The Hindu Business Line : Procter & Gamble Q1 net declines 13%

PROCTER & Gamble Hygiene & Health Care (PGHH) Ltd has reported a 13 per cent decline in profit after tax at Rs 25.83 crore for the first quarter ended September 2005 against Rs 29.62 crore in the year-ago period.

The company said this quarter includes royalty fees of Rs 5.7 crore on healthcare products, while the year-ago quarter had an exceptional income of Rs 6.5 crore from sales of its Kalwe plant last year.

Net sales grew by 35 per cent to Rs 191.69 crore from Rs 142.08 crore in the year-ago period.

The company's core healthcare and feminine hygiene businesses grew by 20 per cent over the corresponding period last year. Sales in non-core business are also up by 61 per cent, led by the inter-company detergent contract manufacturing business.

Whisper feminine hygiene category's sales grew by 39 per cent to Rs 50.17 crore (Rs 36.13 crore). Healthcare brands recorded sales growth of 7 per cent at at Rs 56.69 crore (Rs 53.12 crore).

This was driven by the strong growth of Vicks Cough Drops following the launch of new Vicks Honey Cough Drops and pack upsizing on Action 500 Colds Medicine, the company said in a news release.

"This growth in both the topline and bottomline is testament to our focus on core businesses and consistently meeting consumers' needs via superior quality brands and innovations,'' the release said quoting Mr Bharat V. Patel, Chairman, PGHH.

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