In a statement on its 2007 results, Carrefour affirmed its ambition to spin off and eventually list part of its huge property portfolio but said it would first sell shares in its new real estate business via a private placement.
PARIS (Reuters) - Carrefour <CARR.PA>, Europe's largest retailer, said on Thursday 2007 underlying net profit rose 0.7 percent and it aimed to return 4.5 billion euros ($6.88 billion) to shareholders over the next three years after asset sales.
In a statement on its 2007 results, Carrefour affirmed its ambition to spin off and eventually list part of its huge property portfolio but said it would first sell shares in its new real estate business via a private placement.
Carrefour's 2007 current net profit rose to 1.868 billion euros from 1.856 billion euros, while operating profit, before a change in accounting rules, rose 3.3 percent to 3.359 billion euros on already reported sales of 82.148 billion euros.
The mid-range forecasts of analysts polled by Reuters Estimates had been for a net profit of 1.896 billion euros and an operating profit of 3.374 billion euros.
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