Chocolate-Maker Lindt Posts 14% Rise in Profit

Swiss chocolate-maker Lindt & Spruengli said Tuesday its 2012 first-half net profit rose 14% on the same period in 2011 to 36.6 million francs (US$37.7 million) despite difficult conditions in Europe and the United States.

The company saw gains in all key sectors of its business with sales up 5.3% to 1.03 billion francs compared with the first six months of 2011, it said in a statement.

Earnings before interest and tax were up 16% to 48.7 million francs for the chocolatier, which indicated that its medium- and long-term sales and profit forecasts remained unchanged.

By the end of the year Lindt & Spruengli expects organic growth levels of between 6% and 8%, it added.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2012