Liquor firm nets P3.4B

Leading liquor-maker Emperador Inc. grew its first semester net profit by 5.5 percent year-on-year to P3.4 billion as favorable margins made up for a modest growth in revenues.

Net income in the second quarter hit P2 billion, up by 9.4 percent year-on-year. Compared to the first quarter, this bottom line level improved by almost 45 percent.

Consolidated revenues for the first six months showed a marginal growth of 0.2 percent to P18.4 billion.

“Our margins have enabled us to sustain strong profitability that’s underpinned by our brandy and whisky businesses. We have a compelling product portfolio that’s led by leading brandy brands in both local and foreign liquor segments in the Philippines, Emperador and Fundador brandy, respectively; and world-renowned whisky brands whose availability in Manila has been increasing since last year, The Dalmore and Jura,” Emperador president Winston Co said on Thursday.

Emperador is now the world’s largest brandy company. It is valued by the stock market at around P119 billion as of Thursday’s closing. Doris Dumlao-Abadilla