Paris — French aerospace and defence technology group Thales reported a dip in third-quarter sales, but maintained its financial goals due to positive market trends and solid orders. Sales for the quarter ended September stood at ¤3.1bn ($3.7bn), down 2.9% from a year earlier, when its performance was boosted by a bumper Rafale aircraft deal with India. "Thales should continue to benefit from positive trends in most of its markets. Although below the highs recorded in 2015 and 2016, the order intake in 2017 should remain brisk, at about ¤14bn," Thales said in a statement. Thales said it stuck to its mid-term targets of mid-single-digit organic sales growth on average in the 2016 to 2018 period, and an earnings before interest and tax margin of between 9.5% and 10% in 2017-18. Thales’s finance head, Pascal Bouchiat, said Airbus’s deal this week, to buy a majority stake in Bombardier’s C Series jetliner programme, was broadly positive for the company, telling reporters: "With an Airbu...
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