The string of companies controlled by Bermuda-based Jardine Matheson has reported mixed results for the third quarter of the year.

The firm — based in Bermuda but with the bulk of its business in its traditional home of Hong Kong and the rest of Asia — said, however, that its earnings were “broadly in line with last year.”

A report from the firm added that Jardine Pacific — which includes construction, shipping and aviation interests — experienced “lower profitability in a number of its key businesses leading to an overall decline in profit.”

But it added: “Jardine Motors saw improved earnings from reduced operating losses in southern China and enhanced performances in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom.”

The report also said that Jardine Lloyd Thompson, a specialist in insurance and reinsurance, “continued to make progress as it benefited from organic growth and acquisitions.”

It added: “Within the businesses held through Jardine Strategic, Hong Kong Land’s commercial property interests continued to perform well and further sales and completions were recorded in the residential sector.”

The retail arm, Dairy Farm International, achieved “increased sales in most of its major businesses, but cost pressures and margin investment in certain businesses led to earnings being slightly lower.”

The hotel arm of the company, Mandarin Oriental, which includes Elbow Beach in Bermuda, was also reported to be performing well.

The quarterly results said: “Mandarin Oriental’s trading momentum remained positive and two new management contracts were announced in mainland China.”

The report added: “Astra achieved strong increases in automotive sales volumes, although earnings were affected by increased competition in the car market, higher employee costs and lower commodity prices, while the weaker rupiah (Indonesian currency) reduced further the contribution on consolidation.”

Individual reports for company units said that Dairy Farm International said sales growth had continued in most of its areas in the third quarter — but that some businesses had made “slightly lower” earnings than in the previous year.

The Dairy Farm report said: “Satisfactory sales and profit growth were seen in the group’s health and beauty businesses, IKEA operations and restaurant associate Maxim’s.

“Overall, the food businesses recorded lower profits despite an increase in sales.”

But the Dairy Farm report said expansion into new markets continued.

It added: “The group opened the fifth IKEA store in Taiwan in early September with encouraging initial trading and is expecting to open its first Guardian health and beauty store in Cambodia by the end of the year.

“Maxim’s has now opened its third Starbucks store in Vietnam.”

The report concluded: “The group’s financial position remained strong and it held net cash at October 31, 2013.”

In the Mandarin Oriental hotels business, its quarterly report said: “The trading momentum continued to be positive for the group during this period.

“Results from its Asian hotels remained steady, while in Europe earnings benefited from further stabilisation of the Paris hotel.

“In the Americas, increased demand led to improved performance across the portfolio.”

Hong Kong Land reported “relatively low” activity in the its commercial leasing operations in Hong Kong, while Singapore was “quiet”, although vacancy in the office portfolio was 2.4 percent compared to 3.1 percent in the previous quarter.

But its residential business in mainland China, attributable interest in contracted sales was $140 million in the third quarter compared to $95 million in the previous quarter.