Summary
Procter & Gamble Co. (PG) reported strong financial results for the nine months ended March 31, 2005, with net sales increasing 11% to $42.5 billion and net earnings up 13% to $5.76 billion, or $2.10 per diluted share. The company experienced robust unit volume growth of 9% across all segments and geographies, driven by strong performance in Beauty Care and Health, Baby & Family Care. Organic sales growth of 7% highlights the underlying strength of the business. A significant development during the period was the announcement of the proposed acquisition of The Gillette Company for approximately $54 billion in a stock-for-stock exchange. This transformative deal is expected to close in Fall 2005, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals. The company also continued its share repurchase program, buying back shares to offset dilution and in anticipation of the Gillette acquisition.
Key Highlights
- 1Net sales for the nine months ended March 31, 2005, increased by 11% to $42.48 billion, compared to $38.45 billion in the prior year.
- 2Net earnings rose by 13% to $5.76 billion for the nine-month period, translating to diluted EPS of $2.10, a 15% increase.
- 3Unit volume grew by 9% for the nine months and 6% for the third quarter, indicating broad-based consumer demand across segments.
- 4The company announced a definitive agreement to acquire The Gillette Company for approximately $54 billion in a stock-for-stock transaction, expected to close in Fall 2005.
- 5The balance sheet shows a significant increase in cash and cash equivalents to $7.07 billion from $4.23 billion at the prior fiscal year-end, partly due to the reclassification of certain investments.
- 6Operating income saw a healthy increase of 12% for the nine months to $8.63 billion, demonstrating effective cost management alongside revenue growth.
- 7Free cash flow productivity for the nine months was 91%, meeting the company's long-term target of 90% or greater.