Philips earnings Q1 2018

Jasper Juinen | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Frans van Houten, chief executive officer of Royal Philips NV

Dutch health technology company Philips said on Monday its first quarter core profit rose 15 percent to 344 million euros ($422.1 million), on increased demand from customers in China and the United States for its high-end hospital equipment.

Analysts in a Reuters poll predicted adjusted earnings before interest, taxes and amortization (EBITA) of 332 million euros, after a result of 298 million euros in the same period last year.