Downward slide

The Finnish Rautakesko group achieved net sales of € 2.0 bn during the first nine months of the current 2008 financial year, which puts it 4 per cent above the same period last year. Sales in Finland increased by 0.3 per cent to € 716 mio. International sales grew by 6.9 per cent to € 1.284 bn. Operating profit excluding non-recurring expenses dropped 36.7 per cent to € 59.5 mio. If non-recurring expenses are included, the company reports a drop of 77.4 per cent to € 21.6 mio.