China Resources profit climbs on less retailing loss ( 2003-11-22 16:16) (HK Edition)
Red-chip conglomerate China
Resources Enterprise (CRE) said yesterday that its net profit rose by 3.1 per
cent year-on-year in the third quarter as losses from its retailing unit
narrowed.
Net profit went up to HK$372.02 million (US$47.69 million) in the third
quarter and by 3.3 per cent to HK$1.12 billion (US$143.81 million) in the first
nine months.
Turnover grew by 20.9 per cent to HK$25.05 billion (US$3.21 billion).
"On the back of a pick-up in the local economy and a growing mainland market,
the group has gradually weathered the disruption caused by the outbreak of SARS
and the US/Iraq war in the first half," the company said.
CRE's retailing operations lost HK$22.68 million (US$2.91 million) in the
third quarter, down from HK$72.97 million (US$9.36 million) in the second
quarter, when they were hit by the SARS epidemic.
The cost in its retailing unit was brought down as the company slowed its
supermarket expansion on the mainland. The plan for new stores this year has
been trimmed to 26 from an original target of more than 60.
CRE's food processing and distribution division reported 15.3 per cent growth
in net profit to HK$98.88 million (US$12.68 million), as its promotion of
high-quality fresh meat paid off.
Net profit from its beer brewing unit increased by 13.3 per cent to HK$69.94
(US$8.93 million). The company sold 2.1 million kilolitres of beer in the first
nine months, up 7.4 per cent.
Textile business registered 25.5 per cent in the first three quarters despite
the sharp rise in cotton prices. The increase was attributable to cost control
and contribution from newly-acquired textile plants, company said.
Net profit from the petroleum and chemical distribution operations increased
by 7.5 per cent in the third quarter.