier. On a like-for-like basis, sales rose 6.4 pct in the quarter and 8.0 pct over the full year.
Essilor called the fourth quarter 'satisfactory', saying activity remained 'very robust' in the US, while Asia and Latin America showed fast growth.
In Europe, growth slowed, with Essilor citing a tough comparative base. tfn.paris@thomson.com gt/ak/gt/ak COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Financial News Limited 2007. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Thomson Financial News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Financial News.
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