PARIS, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Pernod Ricard said on Thursday it was confident sales growth would remain dynamic and broad-based albeit in a normalising environment for the 2023 fiscal year after it delivered forecast-beating first-half profit and sales, helped by price increases in the key Chinese and U.S. markets.
Pernod Ricard, which owns Martell cognac, Mumm champagne and Absolut vodka, said profit from current operations in the six months to Dec. 31 reached 2.423 billion euros ($2.6 billion), an organic rise of 12% above analysts' expectations for an 8.2% increase.
Sales at Pernod - whose rivals include Diageo and Remy Cointreau - totalled 7.116 billion euros in the first half, representing an organic rise of 12%, compared with analysts' expectations for a 9.7% increase.
Pernod Ricard's fiscal year started on July 1.
Pernod Ricard (RI.PA)
Diageo (DGE)
Remy Cointreau (RCO.PA)