ZURICH (Reuters) – Roche posted first-half net profit of 8.22 billion Swiss francs ($8.96 billion) as sales rose 8% at constant exchange rates to a better-than expected 30.71 billion francs.
The Swiss drugmaker continued to benefit from demand for COVID-19 tests that have buoyed its diagnostics division.
The company maintained its full-year forecast for sales to grow at a low- to mid-single-digit rate at constant exchange rates, with core earnings per share growing about the same as sales. “Roche expects to increase its dividend in Swiss francs further,” it added.
($1 = 0.9173 Swiss francs)
(Reporting by Michael Shields; Editing by Riham Alkousaa)
