Utility Veolia keeps 2022 financial goals as Suez deal bears fruits in H1

PARIS (Reuters) - French utility company Veolia posted a rise in its first-half core earnings and stuck to its 2022 goals for financial growth, as it continued to integrate businesses form its earlier takeover of rival Suez.

"The integration of Suez's activities since mid-January was very successful. Their contribution in terms of revenue and synergies is up to our expectations, which confirms the merits of this acquisition," said Veolia chief executive Estelle Brachlianoff.

"These very good results also benefited from the continued strict cost discipline which allowed us to fully confirm our 2022 objectives," she added.

(Reporting by Benjamin Mallet; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta)