French media and communications giant Vivendi Universal reported Monday third-quarter sales rose one per cent to €7.4 billion from the same period a year ago.
The sales figure excluded the results of its former water and utilities subsidiary Vivendi Environnement, the group said in a statement.
On a like-for-like basis, which excludes the group's acquisitions of USA Networks, Maroc Telecom, Houghton Mifflin and MP3.com and its disposals of business-to-business activities and a publishing asset, sales fell four per cent.
In the first nine months of the year, Vivendi Universal sales were €22.4 billion, a gain of 13 per cent from 19.8 billion in the same period in 2001.
Compared on a like-for-like basis, nine-month sales rose five per cent.
AFP
