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Procter & Gamble Sounds a Warning After Strong Quarter

Procter & Gamble Co.

PG -6.18%

, maker of Tide detergent and Pampers diapers, is predicting the slowest sales growth in years as consumer belt-tightening is beginning to hit household staples.

The outlook comes after the Cincinnati-based consumer-products giant on Friday reported its biggest annual sales increase in 16 years because of the price increases that it placed on mainstays from toothpaste to toilet paper.

P&G’s organic sales, a closely watched metric that strips out deals and currency moves, rose 7% for the year ended June 30, the most since 2006. Shoppers paid substantially higher prices.

But consumers are beginning to cut back amid mounting inflation, executives said. They are using up products they stockpiled during the pandemic or holding off on replenishing supplies. Sales volumes declined 1% in the most recent quarter.

“For us, the downturn is not yet visible,” P&G finance chief

Andre Schulten

said. “We’re also not naive, we see the pressure on the consumer.”

P&G expects organic sales growth of 3% to 5% for the current year, the lowest since 2019 when the company notched a 5% increase. The company predicts consumer-goods industry growth will slow by a percentage point or more from the last fiscal year’s 5% growth.

P&G Chief Executive

Jon Moeller

said in an interview that consumers are beginning to shift to cheaper, private-label alternatives, a trend already under way in food and beverages. He called the shift small but noticeable.

Mr. Moeller said he is confident that growth, though more muted relative to the past few years, will remain solid as high employment levels coupled with healthy household balance sheets enable consumers to keep spending on necessities while they cut costs elsewhere.

“There is no inherent reason why people are just going to stop buying modestly priced consumer products, daily-use essentials where performance matters,” he said. “You have to look elsewhere to get signals of consumer stress.”

The consumer-sentiment index and the consumer-confidence index both try to measure the same thing: consumers’ feelings. WSJ explains why the Federal Reserve is keeping a close eye on consumer confidence in 2022. Illustration: Adele Morgan

P&G shares fell more than 6%.

P&G’s results and outlook largely echo the messages coming from other big consumer brands. Companies including

Coca-Cola Co.

,

McDonald’s Corp.

and

Kimberly-Clark Corp.

this week reported sales gains driven by higher prices, and executives said they would keep passing along increased costs to shoppers for now. Yet some executives also said consumers are starting to show signs of stress, trading down to cheaper brands or cutting back on how much they buy.

The world’s biggest consumer packaged goods company by sales, P&G has largely outpaced competitors amid the pandemic, especially in the U.S.

Rivals are showing signs of gaining ground.

Colgate-Palmolive Co.

on Friday said it now expects bigger-than-expected organic sales gains, predicting an increase of 5% to 7% for the calendar year, up from 4% to 6%. Last week,

Kimberly-Clark

and

Unilever

PLC also raised sales outlooks for the calendar year.

Church & Dwight Co.

Chief Executive

Matthew Farrell

said on Friday that demand is accelerating for low-cost laundry detergent, while people are giving up electric toothbrushes for manual options. “Consumers are making choices to make their budget stretch further,” he said.

A central question is how consumers and retailers respond to further price increases. P&G said Friday that it had announced to retailers another round of price increases, in mid-single-digit percentages, which will take effect toward the end of summer.

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P&G, after more than four years of market-share gains, lost share in the four-week period ended July 16 compared with a year ago, Bernstein analyst Callum Elliott said in a research note analyzing retail data. Losses are in every category except for beauty, he said.

“While prices spiral, the consumer also continues to adjust to the new reality,” he said.

Mr. Moeller said P&G continues to gain market share broadly in the U.S. and globally.

Organic sales rose 7% in the quarter ended June 30, with prices up 8% on average. P&G attributed the 1% decline in sales volume primarily to Covid-related shutdowns in China and intentional downsizing of its business in Russia amid the war in Ukraine.

P&G reported $19.5 billion in revenue for the quarter, up 3% from a year ago. Diluted net earnings per share were $1.21, up 7%.

The company expects diluted net earnings per share will be between flat and up 4% for the fiscal year as it faces an anticipated $3.3 billion hit tied to foreign-exchange rates and higher costs for materials and freight.

Write to Sharon Terlep at sharon.terlep@wsj.com

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Procter & Gamble Says Prices Will Keep Going Up

Procter & Gamble Co.

PG 3.36%

is betting the world’s consumers will remain undeterred by higher prices on household staples from Pampers diapers to Gillette razors.

