Austria's top economic news - January 24

Crane maker Palfinger said it raised its sales by 29% to EUR 650m for 2010, while posting EBIT of EUR 35m, compared to a loss of EUR 5m for 2009. Following a cancellation of the dividend last year, Palfinger will propose the payment of EUR 0.22 per share for 2010. The company projects a 20% increase in sales in the current year.
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Telekom Austria is before the takeover of Croatian broadband company Metronet, WirtschaftsBlatt reported. The deal is estimated at some EUR 100m, with TA still having to compete with two rival bidders.
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Wolfgang Auer-Welsbach, CEO of the collapsed financial group AvW, will declare himself guilty, his lawyer Franz Großmann told the local news agency. Auer-Welsbach was accused of breach of trust and financial manipulations, causing significant losses to all investors in AvW.
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Sanochemia Pharmazeutika said it has decided to take over Vienna-based veterinary pharmaceuticals producer Alvetra & Werfft GmbH. No financial details were given. Alvetra & Werfft makes around EUR 7m in sales per year.
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Austria's working-day-adjusted production index rose by 6.5% in November 2010 in annual comparison, Statistik Austria said. The index grew 1.6% month-on-month.