5-fold profits

According to preliminary data, in 2003 Lithuanian companies earned 5-fold profits compared to 2002. Pharmaceutical, ITT, oil extracting and service providing firms were most profitable. According to the preliminary calculations of the Department of Statistics, last year profits of Lithuanian companies reached EUR 20.5 billion. 58% of Lithuanian companies were profitable. In 2002 the profitability rate of the Lithuanian economy (ratio of profit/loss before taxes and income from goods/services sold) grew to 3.8%, compared to 0.7% in 2001 and 0.4% in 2000. 58% of Lithuanian companies were profitable. Service providers increased their profits 4-fold and earned EUR 257 million, the processing industry was also very successful with EUR 251 million profit earned. As usual, producers of food and beverages were also profitable. The biggest return on capital was in ITT (28%) and oil extracting (25%) companies, as well as in the wholesale (21%), construction (19.7%) and publishing (18.4%) sectors.