RTL profits rise 11.8% driven by French and German operations

Luxembourg-based RTL Group, with interests in 56 television channels and 31 radio stations, said third-quarter net profit rose 11.8%, driven by its German and French operations and increased its earnings outlook for the year.

The company said in a statement that profit for the July through September period was €114 million euros. That compares with €102 million in the same period of 2016. Revenue increased 1.5% to €1.4 billion.

"Our families of channels in Germany and France continued to outperform their respective TV advertising market significantly," Guillaume de Posch and Bert Habets, the company's co-chief executives said. "This drove RTL Group's best ever third-quarter revenue and operating profit."

They said there is "momentum" in the fourth quarter. The company said it expects a 1% to 2.5% increase in full-year earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation due to the third quarter performance and the sale of real estate in Paris.

Revenue is seen growing 2.5% to 5%, driven by RTL's digital businesses and its Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland arm.

Shares in RTL were 0.2% higher at €64.13 in Brussels as of 10.56 am. That compares with a 12-month high of €75.99 in April, according to Bloomberg data.

(Alistair Holloway, alistair.holloway@wort.lu, +352 49 93 739)