RPT-Czech CEZ sees net profit rising 19.3 pct in 2007

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CEZ , central Europe's largest utility group, expects its net profit before minority interests to rise 19.3 percent in 2007 to 34 billion Czech crowns ($1.61 billion), the company said late on Monday.

The Czech-based company, listed on stock exchanges in both Prague and Warsaw, said in a statement it expects operating profit to rise 18.1 percent to 47 billion crowns and EBITDA to rise 8.9 percent to 69.4 billion crowns.

It said it plans to invest around 30.5 billion crowns in 2007.

Excluding companies in which CEZ has stakes of below 50 percent, net profit was 5.22 billion crowns in the third quarter of 2006, slightly below a market forecast of 5.59 billion crowns.

($1=21.10 Czech Crown)

[WARSAW/Reuters/Finance.cz]