Carlsberg half-yearly sales rise 6.5%

(Reuters) - Carlsberg <CARLb.CO> reported a 6.5% rise in half-year sales on Thursday, as the Danish brewer sold more expensive beer and its operating margins improved.

Sales in the first six months of the year came in at 32.99 billion Danish crowns (4.09 billion pounds), the company said.

"We delivered a strong set of results for the first six months of 2019, with healthy top-line development, strong margin improvement and continued solid cash flow" Chief Executive Officer Cees 't Hart said.

Last week, Carlsberg raised its full-year profit expectations higher following strong sales in the first half of 2019.

(Reporting by Nikolaj Skydsgaard; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)