August 19 -- Lu Zhou Lao Jiao (000568) posted a 35.2-percent increase in net profit from the first half of 2011 to 1.41 billion yuan, with earnings per share of 1.011 yuan, while Anhui Gujing Distillery (000596) posted a 168.14-percent jump in net profit to 288 million yuan, with earnings per share of 1.23 yuan, reports China Securities Journal.

Lu Zhou Lao Jiao’s revenue increased 45.42 percent year-on-year to 3.57 billion yuan during the reporting period. Its gross margin from liquor products fell 2.31 percent year-on-year to 67.94 percent and was blamed on higher operating cost during the reporting period. The gross margin of high-end liquor fell 2.82 percent year-on-year to 83.12 percent, while the gross margin of medium-range liquor dropped 7.62 percent to 33.96 percent.

Lu Zhou Lao Jiao’s holdings of Huaxi Securities have fallen to 24.99 percent from 34.86 percent, and it is still the largest shareholder of Huaxi Securities. However, Lu Zhou Lao Jiao expects its investment income from Huaxi Securities to fall 160 million yuan in the second half of this year.

Gujing Distillery’s revenue jumped 84.89 percent year-on-year to 1.58 billion yuan in the first half of 2011, which was attributed to rising sales volume and liquor prices.

Gujing Distillery announced that it raised prices of Gujing Danya liquor and Gujing Yuanjiang by three to 25 percent. Therefore, the listed company’s gross margin from liquor sales rose 0.24 percent year-on-year to 76.32 percent in the first half of 2011.