HERZOGENAURACH (dpa-AFX) - Automotive and industrial supplier Schaeffler is becoming more optimistic about its full-year results after a noticeable recovery in the second quarter. There should now be 6 to 8 percent operating profit left over from sales before interest, taxes and special items, the company announced Wednesday. Previously, chief executive Klaus Rosenfeld had 5.5 to 7.5 percent on the cards. In the second quarter, Schaeffler posted a margin of 7.1 percent, up 1.8 percentage points from a year earlier, thanks to an improvement in its auto supply and auto spare parts businesses. At 289 million euros, operating profit was almost half as high and also better than experts had estimated.

Sales climbed 7 percent to 4.06 billion euros. Adjusted for foreign exchange, this would have been 9.8 percent more and thus as much as analysts had previously expected. The Herzogenaurach-based company confirmed its sales forecast. Below the line, net profit rose by 22.5 percent to 138 million euros./men/jha/