Slovenian fuel retailer Petrol's first-half profit up 6 pct (updated)

Petrol dd Ljubljana

28/08/2015 07:57

(Adds detail, quote) 
    LJUBLJANA, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Slovenia's largest fuel 
retailer Petrol  PETG.LJ  reported group first-half net profit 
up nearly 6 percent to 25.3 million euros ($28.5 million), from 
23.9 million in the same period last year. 
    Sales fell by 3 percent to 1.8 billion euros, mainly due to 
lower oil prices and difficult economic conditions in 
southeastern Europe, Petrol said in a statement on Friday. 
    "States of southeastern Europe are still facing ... low 
purchasing power, high unemployment and poor payment 
discipline," it said. 
    Petrol operates some 482 filling stations in Slovenia, 
Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo. 
    Sales of oil products in Slovenia, which represent 54 
percent of Petrol's total sales, fell by 11 percent year on 
year, Petrol said. 
($1=0.8883 euros) 
 
 (Reporting By Marja Novak; Editing by David Goodman) 
 ((Marja.Novak@thomsonreuters.com; +386-1-5058805; Reuters 
Messaging: marja.novak.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) 
 
Keywords: SLOVENIA PETROL/