Wienerberger keeps outlook, buoyed by British market

VIENNA, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Austria-based Wienerberger , the world's biggest brickmaker, tapped British appetite for new homes to largely balance out weaker markets in France and the Netherlands, it said on Wednesday.

Chief Executive Heimo Scheuch reiterated Wienerberger (Other OTC: WBRBY - news) 's outlook for the full year, forecasting a return to net profit and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of 315 million euros ($392.1 million).

"There were no signs of recovery in Europe from July to September," Scheuch said, listing France as a particularly weak market. "Britain remained on a sound course," he added.

In three months to the end of September Wienerberger reopened two plants in Britain. It had mothballed 10 locations across Europe and closed 70 since 2009 as part of a restructuring plan, which has now largely ended, Scheuch said.

He said he saw Britain on course towards reaching its pre-financial crisis level of around 200,000 newly built units per year, based on a solid increase to around 160,000 units this year from a crisis low of less than 100,000.

Britain's economy had been outpacing other European countries in the past year. Scheuch expected the Dutch market to have bottomed out in 2014, but said the French market would keep shrinking. France's economy is expected to grow 0.1 percent in the final quarter of the year.

EBITDA in the third quarter increased 8 percent to 113 million euros, in line with forecasts in a Reuters poll.

Net income after minorities nearly trebled to 49.2 million euros, below the average forecast of 51.4 million euros in a Reuters poll. Revenues rose 3 percent to 799 million, below the lowest estimate in the Reuters poll.

The company's third-quarter results were boosted by the finalisation of its takeover of roof tilemaker Tondach Gleinstaetten. Wienerberger is also increasingly focusing on making specialised pipes which can be used in households, the oil and gas industry and for desalination plants. (1 US dollar = 0.8033 euro) (Reporting by Shadia Nasralle, Editing by Michael Shields)