Colgate polishes up second quarter with strong sales of Optic White
Colgate-Palmolive announced in late July its second-quarter results and indicated that North American business remains solid, with market share on the rise in such categories as toothpaste and manual toothbrushes.
In an earnings call with analysts, Colgate executives noted the continued strong performance of Colgate Optic White toothpaste and expressed excitement about the launch this quarter of Colgate Optic White mouthwash to complete the existing regimen of toothpaste and toothbrush. The mouthwash, its first entry into the U.S. market, is an alcohol-free formula that aims to whiten teeth and freshen breath.
In addition to the mouthwash, the company also is launching Colgate Optic White enamel white toothpaste, which fortifies enamel through mineralization for strong teeth while providing a whitening benefit. This bundle addresses a large segment of whitening users and nonusers who fear long-term enamel damage. Enamel variance grew 22% in 2011 and now represents almost 6% of the toothpaste market, the company stated.
The company also noted that in the United States, new product launches — including Colgate Optic White and Colgate Sensitive Pro-Relief toothpastes — are strengthening Colgate’s leadership in toothpaste, with its share of that market reaching 36.6% year to date, up 1.5 share points versus a year ago. In manual toothbrushes, Colgate achieved brand market leadership year to date, driven by the success of Colgate 360° Optic White, Colgate 360° Sensitive Pro-Relief, Colgate 360° Total Advanced and Colgate Extra Clean manual toothbrushes.
North America net sales rose 2% during the second quarter ended June 30, as worldwide net sales also rose 2% to $4.3 billion during the quarter. Net income and diluted earnings per share in the quarter were $627 million and $1.30, respectively.
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