The Cincinnati-based consumer-products company said sales increased 6% in the quarter ended Dec. 31 compared with a year earlier, fueled in part by the company’s largest average price increases since the spring of 2019.

Executives on Wednesday said its price increases will continue throughout 2022, and predicted higher profitability and improved margins in coming quarters even as labor, freight and raw-materials costs continue to balloon due to the global supply-chain turmoil.

“The consumer is very resilient and very focused on these categories of clean home and health and hygiene,” P&G finance chief

Andre Schulten

said in an interview.

P&G shares gained more than 3% Wednesday to close at $162.

U.S. inflation in 2021 hit its fastest pace in nearly four decades, as pandemic supply-and-demand imbalances pushed up prices on everything from used cars to household staples.

Pricing on average rose 3% in the latest quarter, P&G said, and price increases accounted for half of the company’s revenue growth in the period. Higher volumes accounted for the other half. P&G reported revenue of $21 billion for the quarter.

The added revenue helped offset soaring prices for raw materials, labor and transportation of goods, as supply-chain woes continue to weigh on almost every industry.

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P&G’s core earnings per share rose 1%, to $1.66, from the same period a year earlier. Margins fell despite the added revenues and cost cutting. The company has spent big to keep factories running and products in stock as much as possible, said Chief Executive

Jon Moeller,

who took over the company in November.

On Wednesday, executives said there is no relief in sight from higher costs for labor, transportation of goods and raw materials such as fuel, resin and pulp. “The flexibility that we’ve talked about that our supply people have generated doesn’t come for free,” said Mr. Schulten, the CFO. “When we need to shift to alternate materials, when we need to shift to alternate suppliers, all our sources of materials geographically, that comes at a premium.”

P&G, which has posted more consistent sales gains than rivals throughout the pandemic, raised its revenue forecast for the fiscal year ending June 30, even as the company said costs will be higher than previously projected.

P&G said it expects to commit $2.8 billion more to commodity, freight and foreign-exchange costs this fiscal year. The figure is about $500 million more than it forecast last quarter. Its earnings estimates remained unchanged.

As the cost of groceries, clothing and electronics have gone up in the U.S., prices in Japan have stayed low. WSJ’s Peter Landers goes shopping in Tokyo to explain why steady prices, though good for your wallet, can be a sign of a slow-growing economy. Photo: Richard B. Levine/Zuma Press; Kim Kyung Hoon/Reuters

Mr. Schulten said that in addition to absorbing higher prices, consumers also are switching to pricier, higher-end products, such as trading liquid laundry detergent for costlier single-dose pods.

A broad range of consumer-products companies, including P&G rivals

Unilever

PLC and

Kimberly-Clark Corp.

, have implemented price increases to offset higher costs amid snags in the global supply chain.

The recent rise in Covid-19 cases due to the fast-spreading Omicron variant didn’t spur the kind of hoarding behavior that led to shortages of toilet paper, cleaners and other products during previous surges, he said.

Sales jumped for products to treat respiratory issues, driving a 20% revenue increase for P&G’s personal-health unit, which includes Vicks and NyQuil brands.

P&G now expects organic sales, which strips out deals and currency moves, to grow 4% to 5% for the fiscal year, up from the previous forecast for growth of 2% to 4%.

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Corrections & Amplifications
“The flexibility that we’ve talked about that our supply people have generated doesn’t come for free,” said P&G finance chief Andre Schulten. “When we need to shift to alternate materials, when we need to shift to alternate suppliers, all our sources of materials geographically, that comes at a premium.” An earlier version of this article incorrectly attributed the quote to Chief Executive Jon Moeller. (Corrected on Jan. 19)

Write to Sharon Terlep at sharon.terlep@wsj.com

Copyright ©2022 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

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Procter & Gamble recalls some Old Spice and Secret deodorants after cancer-causing chemical is detected

The recall notice, published earlier this week, noted that the affected products likely will not expose people to levels of benzene high enough to cause health issues. The company added it has not “received any reports of adverse events,” but it’s moving forward with the recall out of “an abundance of caution.”

“Exposure to benzene can occur by inhalation, orally, and through the skin and it can result in cancers, including leukemia and blood cancer of the bone marrow and blood disorders which can be life-threatening,” the recall notice said.

