Drinks group Pernod Ricard is targeting a slight rise in profits, echoing similar guidance from rival Diageo on signs that consumer demand is slowly recovering from the effects of the financial crisis.
Paris-based Pernod announced it was targeting 2009-2010 organic growth in profit from recurring operations of between 1% and 3%.
Pernod, the world's second largest spirits group by volume, added it remained confident in the quality of its drinks portfolio, which includes Absolut vodka and Chivas Regal whisky.
'The group highlights that, even if the general economic environment remains difficult, particularly in Europe, early signs of improvement are appearing in certain markets,' Pernod said in a statement.
Diageo, the world's biggest spirits group, last month kept its guidance for low single digit organic growth in operating profit for 2010.
Pernod reported a 4% fall in first-quarter underlying sales last month, although the result beat market forecasts and the company said it had seen early signs of a recovery in some of its markets.
