European building materials supplier Saint-Gobain reported sales for the first half of 2014 of €20.7 billion (US$27.7 billion), a decrease of 1 percent year-over-year. On a like-for-like basis, sales increased 4.1 percent. Profit more than doubled to €671 million (US$897.7 million), compared to €313 million a year ago.
“After a first quarter boosted by favorable weather conditions in Europe, the second quarter confirmed the slight uptrend in our markets first seen in second-half 2013 across all of our regions; only France remains down,” CEO Pierre-André de Chalendar said.
Building distribution segment sales increased 3.6 percent, on a like-for-like basis, to €9.3 billion (US$12.4 billion). Innovative materials like-for-like sales were up 3.7 percent to €4.5 billion (US$6 billion). Construction products sales were €5.6 billion (US$7.5 billion), up 5.5 percent on a like-for-like basis. Packaging sales were €1.5 billion (US$2 billion), up 1.7 percent.
