Saint-Gobain adjusted its 2005 profit growth goal on 25/10/05, saying high energy & transport costs were eating into profitability at some of its businesses. Reporting a 6.9% increase in 9-month revenue, the company said it now expected full-year operating profit on a constant currency basis to be slightly below the 4.9% increase achieved in the 1H/05. It had been expecting a 6% rise. Saint-Gobain said the business recovery seen in the 2Q 2005 had not continued with the strength it had expected in the 3Q, & that this trend was likely to continue for the rest of 2005."Elsewhere, the profitability of some businesses, particularly packaging, was affected by very high increases in energy & transport costs over the summer, notably in the US," it said.
