Rossignol’s fiscal second quarter and first half showed a marked improvement, but requests to delay shipments and exchange rates again pulled sales down. The delayed shipments are having a “positive effect” on second half sales, and the company is maintaining its guidance for 5% currency-neutral sale growth for the full-year. Second quarter group sales increased 0.8% in the company’s reporting currency to €162.1 million.

Consolidated group sales for the first half-year showed a slight 0.4% drop to €199.1 million ($241.8 mm) compared to €199.9 million ($226.1 mm) last year.

Currency neutral sales climbed 3.2%. The largest shortfall in sales came from the Asian region, where a re-organization in the distribution arrangements for the brand caused a 47.4% decline in sales from €26.3 million ($29.8 mm) in 2003 down to €13.9 million ($16.8 mm) this year. This sales shortfall is expected to be recovered in the second half.

All other geographic regions showed increased sales for the first half. North America posted currency neutral sales growth of 11.9% which only amounted to a 4.8% increase in Euros, from €93.6 million ($105.8 mm) to €98.0 million ($119.0 mm), North America now makes up a larger piece of Rossignol’s overall business with 49.2% of sales compared to 46.8% last year. Consolidated group sales in Europe increased by 3.2%, while the ‘other’ regions posted a 19.0% gain.

Winter activity sales declined 5.7% on a currency neutral basis and decreased 7.7% in Euros, from €135.6 million ($153.3 mm) in 2003 to €125.0 million ($151.8 mm) this year. In the company’s interim sales report, management said that the winter sports order books are “in line with our forecasts” for the Asian and North American regions, while France was exceeding plans and Germany was softer than expected.

Skate and tennis are clearly not Rossignol’s forté, with the company posting negative €584,000 ($709,000) in sales for the first half, compared to €443,000 ($501,000) last year.

Golf was by far the strongest category for the group, with 27.8% currency neutral sales growth, and a 19.6% increase in the reporting currency, from €52.8 million ($59.7 mm) to €63.1 million ($76.7 mm). Rossignol said that orders to date confirm that they will meet their double digit sales growth objective. Increased sales of putters from the Never Compromise acquisition were said to be a key contributor.