CHICAGO (Reuters) - Procter & Gamble Co. (NYSE😛G - News), the maker of Crest toothpaste and Tide laundry detergent, posted a 4 percent rise in quarterly profit on Tuesday, as strong sales of health and beauty items offset rising raw material costs and the impact of hurricanes on its coffee business.
P&G, which acquired Gillette Co. earlier this month, said earnings rose to $2.03 billion, or 77 cents per share, in its fiscal first quarter ended September 30, from $1.94 billion, or 70 cents a share, a year earlier.
Analysts, on average, expected Cincinnati-based P&G to earn 76 cents per share, according to Reuters Estimates.