Carlsberg’s 2012 earnings up 6%

Copenhagen: Carlsberg says that net profit in 2012 grew 6% year-on-year to 5.5 billion kroner ($980 million), or slightly more than forecasted.

The Denmark-based brewing group says annual sales increased 3% to 67.2 billion kroner ($12 billion) despite a sluggish beer market in Western Europe, which accounts for 42% of the group’s sales by volume.

Carlsberg said in a statement on Monday that in the fourth quarter the group managed to gain lost momentum in the key Russian market, where by the end of 2012 it accounted for 38.3% of the country’s total beer sales.

The company says its aggressive expansion drive in Asia last year was successful, with sales in the region jumping 9% and revenue growth reaching 19%.