Beneteau sales sink in depressed boat market

PARIS, June 30 (Reuters) - French boat maker Beneteau Group (CHBE.PA) said consolidated like-for-like third-quarter sales fell 28.5 percent to 272.3 million euros ($384.8 million), after the global crisis caused the market to collapse by around half.

Consolidated like-for-like sales for the 9-month period between September 1 and May 31 were seen down 35.8 percent, to 510.7 millions euros, the group said in a statement on Tuesday.

Third-quarter sales for Beneteau's boat division fell some 34.8 percent. The third quarter, between March and May, is traditionnally the most important for the group, Beneteau said.

"Sales realised during that period and the current level of backlog allows Beneteau to confirm its initial annual sales forecast of 646 million euros, down 39 percent like-for-like," the group said.

The fall in sales is nonetheless less important than for the first semester, when it was down some 42.6 percent.

Shares in Beneteau closed down 1.76 percent at 7.75 euros, giving the company a market value of some 680 million euros. ($1=.7077 Euro)

(Reporting by Michel Rose)