Hoechst Realignment Reflected In Interim Result

In the first six months of 1997, Hoechst group sales reached 27.89billion Deutschemarks ($14.96 billion), showing a rise of 7% on the like, 1996 period (including 3% from volume, 1% from price hikes and 5% from exchange rates.

Hoechst says the realignment of the group is now increasingly reflected in the full set of figures. At 2.3 billion marks, operating profit is 18% lower than first-half 1996, but on a comparable basis it rose 7%. Pretax profits were 54% less at 2 billion marks, and included significant gains on disposals of companies and shareholding. Adjusted for the extraordinary gains, first-half pretax profits rose 10%.

Hoechst Marion Roussel Integration: Rapid Progress The integration of Hoechst Marion Roussel, the group's pharmaceutical business, subsequent to the acquisition of the outstanding minority interest in Roussel Uclaf (Marketletters passim) is making rapid progress, the firm noted.