The globally operating lubricants producer FUCHS PETROLUB AG in Mannheim continued to perform successfully during the first quarter of 2003. Internal growth came to EUR 15.2 million or 5.7 %, though due to exchange rate factors the sales figures, at EUR 263.4 million, remained more or less at the preceding year's level (265.7). The profit after taxes, however, showed a significantly overproportional rise of 32.6 % to reach EUR 6.1 million (4.6). In accordance with international financial reporting standards (IFRS) goodwill has been amortized in full pro rata temporis and deducted from profits. Before this goodwill amortization, the quarterly profit after taxes came to EUR 8.8 million (7.3). The quarterly profit per share increased to EUR 3.6 (3.0) before and EUR 2.4 (1.8) after goodwill amortization. The earnings situation will remain good, though in the current quarter the benchmark is an exceptionally challenging one, since the preceding year's equivalent period has seen the best quarterly result in the group's history.