Roche sticking to dividend policy

ZURICH Jan 12 (Reuters) - Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding AG (ROG.VX) said on Monday its dividend policy remained unchanged and that its statement from last February was still valid.

Roche will increase its payout ratio continuously over three years as stated in February 2008, a spokesman for the group said.

The Financial Times reported late on Friday that Roche was ready to scrap its year-end dividend to fund a higher offer for the purchase of the portion of U.S. biotechnology group Genentech DNA.N it does not already own. [ID:nN09296475]

Roche declined to comment on any other details of the report, which said Roche was preparing to offer about $95 per share after Genentech rejected an $89 per share offer made in July.

Roche stock was trading 1.9 percent lower at 168.70 Swiss francs, underperforming a 1 percent drop in the European pharmaceuticals sector .SXDP, by 0855 GMT.

(Reporting by Katie Reid; Editing by Andrew Callus)