Group Danone SA, the world's largest yogurt maker, reported a 4.1 percent increase in third-quarter sales, led by demand for Wahaha mineral water and tea drinks in China and Activia dairy products in the United States.

Revenue in the quarter advanced to 3.55 billion euros (US$4.45 billion) from 3.41 billion euros a year earlier.

Danone, the bottler of Evian water, also boosted forecasts for full-year sales and earnings per share, though Chairman Franck Riboud said emerging-market margins are "not optimal." Riboud has entered countries including China and sold units to focus on dairy products, cookies and water, Bloomberg News reported.

The company had "exceptional performance in beverages, with the strength continuing to come from Asia," Andrew Wood, an analyst at Sanford C Bernstein, wrote in an e-mailed note. "Reported sales were below our expectations."

Sales were below the 3.64 billion-euro median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of six analysts.

Source:佚名