French insurer Axa today posted a slightly better-than-expected rise in 2004 sales.
Axa generated €72.16 billion in revenues last year versus €71.63 billion in 2003.
On a comparable basis, excluding currency fluctuations and changes in corporate structure, 2004 sales rose 1.8 per cent, it said today.
Axa's figures come amid a recovery in fourth-quarter US life and savings revenues and steady property and casualty premium gains.
The stock rose 1 per cent to €18.45 earlier compared with a 0.25 per cent rise in the DJ Stoxx index of European insurers.
Life and savings sales, 65 per cent of total revenues, rose 0.6 per cent to €47.06 billion in the year, or 1 per cent on a comparable basis, on fourth-quarter growth in the United States and premium increases in France, Axa said.