PARIS - French media and telecommunications group Vivendi Universal reported an 8.6 percent jump in first quarter sales Wednesday to 4.761 billion euros (6.2 billion dollars), compared with the same period last year, and increased its full-year performance forecast.
The company said that based on current data it now foresaw adjusted net earnings in 2005 of at least 1.8 billion euros, an increase of 37 percent from 2004.
"Taking account of the good performance of its activities, Vivendi Universal at this stage is looking to surpass two billion euros in adjusted net earnings starting in 2006," the company said.
On a comparable basis, taking into consideration sales of certain operations last year, first quarter revenues came to 4.716 billion euros, an increase of seven percent from the first three months of 2004.
04/27/2005 18:46 GMT