Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA reported preliminary unaudited sales results for the year 2016. Net sales declined by roughly 3.3% to approximately EUR 2.52 billion compared to EUR 2.61 billion a year ago. As a result, net sales growth in 2016 fell short of Dr-ger's latest forecast range. Earnings improved significantly in spite of the decline in net sales. Net sales fell short of expectations in the Africa, Asia, and Australia region, particularly in the Middle East, and in many European countries in 2016. By contrast, business in Germany and the Americas region developed positively. This development largely continued in the fourth quarter, too.