Discounter Pepco's H1 earnings rise on 192 store openings

LONDON (Reuters) - Pepco Group, owner of European discount retailer brands PEPCO, Poundland and Dealz, reported a 7.3% rise in first-half core earnings, driven by new store openings.

The group, which listed on the Warsaw stock market last year, said it made underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of 347 million euros ($372.2 million) for the six months ended March 31, in line with company outlook.

Revenue rose 18.9% to 2.37 billion euros as the company launched 192 stores, taking the total to 3,696 across 17 countries.

Pepco said it remained on track to meet the full-year forecast in the absence of any further significant deterioration in the macro environment.

($1 = 0.9324 euros)

(Reporting by James Davey; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)