--FILE--Pedestrians walk past a fashion store of Louis Vuitton (LV) in Shanghai, China, 28 October 2013. Luxury-goods leader LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton said its profit in 2013 inched up 0.4% as it invested to jump-start growth at its core fashion houses. The French giant, home to brands including Louis Vuitton, Moet & Chandon champagne and Bulgari in jewelry, said net profit in 2013 totaled 3.44 billion euros (US$4.64 billion), up from 3.42 billion euros the year before. Sales increased 3.7% to 29.2 billion euros, tempered by a slight drop in sales at its fashion division. On an organic basis, stripping out acquisitions and exchange rate fluctuations, sales grew 8%. LVMHs other businesses helped offset the slowdown in the fashion division. The only branch to show an acceleration of growth was selective retailing, which includes the Sephora and DFS chains and benefits from growing sales to Chinese consumers. Sales at selective retailing increased 13% to 8.9 billion euros.
