Alcatel Says 2000 Sales Rose More than 35%, May Sell Stakes in Alstom.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)

CircuiTree, March, 2001

Paris, France--Alcatel SA saw sales rise more than 35 percent in 2000, Chairman and CEO Serge Tchuruk said in an interview. The pace of growth in operating income was almost twice as fast as sales, he added. Alcatel reported net sales of 23 billion euros ($22 billion) in 1999, up 8 percent from the prior year, and operating income was 804 million euros, up 40 percent. The company is less profitable than rivals such as Sweden's Ericsson AB, "but we're starting to make up the lost ground," Tchuruk said.

Also, Alcatel SA and Marconi Plc said they may sell part of their stakes in Alstom SA during the first quarter. Alcatel and Marconi each own 24 percent of Alstom. The companies expect to sell an unspecified part of their stakes on European and U.S. markets.