A drive toward overseas growth, accelerated in the last five years, capitalized on global consumer appetite for classic styles and the French touch.

The company is counting on overseas growth, particularly in Germany, India and China.

Dieter said he was banking on overseas growth and expansion of the wireless telephone industry.

But the overseas growth has also put pressure on the church to pay closer attention to what it wants to be called.

American Express reported 36.6 million active cards, with no domestic growth and slim overseas growth of 1.2 percent.

The overall reductions in its work force of 34,000 would be modest, he said, because of the overseas growth.

Even after the company's expansion slowed in the early 90's, the prospect of overseas growth kept investors' hopes alive.

For the past 30 years, it has been spearheading the overseas growth of Singapore-based companies and promoting international trade.

Revenue grew 6 percent, to $14.2 billion, from $13.4 billion a year earlier, helped by overseas growth.

Sales rose about 8 percent, to $2.15 billion, bolstered by overseas growth.