SAUDI food producer Savola Group reported a higher than expected 32.4 per cent jump in second-quarter net profit, beating analyst forecasts as it benefited from higher sales especially in its retail business, reports Reuters.

The company, a producer of cooking oil, sugar and other foodstuffs, made a net profit in the three months to June 30 of  SR513.3 million ($136.9 million), compared with SR387.8 million in the same period a year earlier, according to a bourse filing.

Six analysts polled by the news agency had forecast, on average, that Savola would record a net profit for the quarter of SR435 million.

The kingdom’s largest food products firm said higher revenue growth in the second quarter, especially in its retail sector, as well as an increase in its share of net income and dividend income from some of its associates, boosted its earnings and helped offset rising finance costs.

Abdulraouf Mannaa, chief executive, said in a statement he expected net income of SR460 million before capital gains in the third quarter – in line with SR457.4 million a year ago.

Mannaa also said the company was on course to achieve its target for full-year net income before capital gains of SR1.8 billion.

Savola said it would pay a cash dividend of SR0.5 per share for the second quarter, matching the payout in the same period of 2013.