Reckitt Benckiser posts better-than-expected sales in Q2 | Progresiv
Selling more products at higher prices helped the Reckitt Benckiser report strong sales growth in Q2, also helped by growth in infant nutrition. 
Reckitt said it was able to raise prices in its health arm, which houses brands such as Durex condoms, Strepsils lozenges and Nurofen painkillers, and reported a 3% rise in like-for-like sales.
"By and large we're a volume and price-driven company," said Chief Executive Rakesh Kapoor.
In the second quarter, results were buoyed by a new KY-duration gel, a Strepsils spray for sore throats and new Nurofen medicated plasters. Those innovations helped the company boost prices by 1% overall in the last quarter and contributed to a 4% rise in comparable sales in the period. That beat analysts' forecast of a 2.9% rise.
However, Reckitt's home and hygiene arm, which sells more pedestrian products such as cleaners and detergents, logged negative pricing, with like-for-like growth of 4% driven entirely by a 5% rise in volumes. That is in line with trends seen at rivals.
Overall, Reckitt said profit for the first half rose to 1.11 billion pounds from 1.02 billion pounds for the year-earlier period. Revenue climbed to 6.14 billion pounds from a restated figure of 4.98 billion pounds for a year ago. (www.marketwatch.com)
