Testing firm SGS posts higher Q3 sales, confirms outlook

Oct 23 (Reuters) - Swiss testing and inspection group SGS reported a 14.6% jump in its third-quarter sales to 1.98 billion Swiss francs ($2.41 billion) on Friday, helped by acquisitions and growth in cybersecurity and sustainability-related services.

The company, which has completed 18 acquisitions so far this year, confirmed its financial targets for 2026, including 5% to 7% organic sales growth and an adjusted operating margin of at least 16%.

• This year's acquisitions are now expected to contribute around 7% to SGS's annual growth, at the top end of its previous 5-7% range, CEO Geraldine Picaud told journalists

• Acquisitions announced in 2026 represent total annual sales of more than 150 million francs

• Revenue in Digital Trust, SGS's cybersecurity and digital assurance business, rose 37% in the third quarter

• Picaud said Digital Trust was approaching 300 million francs in annual revenue

• She also said SGS would unveil a "very ambitious objective for the years to come" at its November capital markets day

($1 = 0.8215 Swiss francs)

(Reporting by Aleksandra Kret in Gdansk, editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak)