Celesio Q2 net income stagnates at 66 mln eur

FRANKFURT Aug 13 (Reuters) - German drugs wholesaler Celesio (CLSGn.DE) said on Thursday that second-quarter net income edged 1.1 percent higher to 65.7 million euros ($92.8 million), slightly better than expected.

Analysts polled by Reuters had on average expected net income 63 million euros.

Sales slid 1.3 percent to 5.267 billion euros, just short of market expectations.

Full-year earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) should be below the 2008 level, the company repeated.

Celesio is trying to reduce its dependency on the British Market, where it makes almost half of its operating earnings and is hurt by the pound's weakness and by lower payments for generic drugs introduced by Britain's National Health Service.

Celesio said last month that earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) in the second quarter slid to 150 million euros from 160 million a year earlier. (Reporting by Ludwig Burger)