Due to a shift in sales toward the second half of the year, the turnover of Le Coq Sportif declined to €56.8 million for the first six months of this year, down from €57.6 million in the prior-year period, but the French brand substantially raised its profit margins. A sharper focus on cost efficiency helped to raise Le Coq Sportif's gross profit margin by 4.3 percentage points to 48.4 percent. Its Ebitda reached €2.6 million, which amounts to a margin of 4.5 percent for the six months, while it just about broke even in terms of operating profit in the year-ago period. The preliminary figures were published by Airesis, the Swiss holding company that owns a large majority stake in Le Coq Sportif. The firm said that it expects the trend at the French company to continue in the second half and beyond. It projects a double-digit rate sales increase for the remainder of the year. Margins should remain stable, despite slightly higher operating costs due to the brand's partnership with the French rugby federation, which should help to raise brand awareness. Airesis will publish full half-year results later this month.

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