The US company now expects annual sales for the full year 2005 to be approximately $700 m (€577 m), including partial year sales of the businesses acquired during the year in the firm's core activities in closure systems and syringe components for use with injectable drugs.

"Based on the initial reports we have received from operating units, fourth quarter sales and operating profit appear to be slightly better than expected," said Donald Morel, West's chairman and CEO.

The company also now expects to report earnings per diluted share from continuing operations to be between $0.35 to $0.38 for the fourth quarter and $1.35 and $1.38 for the full year ended December 31, 2005.

This is, however, only a slight raise on the revised expectations announced by the company in the third quarter, when West cut its full-year earnings outlook to between $1.30 and $1.35 a share, from a prior forecast of $1.43 to $1.51 per share.

The company citied the reason for this decrease as charges related to currency fluctuations, significant raw material and energy cost increases, and tax from repatriating foreign earnings.

This company also attributed it to slower sales of its Teflon and B-2 coated closures in the US, due to slow sales of coated products in 2005.

Bringing more good news, the company has also reaffirmed its 2006 sales target, expecting full year 2006 revenues to grow an estimated 16-19 per cent over 2005, amounting to between $810 and $830 million.

>West Pharmaceutical will report fourth quarter and full year 2005 financial results on Tuesday, February 21, 2006.