Swiss group Richemont, the world's second-largest luxury goods group, said it expected strong growth in coming months after robust demand in Asia helped full-year net profit jump 79 percent.

Montblanc (Richemont group)

"Sales in the month of April were 32 percent above the comparative period," the maker of Cartier watches said on Thursday, adding it hoped this positive trend would be confirmed.

Sales in Japan, an important market, rose 3 percent in local currencies in April and the outlook for that market was brighter than most feared, the group said.

Luxury goods companies, such as the world's no.1 group LVMH, handbag maker Hermes and jeweler Bulgari, have posted strong first-quarter results thanks to buoyant demand in Asia and a recovery in Europe and the United States.

"We are actually facing more demand than we can cope with, we have to hire people in all our factories," chief financial officer Richard Lepeu told journalists, adding the group would add 800 jobs in Switzerland this year.

Vontobel analyst Rene Weber said organic sales growth of 24 percent was below expectations as well as the full-year operating profit margin which rose to 19.7 percent from 16 percent in 2009/10.

"April was a strong start but the market will not like the full-year 2010/11 figures," he said.

Traders were critical that net profit was just shy of forecasts in a Reuters poll and the 0.45 Swiss franc dividend was also below expectations.

Richemont shares, which have risen more than 6 percent over the past two weeks on the back of upbeat comments from peers, were indicated opening 2.3 percent lower.

The group said it would extend its current share buyback program by 5 million shares after saying it had completed about half of the current 10 million shares program.

The shares will be held in treasury to cover obligations arising form the stock option plan.

Net cash rose to 2.6 billion euros at the end of March, compared with 2.2 billion three months earlier. Richemont, which bought online fashion retailer Net-a-porter last year, did not comment on acquisition plans.

(Editing by Dan Lalor)