By
AFP
Published
May 7, 2009
Download
Download the article
Print
Text size

Unilever reports 43% profit drop in first quarter

By
AFP
Published
May 7, 2009

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, May 7, 2009 (AFP) - British-Dutch cosmetics and food group Unilever reported on Thursday a 43-percent drop in first-quarter net profit on a 12-month basis, and a one-third drop in the operating result.


London Headquarters of Unilever - Photo : Johnathan Utz/AFP

Net profit fell to 803 million euros (1.07 billion dollars) from 1.407 billion euros, and operating profit fell to 1.234 billion euros.

Overall sales by the group, which owns many leading brands including Knorr soups, Dove soap and Omo washing powder, fell by 1.0 percent to 9.5 billion euros.

"First-quarter results were solid given today's trading environment," chief executive Paul Polman said in the earnings statement.

He said that the group would focus on innovation and on supporting its brands."

Copyright © 2024 AFP. All rights reserved. All information displayed in this section (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the contents of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presses.