Unilever Posts Good Results for 2002

Unilever said 2002 sales, including the impact of acquisitions and disposals, rose 11% to $46.2 billion at current exchange rates. Net income improved 66% to more than $1.6 billion.

The company credited the improvement to faster growth by its leading brands, strong expansion of operating margin and excellent progress with the integration of Bestfoods and other acquisitions.

“Our new divisional structure of foods and home & personal care is already accelerating execution of our business plans and has strengthened our capability to deliver more, and bigger, innovations which provide the fuel for brand growth,” said Niall FitzGerald and Antony Burgmans, the company’s co-chairmen, in a statement. “In home & personal care we have made further good progress, with particularly strong contributions from skin, hair and deodorants and a robust performance from laundry, partly offset by a decline in prestige fragrances due to tough market conditions.”