Riyadh – Mubasher: Almarai reported a net profit increase of 22% in the second quarter of 2015 to SAR 530.4 million, up from SAR 433.3 million in the same period in 2014, according to a filing to the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul).

The food and beverage company also posted a profit of SAR 836.9 million during the first six months of 2015, compared to SAR 706.9 million in the same period a year earlier, a registering a rise in profits by 18%.

Almarai attributed its profit growth during Q2-15 to a rise in sales by 11.0%, the company said.

It added that its six-month profit increase was due to growing sales by 11.3% during the period owing to a 35% surge in the poultry sector and an 11.8% increase in the dairy and juices sectors, despite the decline in the bakery sector by 2.7%.