GfK Group sales up 12.8%

German market research group GfK saw sales increase by 12.8% to €672m (£461m) for the 2004 financial year. The group exceeded its sales forecast, which was already revised upwards by €10m (£7m) to €660m (£453m) last summer.

Consolidated total income is set to rise to over €52.6m (£36m) compared with €33.3m (23m) in 2003. The dividend will increase to €0.30 (£0.20) per share, a rise of approximately 43% on the previous year. This is the fifth successive increase in dividend.

In 2005 the GfK Group aims to significantly increase sales and income again and outperform the market research sector. With an unchanged scope of consolidation, GfK expects to achieve sales of €710m (£487m), which represents an increase of 5.8%. GfK also anticipates consolidated sales to increase as more acquisitions are made.