P&G; Credits Personal Goods Sales for Rise

Procter & Gamble, a leading U.S. household products conglomerate, said earnings for the April-June quarter rose 10% and sales were up 16% over a year ago, largely because of strong performances by its detergent, disposable diaper and toothpaste businesses.

The company said quarterly earnings totaled $127 million, or 74 cents a share, compared to $115 million, or 69 cents a share, in the comparable 1985 period. April-June is the last quarter in Procter & Gamble’s fiscal year.

Sales in the quarter totaled $3.88 billion, up from last year’s $3.34 billion.

For the fiscal year ended June 30, the company said earnings totaled $709 million, or $4.20 a share, compared to $635 million, or $3.80 a share, in the previous fiscal year. Sales totaled $15.43 billion, up from $13.55 billion posted a year earlier.

“Particularly encouraging was the significant growth achieved in several core product categories which form a major part of the domestic business,” the Cincinnati-based company said in a press statement Friday summarizing the quarterly and yearly financial results.

The statement said the company became the market leader in the liquids segment of the highly competitive detergent category, marked by the success of Procter & Gamble’s Bold-3 and Liquid Tide products.

Technology changes in the company’s disposable diapers caused sales to rise strongly in the United States, while a new Pampers product introduced in Japan helped sales there, Procter & Gamble said.

Strong consumer acceptance of Procter & Gamble’s new tartar-control Crest formula toothpaste helped increase its share of the dentifrice market, the company said.

Procter & Gamble said its purchase of the international business of Richardson-Vicks late last year helped overseas earnings rise sharply. But the company also attributed the improvement to existing businesses and the dollar’s declining value, which made earnings in foreign currencies worth more.

The company also purchased the over-the-counter drug business of G. D. Searle late last year.

“Together with our existing health and personal-care and beauty-care divisions, these acquisitions will enhance our position as a worldwide leader of health and beauty aids,” Procter & Gamble said.

Procter & Gamble makes a wide range of laundry and cleaning products such as Ivory, Dash and Spic & Span, personal-care products including Head & Shoulders shampoo and food ranging from coffee to shortening.