French luxury bag maker Hermes International, in which LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton has built a stake, reported a surge in full-year earnings as improved confidence among wealthy customers boosted revenue.

Operating profit jumped 44% to EUR668.2 million, the Paris-based company reported on 4 March, 2011, beating the EUR661.7 million average estimate of 11 analysts compiled by Bloomberg. Sales rose 25% to EUR2.4 billion and margins exceeded a forecast that Hermes raised last month.

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