DUSSELDORF – Henkel reported third-quarter sales of 3.96 billion euros, up 13.7% year-over-year.

Operating profit rose 73% to 501 million euros. This is primarily due to substantial improvements of adhesive technologies.

The company’s Adhesives unit said quarterly sales were up 19.3%, reaching 1.95 billion euros, outpacing market growth in all regions. The unit includes the Multicore and Loctite brands, among others.

In the first nine months of fiscal 2010, Henkel increased sales 11.1% to 11.36 billion euros compared to the same period of 2009.

Operating profit was 1.34 billion euros, up 70.9% year-over-year.

“This is the first quarter we have ever achieved an adjusted EBIT margin of 13%,” said Kasper Rorsted, chairman of the Henkel management board.

“We expect to achieve an adjusted EBIT margin of well above 12% for 2010, accompanied by an improvement in adjusted earnings per preferred share of more than 45%. 2010 is likely to be the most successful fiscal year in our corporate history.”

1 euro = US$1.3657