Saint-Gobain: First half 2008 results hold firm

Saint Gobain Group's performance held firm in first-half 2008 amid a difficult economic climate and an unfavorable basis for comparison after a particularly strong first-half 2007.
All sectors reported advances in like-for-like sales over the first six months of the year. The Group's organic growth came in at +2.2%, including a +3.1% price impact and a -0.9% volume effect. In the second quarter alone, organic growth was +3.4% (versus +0.9% in the three months to March 30, 2008), reflecting higher sales price increases in the second quarter (+3.5% versus +2.6% in the first quarter of the year), according to a July 24 PRNewswire report.