DÜSSELDORF (dpa-AFX) - Gerresheimer continues on its growth course. However, the packaging manufacturer was not able to continue the momentum from the beginning of the year as strongly in the second financial quarter (to the end of May). By its own efforts - i.e. excluding portfolio and exchange rate effects - sales grew by 12.8 percent from March to May, the MDax group announced in Düsseldorf on Thursday. In the first three months, the figure was 21 percent. Management confirmed its targets for the full fiscal year (to the end of November), according to which sales and operating profit should increase organically by at least ten percent.

In the second fiscal quarter (to the end of May), sales rose by over 12 percent to almost half a billion euros. Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) rose by 19 percent to 107.2 million euros, corresponding to an operating margin of 21.5 percent./lew/stk