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Lagardère is its annual targets

Arnaud Lagardere, chief executive of the eponymous company listed on the CAC 40, welcomed the interim results published on Thursday evening. With a net profit of 97 million euros (excluding EADS), up 20% to sales, it, down slightly from 2.7% to 3.716 billion euros in the first half of 2010, media group raised its annual targets.

"Our results over the last three months confirm the resumption of the advertising market in the first quarter recorded (…). Media operating profit will improve significantly compared to targets set in March from the order of -10% to – 5%, "said the boss in a statement.

In the first six months of the fiscal year, the branches and Lagardère Publishing Unlimited have penalized the group's activities.On the one hand, the transfer of rights to the International saga by Stephenie Meyer partially offsets the decline in book sales after exceptional year 2009. On the other hand the non-recurrence of the activity generated by the qualifying matches for World Cup football and the lack of marketing Championship World Men's Handball weighed on activity.

Lagardere Active and Services, they have done better than last year. At Active, the group noted a marked growth of advertising revenues in the second quarter of 2010, which is explained in particular by the upturn in international Magazine.

Regarding the current operating income, the lower contribution of Lagardère Unlimited (up from 24 to 9 million), linked to a calendar of sporting events particularly poor for the group had a significant negative effect.The other three divisions were generally up over 15%.

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