PARIS, Sept 26 (Reuters) - The European operations of U.S. automaker Ford Motor Co have raised their profit forecast for 2003 slightly, Ford Europe chief operating officer Martin Leach said on Thursday.
Ford Europe, which broke even last year, planned to post a significant profit improvement for this year and next year. Leach declined to name a figure for the revised target.
"We are certainly keeping our profit target intact and have infact raised it slightly," said Leach in a roundtable at the Paris auto show.
He also said he expected the Ford brand to boost its market share in Europe to nine percent at about the end of this year from 8.8 percent now.
He also said no further job cuts were needed to achieve 100 percent capacity utilisation up from 93 percent currently.