Fresenius to raise div as it reaches 2017 target early

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - German healthcare group Fresenius said it would achieve its 2017 net income target this year already and pledged to increase its dividend for 2015 by clearly more than 20 percent, saying it was less affected by a weak Chinese market than other industries were. Net income rise to 1.4-1.5 billion euros ($1.6-$1.70 billion) this year, up from 1.09 billion euros in 2014, provided that currency exchange rates remain unchanged, it said on Thursday. It had initially set itself this target for 2017. Analysts had on average projected net income of 1.37 billion euros for this year, according to Thomson Reuters data. The dividend for 2015 had been seen rising 20.5 percent. Fresenius previously said 2015 adjusted net income would gain by 18-21 percent, excluding currency swings. Chief Executive Ulf Schneider said in a statement that the diversified group's business model was not affected by swings in the business cycle. "Our expectations for 2016 are also very positive, even in light of current concerns about the global economy," he said. "Strong growth in China will continue for Fresenius," a spokesman said. Its businesses there include essential goods and services such as generic infusion drugs, kidney dialysis equipment, tube feeding nutrition products and planning the construction of new hospitals. The shares jumped 5 percent in early trading, outperforming a 2.7 percent gain in Germany's blue-chip index DAX. (Reporting by Ludwig Burger and Andreas Kroener; Editing by Maria Sheahan)