Colgate’s Q1 2012 net profit up 17%

Oral care products manufacturer Colgate-Palmolive India has posted a 17% rise in net profit for the first quarter ended 30 June 2012 at Rs1.17bn ($20.88m), compared to Rs1bn ($17.85m) in the same quarter a year earlier.

The company reported a net sales of Rs7.36bn($131.39m) in the present quarter , a20% increase of from the same quarter of the previous year.

During the current quarter of 2012, the company achieved a volume growth of 11%.

The company has improved its position in the toothpaste category by gaining 54.5% volume market share during the period January – June 2012, compared to 52.4% share during the first six months of 2011.

As per the data given by the company, its consistent growth was driven by its flagship brands of Colgate Dental Cream, Active Salt, MaxFresh, Colgate Sensitive and Colgate Total.

The toothbrush category has reinforced its market leadership position, with a market share of 38.2% during January to June 2012, as against 36.3% during the first six months of 2011.

The company has also introduced Colgate 360 Battery Toothbrush, with a dual action brush head, which provides i20X more cleaning action than a manual toothbrush, according to the company.

Colgate’s mouthwash category has improved its growth momentum which was driven by the recent launch of Colgate Plax Fresh Tea in the fourth quarter 2011-12.

Colgate acquired a plot of land recently in Andhra Pradesh for setting up a toothbrush manufacturing facility.