Eiffage ends on target

A +2,2% increase in French-based Eiffage's consolidated sales for the fourth quarter of 2010 meant consolidated sales for the full year came to € 13,3 billion - in line with expectations at the start of the year, the company said.

It was the third quarter running that Eiffage reported an increase. Consolidated sales for the fourth quarter amounted to € 3,4 billion, with increases in both contracting activities (+1,9% growth) and concessions (+4,5% growth).

The full year sales compared with € 13,2 billion in 2009 and represented +0,7% growth, but a decrease of -1,3% at constant scope and exchange rates.

In its contracting activities, stable 2010 sales of € 11,3 billion matched those of 2009, mainly reflecting external growth, according to Eiffage. At constant scope and exchange rates, sales decreased by -2,4%, with a larger drop in figures for Europe excluding France, down -6,9%, than for France, down -1,3 %.

In France, Eiffage Construction recorded sales of € 2,8 billion, thanks to high growth in the fourth quarter.

In the rest of Europe, sales increased by +2,5% in total, to € 777 million. In Benelux, sales grew by +4,2%, and in Poland by +15,1%, whereas further decreases of -12,6% were recorded in the Czech Republic.

Eiffage was recently selected as the preferred bidder on a € 3,4 billion public-private partnership (PPP) contract for a high-speed rail line in France - an extension of the existing high-speed line between Paris and Connerré.