Acquisitions Boost Fresenius' Results

For first half fiscal-1996, ended September 30, German company Fresenius reported consolidated sales of 2.04 billion Deutschemarks ($1.35 billion), a rise of 24% on the like, year-earlier period. Consolidated profit after taxes increased 41% to 86 million marks, the company announced. Pretax profits for the period rose 38% to 153 million marks.

Sales development was "markedly influenced" by the acquisition in 1996 of VAMED AG in Austria, says Fresenius, and the pharmaceutical companies belonging to Consorcio Alpha SA de CV in Mexico, as well as the dialysis company Ajax Chemicals Healthcare in Australia. The contribution to sales by these companies was 230 million marks.

Divisional Performance The group's dialysis technology division reported turnover up 13% at 1.05 billion marks. Pharmaceutical sales increased 14% to 534 million marks and intensive care medicine contributed 128 million marks, a rise of 10%. The project planning business, whose revenues jumped 224% over the like, year-earlier period, saw sales of 259 million marks strongly influenced by the acquisition of VAMED.