8th May 2008 07:01
Diageo PLC08 May 2008 8 May 2008 Interim management statement for the nine months ended 31 March 2008 Diageo maintains full year guidance for 9% organic operating profit growth in year ending 30 June 2008. In the nine month period ended 31 March 2008 Diageo's organic net sales growthwas 7%, in line with the performance seen in the first half of the year ending30 June 2008. There has been no material change in the financial position of the group. Thereturn of cash to shareholders through the payment of dividends and thecontinued share buy back programme led to a reduction in net assets from £4.2billion at 30 June 2007 to £3.9 billion at 31 March 2008. Paul Walsh, Chief Executive of Diageo commented: 'Trading in the third quarter continued in line with the first half and we aretherefore maintaining our guidance for 9% organic operating profit growth forthe current fiscal year. 'We continue to believe that the diversity and strength of our brands, thesuccess of our marketing campaigns, our superior routes to market and our globalreach will be key in delivering our performance .' -ends- Notes to editor: The introduction of the EU Transparency Directive in 2006 required companieswhose securities are admitted to trading on a regulated market in the EU toissue interim management statements for financial years beginning after 20January 2007. Diageo is therefore required to publish interim managementstatements from the financial year beginning 1 July 2007. At the time of thepreliminary results on 30 August 2007 Diageo announced the following timetablefor issuing interim management statements: At the AGM in October 2007At the interim results in February 2008In May 2008At the preliminary results in August 2008 For further information: Investor Enquiries UK +44 (0)20 7927 4267 US +1 202 715 1110 Media Enquiries James Crampton +44 (0)20 7927 [email protected] Isabelle Thomas +44 20 7927 [email protected] Forward-looking statements This document contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning ofSection 27A of the US Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the USSecurities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements can beidentified by the fact that they do not relate only to historical or currentfacts. In particular, all statements that express forecasts, expectations andprojections with respect to future matters, including trends in results ofoperations, margins, growth rates, overall market trends, the impact of interestor exchange rates, the availability of financing to Diageo, anticipated costsavings or synergies and the completion of Diageo's strategic transactions, areforward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involverisk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on circumstancesthat will occur in the future. There are a number of factors that could causeactual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed orimplied by these forward-looking statements, including factors that are outsideDiageo's control. All oral and written forward-looking statements made on orafter the date of this document and attributable to Diageo are expresslyqualified in their entirety by the 'risk factors' contained in Diageo's annualreport on Form 20-F for the year ended 30 June 2007 filed with the US Securitiesand Exchange Commission (SEC). Any forward-looking statements made by or onbehalf of Diageo speak only as of the date they are made. Diageo does notundertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect any changes inDiageo's expectations or any changes in events, conditions or circumstances onwhich any such statement is based. The reader should, however, consult anyadditional disclosures that Diageo may make in documents it files with the SEC. All readers, wherever based, should take note of these disclosures. Theinformation in this document does not constitute an offer to sell or aninvitation to buy shares in Diageo plc or any other invitation or inducement toengage in investment activities. Past performance cannot be relied upon as aguide to future performance. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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