LVMH sales growth to speed up in Q1

Chief Executive of the luxury group LVMH, Bernard Arnault, expects its first-quarter revenue growth was higher than fourth-quarter growth last year. In the last three months of 2011 the French luxury giant posted organic revenue growth of 12%

on year.
 
"In the first quarter, growth was above what it was in the last quarter of last year," Arnault said.
 
Speaking at the company's annual shareholders meeting, Arnault said that last year's business trend continued in early 2011, "with growth of our activity in the first quarter above that of the last quarter of last year."
 
The CEO reaffirmed his "relative confidence" for the world's biggest luxury goods group in 2012, given continued strong growth in emerging markets and the fact the company exports almost 80%.
 
At the annual shareholders meeting, LVMH will announce a dividend of 2.60 euros per share. An interim dividend of 0.80 euros per share was paid on December 2, 2011. The company expects to pay the balance of 1.80 euros per share on April 25, reported RTT News.