French media group Vivendi Universal reported on Wednesday a 55-percent growth in net profit in 2005, due to its strong growth in video games business and its music division.

The group's net profit rose to 2.078 billion euros (2.5 billion US dollars). Operating profit increased by 15.9 percent to 3.746 billion euros (4.45 billion dollars) from sales of 19.5 billion euros (23.4 billion dollars), up nine percent from 2004.

Management board chairman Jean-Bernard Levy said further improvements in growth and profitability "should (also) lead to an additional increase in next year's dividend."

"Our strategy is bearing fruit and we are continuing to invest in creation and content as well as in developing subscriber loyalty and technologies of the future," he added in a statement.

Vivendi's Finance director Jacques Espinasse also said the company had reduced its net debt to 3.8 billion euros (4.56 billion dollars) last year from 4.7 billion (5.61 billion dollars)in 2004.

Vivendi Universal Games' operating profit came to 41 million euros (48.94 million dollars) after a loss of 203 million (242.26 million dollars) in 2004.

Operating profit at its cable television unit Canal Plus Group rose by 8.0 percent to 203 million euros (242.26 million dollars).

Its SFR mobile telephone division reported operating earnings of 2.422 billion euros (2.89 billion dollars), up 3.6 percent on a comparable basis and mainly reflecting a 6.9 percent growth in network sales.

Source: Xinhua