Food group IAWS posted a better-than-forecast 13.5 per cent rise in full-year earnings today.
IAWS reported adjusted earnings per share of 81.6 cents for its fiscal year to end-July.
The average forecast from four Dublin-based analysts polled by Reuters was for adjusted EPS of 80.4 cents.
Chief Executive Owen Killian said all the group's divisions, which include the brand names Cuisine de France and Delice de France, had made excellent progress in 2006 but noted increasing cost pressures, particularly from energy.
Despite the results, IAWS shares fell on what traders said was disappointment the figures were not better.
Shares in IAWS, which gained strongly in the run-up to the results, were down 3.5 per cent at €15 earlier today, off an earlier low of 14.9, on a broadly flat Dublin market.
IAWS' food division recorded year-on-year revenue growth of nearly 16 per cent to €975 million, with operating profit up 16 per cent to €88 million. Total turnover was up 10.6 percent to €1.56 billion.
Its smaller agriculture unit, which supplies products such as animal feeds and fertilisers, showed an improved performance, with turnover rising 3.4 per cent to €582 million and operating profit up 5.4 per cent to €24 million.