P&G (PG) wants people who purchased the affected products — which were sold in stores across the United States, as well as online — to throw them away, and the company is offering full refunds. Customers can fill out an online form or contact a hotline at 888-339-7689 Monday through Friday from 9 am to 6 pm ET.

Retailers have been told to remove the products from shelves.

The recall includes the following products with an expiration date before September 2023:
  • Old Spice High Endurance AP Spray Pure Sport
  • Old Spice Hardest Working Collection Invisible Spray Stronger Swagger
  • Old Spice Hardest Working Collection Invisible Spray Pure Sport Plus
  • Old Spice Hardest Working Collection Invisible Spray Stronger Swagger
  • Old Spice Hardest Working Collection Invisible Spray Ultimate Captain
  • Old Spice Below Deck Powder Spray Unscented
  • Old Spice Below Deck Powder Spray Fresh Air
  • Secret Aerosol Powder Fresh Twin Pack
  • Secret Aerosol Powder Fresh
  • Secret Aerosol Powder Fresh
  • Secret Fresh Collection Invisible Spray Waterlily
  • Secret Fresh Collection Invisible Spray Lavender
  • Secret Fresh Collection Invisible Spray Light Essentials
  • Secret Fresh Collection Invisible Spray Rose
  • Secret Outlast Invisible Spray Completely Clean
  • Secret Outlast Invisible Spray Protecting Powder
  • Old Spice Pure Sport 2021 Gift Set
This isn’t the first benzene-related recall of 2021. In July, Johnson & Johnson recalled some spray-on Neutrogena and Aveeno sunscreens after it detected low levels of the carcinogen in the products.

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Deodorant recall 2021: Procter & Gamble voluntary recalls specific Old Spice, Secret aerosol spray antiperspirant products

Procter and Gamble is recalling 18 Old Spice and secret products because of a cancer-causing chemical.

The aerosol antiperspirants were sold in stores nationwide and online.

The FDA said the products may have benzene, which is known to lead to blood cancers and other blood disorders.

There have been no reports of adverse effects from the products.
The affected products are used as antiperspirant spray products and are packaged in aerosol cans. See below for Product names and UPC codes and further descriptions.

UPC: Description

037000728870: Old Spice Sweat Defense Pure Sport Plus Dry Spray Antiperspirant/Deodorant 107 g

037000728863: Old Spice Sweat Defense Stronger Swagger Dry Spray Antiperspirant/Deodorant 107 g

012044029053: Old Spice Sweat Defense Ultimate Captain Dry Spray Antiperspirant/Deodorant 107 g

056100008965: Secret Baby Powder Spray Antiperspirant/Deodorant 122 g

037000747765: Secret Outlast Completely Clean Dry Spray Antiperspirant/Deodorant 107 g
037000747826: Secret Outlast Protecting Powder Dry Spray Antiperspirant/Deodorant 107 g

037000729587: Secret Dry Spray Lavender Anti-perspirant/Deodorant 107 g

037000729600: Secret Dry Spray Waterlily Anti-perspirant/Deodorant 107 g

If you have one of the sprays, you can get in touch with the company to get a refund.

Consumers with questions regarding this recall can seek more information via the Consumer Care team at 888-339-7689 from Monday – Friday from 9:00am – 6:00pm EST or by visiting visit www.oldspice.com or www.secret.com for more information about the impacted products and to learn how to receive reimbursement for eligible products. Consumers should contact their physician or healthcare provider if they have experienced any problems that may be related to using these products.

The Associated Press contributed to this post.

Copyright © 2021 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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Procter & Gamble recalling select Old Spice, Secret aerosol sprays due to cancer-causing chemical

Proctor & Gamble is voluntary recalling all lots of Old Spice and Secret aerosol spray antiperspirants and Old Spice Below Deck aerosol spray products with an expiry through September 2023 due to the presence of the chemical benzene. 

