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Aventis earnings jump
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May 9, 2001: 2:12 a.m. ET
Franco-German pharmaceuticals company posts strong 1Q on drug sales
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LONDON (CNN) - Franco-German firm Aventis said on Wednesday first-quarter profit in its life sciences business rose 65 percent on the back of strong drug sales.
Net profit at the Life Sciences business climbed to  306 million ($207 million), or 0.39 a share, from 186 million, or 0.24 a share, in the year earlier period. Revenues rose 12 percent to 4.1 billion.
Analysts polled by Reuters forecast life sciences net profit of 271-292 million and earnings per share of 0.35-0.48.
The Strasbourg, France-based company's key drugs include Allegra, an antiallergy drug, breast cancer treatment Taxotere and Lovenox, a drug for prevention and treatment of thrombosis and other cardiovascular conditions.
Aventis, formed by the merger of Germany's Hoechst and France's Rhône-Poulenc in 1999, plans to sell its chemical activities and agriculture business, which has been hit by problems after the accidental emergence of its genetically modified StarLink corn in human food in the U.S
The company said earnings before interest, tax and amortisation – a measure of a company's financial performance that is heavily in debt -- in its crop sciences division rose 20.7 percent to 265 million. 
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