Slovenian drugs firm Krka posts 11 pct profit rise (updated)

Krka dd Novo Mesto

25/07/2013 11:51

(Adds details, share price) LJUBLJANA, July 25 (Reuters) - Slovenian pharmaceutical company Krka  KRKG.LJ   KRK.WA  posted half-year net profit up 11 percent at 100.3 million euros ($132.76 million) on stronger sales. The company said that sales rose by 6 percent to 597.1 million euros, thanks largely to a steep increase in eastern Europe, where sales jumped by 26 percent. Krka, which also said it plans to increase its workforce to 10,000 from 9,800 by the end of the year, forecasts full-year profit unchanged at 160 million euros on sales that are expected to climb by 5 percent to 1.2 billion euros.  Shares of Krka were up by about 0.4 percent at 52 euros by 1040 GMT, against a 1.2 percent fall for the blue-chip SBI index .SBITOP . ($1 = 0.7555 euros) (Reporting by Marja Novak; Editing by David Goodman) ((Marja.Novak@thomsonreuters.com)(Reuters Messaging: marja.novak.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) Keywords: KRKA RESULT/