KRAFT HEINZ RECALLS SOME KOOL-AID, LEMONADE POWDERED BEVERAGES THAT MAY CONTAIN PIECES OF METAL OR GLASS

The 18 recalled products, which were distributed nationwide in the United States through retail outlets and online, include:

  • Old Spice High Endurance AP Spray Pure Sport 12/6oz (012044001912)
  • Old Spice Hardest Working Collection Inv Spray Stronger Swagger 3.8oz (012044044759)
  • Old Spice Hardest Working Collection Inv Spray Pure Sport Plus 12/3.8oz (037000729747)
  • Old Spice Hardest Working Collection Inv Spray Stronger Swagger 12/3.8oz (037000730347)
  • Old Spice Hardest Working Collection Inv Spray Ult Captain 12/3.8oz (037000749479)
  • Old Spice Below Deck Powder Spray Unscented 12/4.9oz (037000695714)
  • Old Spice Below Deck Powder Spray Fresh Air 12/4.9oz (037000695707)
  • Secret Aerosol Powder Fresh Twin Pack (037000586906)
  • Secret Aerosol Powder Fresh 12/6OZ (037000711087)
  • Secret Aerosol Powder Fresh 12/4OZ (037000711094)
  • Secret Fresh Collection Inv Spray Waterlily 3.8oz (037000723721)
  • Secret Fresh Collection Inv Spray Lavender 12/3.8oz (037000729860)
  • Secret Fresh Collection Inv Spray Water Lily 12/3.8oz (037000729914)
  • Secret Fresh Collection Inv Spray Light Essentials 12/3.8oz (037000729921)
  • Secret Fresh Collection Inv Spray Rose 12/3.8oz (037000798842)
  • Secret Outlast Inv Spray Completely Clean 12/3.8oz (037000747642)
  • Secret Outlast Inv Spray Protecting Powder 12/3.8oz (037000747727)
  • Old Spice Pure Sport 2021 Gift Set (012044048535)

Proctor & Gamble is voluntary recalling all lots of Old Spice and Secret aerosol spray antiperspirants and Old Spice Below Deck aerosol spray products with an expiry through September 2023 due to the presence of the chemical benzene.  (Proctor & Gamble)

Proctor & Gamble is voluntary recalling all lots of Old Spice and Secret aerosol spray antiperspirants and Old Spice Below Deck aerosol spray products with an expiry through September 2023 due to the presence of the chemical benzene.  (Proctor & Gamble)

Exposure to benzene, which can occur by inhalation, orally, and through the skin, can result in cancers, including leukemia and blood cancer of the bone marrow, and life threatening blood disorders. 

“Based on exposure modeling and the cancer risk assessments published by the Environmental Protection Agency, daily exposure to benzene in the recalled products at the levels detected in our testing would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences,” Proctor & Gamble emphasized in its recall notice on Tuesday.  

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Proctor & Gamble, which has notified retailers to remove the impacted products from its shelves, has not received any reports of adverse events related to the recall to date. Consumers should stop using and discard the affected aerosol spray products. Old Spice and Secret will offer reimbursement to consumers who have purchased the impacted products. 

Ticker Security Last Change Change %
PG PROCTER & GAMBLE CO. 148.66 -0.78 -0.52%

Consumers should contact their physician or healthcare provider if they experience any problems that may be related to using the recalled products. Adverse reactions or quality problems can be reported online to the Food and Drug Administration’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program. 

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Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Travelers and more

Take a look at some of the biggest movers in the premarket:

Procter & Gamble (PG) – The consumer products giant beat estimates by 2 cents a share, with quarterly earnings of $1.61 per share. Revenue also topped Wall Street forecasts. P&G said it was facing increasing commodity and transportation costs, however, and its shares fell 1.1% in the premarket.

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) – J&J shares rose 1% in premarket trading after the company reported quarterly profit of $2.60 per share, 25 cents a share above estimates. Revenue was slightly below analysts’ forecasts. J&J also raised its full-year outlook, noting strength across all its businesses.

Travelers (TRV) – The insurance company’s stock jumped 3.3% in premarket action after it beat top and bottom line estimates for the third quarter. Travelers earned $2.60 per share, well above the $1.67 a share consensus estimate, helped by strong investment and underwriting results.

Bank of New York Mellon (BK) – The bank came in 3 cents a share ahead of estimates, with quarterly earnings of $1.04 per share. Revenue also came in above consensus, benefiting from funds released from credit loss provisions, as well as increased fee income.

Halliburton (HAL) – The oilfield services company matched forecasts, with quarterly profit of 28 cents per share. Revenue fell short of analysts’ predictions. Halliburton results were helped by rising oil prices, and the company expects that trend to continue. Its shares fell 1% in premarket trading.

Walmart (WMT) – Walmart added 1.9% in the premarket after Goldman Sachs added the retailer’s stock to its “Conviction Buy” list, citing the company’s increasing ability to generate earnings growth.

Philip Morris International (PM) – The tobacco producer came in 3 cents a share ahead of estimates, with quarterly earnings of $1.58 per share. An increase in shipment volumes helped revenue rise above forecasts as well.

