Lagardere has reported that EBIT for 2008 in its Hachette Publishing Group rose to 246 million euros, an increase of 2.9%; without the negative impact of exchange rates, the increase would have been 7%. Revenue was 2.16 billion euros ($2.76 billion at current exchage rates), a 1.4% after taken into account exchange rates and 4.7% after. Sales and earnings were both lead by strong gains in the U.S., which included “very strong profit growth for Hachette Book Group in the United Stated,” the company reported.