KFC/Pizza Hut operator smells potential record results

Net earnings of the company following three quarters stood at zł.15.2 million and was 26% higher than those posted for the whole of 2004. "It is rather sure that the company will post a record high profit for last year. I estimate that it could have exceeded zł.20 million," said Łukasz Wachełko, analyst with CA IB. He also stressed that if not for the costs of entering Ukraine, the company's profits could have reached zł.21 million. In his opinion the last quarter could also have been a good period for the company. "We had a turmoil related to the bird flu, but it was mainly a media phenomenon and paradoxically, it could have helped boost the company's results, as prices of poultry decreased," said Wachełko. Wojciech Mroczyński, managing director of AmRest, is cautious and limited himself to conclude that the company expected, "sales results and net profits for 2005 to be higher than those posted last year". (Parkiet, p. 6) M.M.