Alibaba (BABA) – Alibaba announced it has developed a custom computer chip that the China-based tech giant will use to power its data center servers. The chip will not be available for use outside of Alibaba. The stock gained 1.8% in the premarket.

BioNTech (BNTX), Pfizer (PFE), Moderna (MRNA) – The drugmakers are on watch list after multiple reports that the Food and Drug Administration was set to approve “mix and match” Covid-19 vaccine booster doses this week, allowing people to receive boosters with a different vaccine than they originally received. BioNTech jumped 2.7% in premarket trading, while Moderna added 1.8%.

Sinclair Broadcast Group (SBGI) – Sinclair is still working to contain a cybersecurity breach that disrupted operations throughout its TV broadcast stations and networks. The company said it could not yet determine if the disruption will have a material impact on its financial results.

Zions Bancorp (ZION) – Zions beat estimates by 10 cents a share, with quarterly earnings of $1.45 per share. The bank’s revenue fell below Wall Street forecasts. Zions said loan demand has recovered after several weak quarters. Its stock slid 2.1% in the premarket.

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Procter & Gamble (PG) Q1 2022 earnings beat estimates

Bottles of Tide detergent, a Procter & Gamble product, are displayed for sale in a pharmacy on July 30, 2020 in Los Angeles, California.

Mario Tama | Getty Images

Procter & Gamble on Tuesday reported quarterly earnings and revenue that topped analysts’ expectations, but higher costs weighed on the company’s profits. 

The consumer giant also raised its forecast for commodity and freight costs for the remainder of the fiscal year, issuing a warning that the company believes inflation is still increasing.

Shares of the company fell 1% in premarket trading.

Here’s what the company reported compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a survey of analysts by Refinitiv:

  • Earnings per share: $1.61 vs. $1.59 expected
  • Revenue: $20.34 billion vs. $19.91 billion expected

P&G reported fiscal first-quarter net income of $4.11 billion, or $1.61 per share, down from $4.28 billion, or $1.63 per share, a year earlier. Analysts surveyed by Refinitiv were expecting earnings per share of $1.59.

Net sales rose 5% to $20.34 billion, topping expectations of $19.91 billion. Organic revenue, which strips out the impact of acquisitions, divestitures and foreign currency, increased by 4% in the quarter.

Price hikes on some of P&G’s products, like Pampers diapers, contributed to organic sales growth by 1%. Higher prices offset increased freight costs during the quarter but couldn’t keep up with climbing commodity costs. P&G CFO Andre Schulten told the Wall Street Journal that the company would raise prices on even more staples to deal with inflation.

P&G said that it now expects after-tax commodity costs of $2.1 billion and freight costs of $200 million to weigh on its fiscal 2022 results. Last quarter, the company forecast that commodity and freight costs would hit its earnings by $1.9 billion.

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Procter & Gamble names Jon Moeller as CEO, replacing David Taylor

Procter & Gamble announced Thursday that its current chief operating officer Jon Moeller will become CEO in November, replacing David Taylor, who will become executive chairman of the company’s board of directors.

Moeller currently is also vice chairman of P&G.

The Cornell University grad has worked at the consumer goods giant since 1988, when he was hired as a cost analyst for P&G’s food products division.

“Jon has been an integral part of P&G’s leadership team for well over two decades, helping develop the strategies that P&G people are executing with excellence to drive P&G’s growth and value creation,” said James McNerney, lead director of P&G’s board, in a statement announcing the surprise move.

“He is an outstanding leader, and the Company will benefit from his ongoing leadership to build on the strong momentum he has helped create over the last few years.”

Taylor had been CEO since Nov. 1, 2015, replacing A.G. Lafley, who himself became P&G’s executive chairman. Taylor will exit as CEO on Nov. 1 this year.

“We thank David for his strategic leadership and guidance over the last six years as the Company has returned to consistent balanced growth and value creation,” McNerney said.

“A strong plan for sustained success is in place and the Board unanimously agrees that now is the time to transition to Jon as CEO. We are fortunate and grateful to have David continue as Executive Chairman,” McNerney said.

P&G also announced Thursday that Shailesh Jejurikar was elected as chief operating officer, effective Oct. 1.

Jejurikar currently serves as the chief executive officer of the company’s Fabric & Home Care sector, P&G’s largest business unit.

This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.

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