Sale of Unilever rises 11.4% in emerging markets

The Global CEO of Unilever, Paul Polman, said yesterday the United States US analysts that businesses in emerging markets remain the "engine of growth" for the company. According to him, this group of countries accounts for 90% of the expansion of the anglo-Dutch company, owner of the Omo, ice cream Kibon SOAP, shampoo and silk, among other products.
Unilever's global sales have grown from 7.8% in the fourth quarter of 2012 as compared to the same period in 2011. Emerging markets contributed to a high of 10.8%. Developed markets showed an increase of 4%. The data excludes the impacts of acquisitions, disposals and exchange rate changes.
Around the year 2012, the difference was even greater: 11.4% growth in emerging and 1.6% in developed countries. In these, there was a drop in sales volume compared to the previous year. Emerging already represent 55% of Unilever's sales and its growth is the main focus of the company's revenue to double in ten years, reaching revenues of € 80 million in 2020. The group closed 2012 with sales of € 51.3 billion.
Brazil and Argentina drove this growth, according to the company. Second Polman, the Tresemmé hair line debut in Brazil was one of the most successful releases of Unilever in many years, adding more than € 150 million in sales in the first year. The Executive added that this represents about 15% of the total turnover obtained with American's acquisition of Alberto Culver, which owns brand Tresemmé.
Sales in Latin America grew 11.6% in the fourth quarter, as compared to the same period in 2011. This is the sixth consecutive double-digit growth in the region, said the company.
The company had 5.4 percent advance in net income, to $ 4.48 billion (US $ 5.96 billion), compared with $ 4.25 billion recorded a year ago. Unilever is the second largest in the world in the sector of consumer goods behind Procter Gamble, & American who must announce their 2012 balance on Friday.
Unilever noted that the global market is challenging due to the intense competition and the volatility of costs ". Still, projecting a profitable expansion in sales volume and a sustainable improvement in operating margin in the long run.