Procter & Gamble
Total revenues increased 7% to $10.92 billion, with more than half of that jump stemming from currency effects. P&G's unit volume rose 5%, boosted by double-digit gains from its health-care products division.
For the quarter, P&G earned $955 million, or $0.68 a share, including restructuring costs. That's 5% ahead of the year-ago quarter's $910 million, or $0.64 a share. Not counting restructuring expenses, P&G's earnings increased 12% to $1.22 billion.
P&G continues to benefit from our obsession with white teeth. The company's Crest Whitestrips and new Crest Night Effect whitener drove the health care products' 18% unit volume growth. Sales improved 12% to $1.39 billion. P&G has been tinkering with pricing to counter Colgate-Palmolive's
P&G also goes head-to-head with Kimberly-Clark
Bottom line: Procter & Gamble continues to execute and is proving itself an adept competitor. For this fiscal year, excluding restructuring items, earnings grew 14% and management looks for more double-digit earnings growth next year.