By Cecilia Butini

Lonza Group AG said Friday sales and core earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization grew in the first half despite Covid-19 headwinds, and raised its outlook for the full year.

The Swiss life-sciences company posted sales of 2.54 billion Swiss francs ($2.76 billion) for the period, up from CHF2.24 billion a year earlier.

Core Ebitda rose to CHF847 million from CHF749 million, though Ebitda declined to CHF558 million from CHF750 million a year earlier, Lonza said.

The company revised its 2021 outlook upward, expecting to achieve mid-teens sales growth at constant exchange rates and a core Ebitda margin in line with its midterm guidance trajectory that it issued at the beginning of the year.

Lonza said the outlook assumes a similar level of Covid-19-related impact to what it has experienced so far and no significant adverse impact on demand.

The company also said its growth plans are supported by additional free cash flow coming from the divestment of its specialty-ingredients division. It is considering acquisitions in key strategic areas and new technologies, it said.

Write to Cecilia Butini at cecilia.butini@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

07-23-21 0146ET