Guinness owner Diageo has warned that its first-half sales and profit growth may fall short of expectations due to disruption from US hurricanes.
But the drinks giant said it was keeping its forecast for the full year, which runs to the end of June 2006, unchanged. At its annual results in September, Diageo said it expected underlying sales to rise by 4% and operating profits to increase by 7% in the year to June 2006.
Finance director Nick Rose said it was too early to say whether the hurricanes' effect would be limited to the first half. He also said that the company was seeing 'continued weakness' in Guinness in Europe.
Mr Rose also said that higher oil prices would add £20m to its cost base for the full year.
