HIGHER interest costs and taxes caused traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) retailer Eu Yan Sang to post a 31 per cent decline in its net profit to $3.2 million for its second quarter ended Dec 31, 2013.

Revenue, however, was up 18 per cent at $91.9 million due to its core retail business growing across most markets, supplemented by strong wholesale performances from Hong Kong and Macau.

Earnings per share for the quarter fell to 0.72 cent from 1.05 cents a year earlier.