MOSCOW, August 16 (RIA Novosti) - Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods [NYSE: WBD] said Wednesday its net profit in the first half of 2006 was 154.3 million rubles ($5.75 million), compared with a net loss of 156.8 million rubles ($5.84 million) in the first half of 2005.
The earnings of Russia's leading producer of juices and dairy products grew 56.6%, to 366.2 million rubles ($13.65 million). Gross profit rose 54% in the first half of 2005, to 352.8 million rubles ($13.15 million), while pretax profit went up 16%, to 221.9 million rubles ($8.27 million).
Founded in 1992, Wimm-Bill-Dann includes 30 production enterprises in Russia and the CIS. It holds a diversified portfolio of brands accounting for over 1,000 dairy products and more than 150 types of juices and cold beverages.
The company, which currently employs more than 17,000 personnel, became the first Russian consumer goods producer to list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in 2002.
