Dubai – Mubasher: Dubai Refreshments Co. (DRC) reported a net profit of AED 72.546 million ($19.75 million) for the first half of 2015, a rise of 5.5% from AED 68.772 million ($18.72 million) in the same period in 2014.

Meanwhile, Q2 profits retreated slightly by 0.6% to AED 39.39 million, compared to AED 39.63 million in Q2-14, according to a filing to the Dubai Financial Market (DFM).

Earnings per share (EPS) grew 6.6% to AED 0.81 in H1-15 compared to AED 0.76 in the corresponding period last year.

DRC’s sales fell 1.4% during the half-year period to AED 471.697 million, from AED 478.422 million in H1-14. Moreover, cost of sales declined 5% to AED 297.825 million, bringing the company’s total earnings to AED 172.87 million.

The beverage bottling firm previously posted a net profit of AED 33.15 million for Q1, a rise of 13.77% from AED 29.14 million in Q1-14.