Siemens posted forecast-beating quarterly operating profit and higher orders, a flash of good news in the midst of an escalating corruption scandal at the company, lifting its shares more than 6 percent.
Strong performances at the German firm's factory-automation, healthcare and turbines units helped propel operating profit 51 percent higher to 1.631 billion euros ($2.12 billion), beating the average of 1.455 billion euros in a Reuters poll.
Chief Executive Klaus Kleinfeld said on Thursday the results proved management had not lost its focus despite a criminal investigation into a suspected bribery ring that may have operated at Siemens's telecoms division for seven years.
First-quarter new orders rose 4 percent to 24.582 billion euros despite an exceptionally strong year-earlier quarter, driven by Siemens's power and industrial-services units.
Sales beat expectations, rising 6 percent to 19.068 billion euros. Adjusted for currency effects, they rose 10 percent, close to the 11-percent increase reported by the company's main rival, General Electric, last week. Net profit fell 16 percent to 788 million euros.
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