Oral-care products maker Colgate Palmolive witnessed a marginal decline of 3.4 per cent in its net profit at Rs 111 crore in the third quarter of fiscal 2013. The company had reported a profit of Rs 115 crore in the year-ago period. The toothpaste maker reported a 14 per cent increase in sales at Rs 763 crore during the quarter against Rs 689 crore over the same quarter in the previous fiscal.
Despite significant inflationary pressures, the company has maintained its gross margin through prudent price increases and cost management efforts, the company said in a statement. The toothpaste volume market share has increased to 54.2 per cent in the calendar year 2012 against 52.4 per cent in 2011.
The company, in December, declared and paid second interim dividend of Rs 6. This is in addition to the first interim dividend of Rs 13 a share paid in October last year.