...said on Monday.
The market had expected an 11 percent rise in net profit as Zentiva expanded abroad. In addition, it was hit by a weak first quarter 2006 when tougher drug prescriptions rules ate into the bottom line.
Total first quarter net sales, Zentiva said, rose 6.3 percent to 3.38 billion crowns, lagging the 3.62 billion crowns forecast by nine analysts in a Reuters poll.
Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) was flat at 760.1 million, lagging forecast of 838 million.
[PRAGUE/Reuters/Finance.cz]