Corporates: HVN, VBA, RMD

  Shares in retailer Harvey Norman & #160;fell as much as 3% on Friday after the company reported a 4% increase in first-half sales and reaffirmed first half profit guidance for a rise of more than 40%.Harvey Norman reported yesterday that sales for the six months to December 31 were & #36;3.27 billion against & #36;3.15 billion in the previous corresponding period, representing a lift of 4%.The shares closed down 10 cents, or 2.7 %, at & #36;3.62.Although the company said sales for the month of January had met expectations and that it remained cautiously optimistic about the next five months, there was no comment & #160;about trading for the weeks leading into Christmas.We will have to see what the company's rival, JB Hi-Fi says about Christmas trading in its interim report, due out today.Harvey Norman said & #160;sales from its retail outlets in Australia, New Zealand, Slovenia and Ireland for the six months to December 31 rose 4% to & #160; & #36;3.27 billion.Like-for-like sales for the half increased by 2.5 %.Australian sales for the first half were up 6.4%, and like-for-like sales were up 5.6% when compared to the previous corresponding half.''Unaudited preliminary accounts for the period 1 July 2009 to 31 December 2009 indicate that profit before tax and minority interests for the consolidated entity for the six months ended 31 December 2009 should exceed the profit before tax and minority interests in respect of the corresponding period for the previous year, by in excess of 40 per cent,'' it said in a statement to the ASX.  

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