Chemicals group DSM booked a 21% drop in net profit in the third quarter of this year, but sales were up 5% at €2.3bn.

‘Increasing macro-economic uncertainty and continued lower consumer confidence are impacting market dynamics,’ chief executive Feike Sijbesma said in a statement. Analysts told broadcaster RTLZ the results are in line with expectations.

The company has not yet commented on claims published by news agency Bloomberg last week that German chemicals group Evonik is interested in taking over the Dutch firm.

The company is continuing on its present course, Sijbesma said. ‘We are not making any major acquisitions,’ he is quoted as saying by RTLZ. ‘The focus is on improving the operational performance.’

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