VIVENDI SALES ON THE RISE,
THOUGH MUSIC, MOBILE LAGS

Vivendi announced that its Q3 sales rose .3%, thanks to added subscribers for online games and pay TV channels, though the stock fell at the company’s two largest units, mobile phones and music.

Overall sales rose to 4.89 billion euros ($6.2 billion) from 4.87 billion euros a year earlier. Analysts had previously estimated a bump of 1.8% to 4.96 billion euros.

The company said the recent “friendly” approach from buyout firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. failed to result in a bid. Shares of the company fell 43 cents, or 1.4%, to 29.60 euros in Paris. Overall, they had risen 12% since the first of the year.

Vivendi shares trade at about 14 times its estimated 2006 earnings, compared with 24 times for Time Warner, the world’s largest media company.

Sales at SFR, France’s second-largest mobile-phone company and Vivendi’s largest unti, fell 1.8% to 2.2 billion euros.

Sales at Universal Music Group, Vivendi’s second-largest unit, slipped 2.1% to 1.1 billion euros, which was in line with forecasts. Excluding current effects, sales rose .8%, thanks to the international success of The Killers and Scissor Sisters. The one note of optimism was struck by downloaded music sales, which rose 88% to 126 million euros, accounting for 12% of total music revenue.