Net Income Rises 13.4% At Roussel Uclaf

Excluding exceptional items and on a comparable basis, Roussel Uclaf of France said that its net income for the nine months ended September 30, 1996 amounted to 1.2 billion French francs ($231.9 million), up 13.4%. Not restated, nine-month net income included net capital gains of 1,200 francs and amounted to 2.2 billion francs. The gains are mainly related to the sale of Laboratoires Lutsia in September, and the exchange of Roussel Uclaf participating shares in the USA and Canada in the first quarter. Income also reflects restructuring costs of 200 million francs.

Health care sales grew 9% or 3% on a comparable basis to 10 billion francs. The slowdown in drug sales in France has been offset by the group's performance outside France, particularly Latin America.