	jacobs suchard expects another excellent year jacobs suchard ag jacz z hopes for another excellent year in after a pct increase in net profit results in the first few months show it heading in the right direction company president klaus jacobs said the group reported net profit of mln swiss francs compared with mln in and raised its dividend per bearer share to francs from francs jacobs said the increase in profit which far exceeded the company s target of five pct real annual growth had been made possible by restructuring measures introduced in january which had also made some major acquisitions possible last year hermann pohl general director in charge of economic affairs said the pct decline in group turnover to billion francs was due to currency factors a pct negative currency influence was partially offset by growth in operations and by structural changes within the group turnover in the coffee business fell to billion francs from billion in while turnover in the chocolate sector rose to billion francs from billion the tonnage sold in both sectors declined due to higher prices and lower consumer demand especially in france and west germany jacobs suchard increased its market share in west germany to pct from pct in largely as a result of acquisitions market share in france was little changed at pct against pct pohl said the group s average tax rate rose to pct from pct because of the higher profits and despite write offs on the losses of new acquisitions a further increase in tax levels was expected in future taxes jumped pct to mln francs in from mln the previous year reuter 
