AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, French defense electronics group Thales announced a modest rise in net profit for 2005 on March 10 but said it would go on the offensive in foreign markets with a one billion euro ($1.19 billion) kitty for acquisitions.
The group, which is 31.3-percent owned by the French state, said net profit in 2005 had been 334 million euros, an increase of 2.5 percent compared with the figure for 2004.
In a press conference following the release of the results, the chief executive of the group, Denis Ranque, said Thales would spend 1.0 billion euros on acquisitions and intended to enter new markets.
