By Olivia Bugault

 

Lonza Group AG said Wednesday that sales and earnings rose in 2020 and that it increased its dividend.

The Swiss life-sciences company reported sales of 4.51 billion Swiss francs ($5.09 billion), compared with CHF4.21 billion the year prior.

Earnings before interest and taxes rose 9% to CHF901 million, it said. Core earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization stood at CHF1.41 billion, up roughly 5% from last year, it added.

Lonza now expects sales at constant exchange rates to grow in the low double digits for 2021, while its core Ebitda margin should improve.

"While the businesses have shown strong levels of resilience during the pandemic, all forecasts should continue to be treated with some caution at this time of global uncertainty arising from the Covid-19 pandemic," the company said.

Lonza's board of directors has proposed to increase the 2020 dividend to CHF3 per share from CHF2.75 per share, a proposal that represents a pay-out of 25.8% of 2020 reported net profit.

 

Write to Olivia Bugault at olivia.bugault@wsj.com

 

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 27, 2021 01:52 ET (06:52 GMT)

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