Carlsberg increases dividend, fourth quarter sales disappoint
By Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen
COPENHAGEN, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Danish brewer Carlsberg on Wednesday said it expected operating profit to grow by a percentage in the mid-single-digits this year and that it would increase dividend payout, after posting 2017 sales below analysts' expectations.
Net profit without impairments rose to 4.93 billion Danish crowns ($820.08 million) in 2017, slightly above the 4.86 billion crowns expected by analysts in a Reuters poll. Carlsberg gave no quarterly earnings figures.
However, fourth-quarter sales fell to 13.36 billion crowns, missing the 13.63 billion seen in the poll.
Carlsberg, the world's third largest brewer, said it would recommend increasing dividend payout for 2017 by 60 percent to 16 crowns per share.
($1=6.0116 Danish crowns)
(Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
