Sales & Earnings In Brief
This article was originally published in The Rose Sheet
Executive Summary
Unilever Q2, half-year results: Anglo-Dutch firm's Personal Care business advanced 7.9% to €6.7 bil. in the first half of fiscal 2010, overtaking Savory & Dressings to become Unilever's largest segment. Division's performance was driven by deodorant sales, with key contributions from Degree in the U.S., Dove in Brazil and Rexona in Japan, according to Aug. 5 release. Firm attributes accelerated hair-care growth to innovation across the category, with Timotei and Sunsilk launches capturing dollars at lower and middle price points and Dove Damage Therapy turning heads at the premium level. New Tigi Catwalk products and Clear Anti-Dandruff offerings have helped to ensure firm is active across the hair-care spectrum, Unilever CEO Paul Polman notes during same-day call. In addition, he notes that Dove Men + Care, which debuted in late 2009, is now in 29 markets worldwide (1"The Rose Sheet" Jan. 18, 2010). Unilever's second-quarter and half-year turnover rose 12.4% and 9.7% to roughly €11.75 bil. and €21.9 bil., respectively, compared with the comparable periods a year ago. "We have delivered another quarter of robust volume growth with improved volume market shares in all of our regions," Polman states