Danone on course to meet financial targets

FRANCE – Food giant Danone has reported consolidated sales of 11 billion euro for the first nine months of 2001, representing an increase of 0.8% on the previous year.

Sales on a like-for-like basis were up 3.7%, leading to 5.3% growth. Sales of fresh dairy products topped five billion euro, up 6.5% on 2000.

Danone officials remained confident that the company would deliver 2001 financial targets of a like-for-like sales growth of between 5% and 7%, and an improvement in operating margin ratio by 20 to 40 base points.