Heineken 1H profit rises on one-time gain

The Dutch brewer Heineken NV said Wednesday its first-half net profit rose by 42 percent on a mix of factors including cost cutting, positive currency effects and one-time gains.

Net profit was (EURO)695 million ($881 million), up from (EURO)489 million in the same period a year earlier. This year's figures include a net (EURO)121 million in exceptional gains, mostly due to the sale of Heineken's 68.5-percent stake in an Indonesian subsidiary to Asia Pacific Breweries for (EURO)157 million.

Heineken's revenue rose 5.2 percent to (EURO)7.52 billion, mostly due to its $7.8 billion acquisition in April of Mexico's Femsa, which includes brands such as Dos …