Surge in profits for Bertelsmann

The sale of its US magazines lifted profits

Better trading conditions and the sale of its US magazine business have helped German media group Bertelsmann more than double its third-quarter profits.

Pre-tax profits including that sale rose to 422m euros (£285m; $496m) from 206m euros in the same period of 2004.

Bertelsmann's sales rose 12.5% for the third quarter and underlying profits, excluding the US sale, were up 22%.

It owns publisher Random House, TV group RTL, Gruner + Jahr magazines and a 50% stake in music company Sony BMG.

UK-based Sony BMG has a stable of artists including Dido, Beyonce, Anastacia and Usher.

With a number of major new music releases due from Sony BMG in the run up to Christmas, Bertelsmann said it expected profits to continue rising during 2005.

Pre-tax profits at the company, the world's fourth largest media group, are up 6% in the first nine months of the year.