Frankenthal, Germany, Jun. 1--Tarkett saw turnover down by 1.1% at 341.5m euros for the first quarter of 2004, in a year-on-year comparison.
Excluding the influence of exchange rate alterations, a 2.7% increase would be shown, however.
Ebita was down from 26m euros to 24.6m euros owing to trading price pressure, while net profit rose from 9.3m euros to 10.6m euros, boosted by a stronger financial result. Debt was reduced by 15% to 280m euros.
New market strategies and products led to a slight increase in turnover in western Europe, while favorable market conditions resulted in strong growth in eastern Europe, and turnover growth was shown in the US. Laminates saw turnover up by more than one-third.
The company expects difficulty in matching 2003 figures for the current year as a whole, in view of rising raw material costs, but is hoping to balance this effect through positive turnover development.
