Danone sees 4.5% gain in annual earnings to reach €1.75bn

Sales growth in infant formula and bottled water products have helped lift French yoghurt firm Danone to a 4.5% gain in annual earnings, according to its newly released 2011 accounts.

Adjusted net income at the world’s largest yoghurt maker rose to €1.75bn from €1.67bn a year earlier. For the full year, Danone generated revenues of €19.3bn.

In unveiling the positive global results in Paris yesterday, Danone chief executive Franck Riboud said the group still has the financial capacity to make acquisitions, but not on the scale of its recent takeover of Dutch nutrition group Numico.