By Joshua Kirby 
 

Pernod Ricard SA said Thursday that sales increased in the third quarter of its fiscal year, taking the French drinks maker back to organic growth for the nine-month period.

Sales came to 1.96 billion euros ($2.36 billion) in the three months to March 31, up 19% at constant currency compared with the same period a year earlier. The result takes the nine-month figure to EUR6.91 billion, up 1.7% organically after an on-year decline in the first half, Pernod said.

Analysts had expected third-quarter sales at EUR1.84 billion, according to a FactSet-compiled consensus of four estimates.

Pernod expects sales to grow further in the year's final quarter, leading to full-year organic growth in profit from recurring operations of around 10%, Chairman and Chief Executive Alexandre Ricard said.

Pernod will pay an interim dividend of EUR1.33 a share in July, with the full dividend subject to the AGM decision in November.

Write to Joshua Kirby at joshua.kirby@dowjones.com; @joshualeokirby

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 22, 2021 02:01 ET (06:01 GMT)