Spirits maker Remy Cointreau's sales fall less than feared as China rebounds

(Reuters) - French spirits maker Remy Cointreau posted a smaller-than-expected drop in third-quarter sales on Friday, as steep shipments to China ahead of the Lunar New Year partly offset lower cognac consumption in the United States.

The maker of Remy Martin cognac and Cointreau liqueur reported a revenue of 437.6 million euros ($475.6 million) for the three months through Dec. 31, an organic drop of 6% from a year earlier but slightly ahead of analysts' 433.3 million euro forecast in a poll compiled by the company.

($1 = 0.9200 euros)

(Reporting by Dagmarah Mackos in Gdansk; Editing by Milla Nissi)