Reckitt posts mixed third quarter results, lowers outlook
Household goods manufacturer Reckitt posted mixed third quarter results with like-for-like net revenue increasing by 3.3 per cent year-on-year to approximately £2.7bn.
Reckitt’s volume decreased by 0.7 per cent in the third quarter and fell by 0.5 per cent in the nine months to date.
The Emerging Markets region experienced a like-for-like net revenue growth of 8 per cent in the third quarter.
One of Reckitt’s major brands, Dettol delivered double-digit growth in the Emerging Markets region, with the business focusing on innovation and supporting continued expansion into new segments.
In the Europe region, there was a return to growth, with like-for-like net revenue increasing by 0.8 per cent year-on-year to £867m.
According to the business, consumer confidence was low in the European region, with accelerated promotional activity and driving growth for retailers.
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The growth was driven by a standout performance from the company’s Powerbrands (Gaviscon, Vanish and Veet) and a return to growth in Finish, Durex and Harpic despite a difficult consumer environment.
Reckitt’s revenue in North America fell by 1.3 per cent to £649m due to restructuring across its manufacturing capabilities in the region.
Kris Licht, CEO of Reckitt said: “We delivered 3.3 per cent like-for-like net revenue growth in Q3 across Core Reckitt. We are driving good underlying performance despite a challenging consumer environment.
“Growth is increasingly broad-based across our markets. Emerging Markets delivered growth in all regions, and, importantly, we returned Europe to growth. North America was below our expectations.
“While consumer demand for Lysol remains strong, temporary manufacturing constraints limited our ability to fully meet demand.”
Moving forward, the business lowered its financial forecast and now expects to deliver Core Reckitt-like-for-like net revenue growth of between 3.5 per cent and 4.5 per cent.




