Household products maker Procter & Gamble Co posted lower-than-expected quarterly profit as higher spending on marketing more than offset sales growth, and its shares fell more than 5 percent. P&G said investment in new products released this year - Pampers Dry Max diapers, the Fusion ProGlide razor and Crest 3D White tooth-whitening strips - outpaced a 5 percent growth in net sales.
"Next year is another big year of innovation for us, and we'll be investing behind that," Chief Financial Officer Jon Moeller said in a conference call with reporters. Earnings for the fiscal fourth quarter ended June 30 fell to $2.19 billion, or 71 cents per share, from $2.47 billion, or 80 cents per share, a year earlier.
Analysts on average expected 73 cents per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Net sales rose 5 percent to $18.93 billion. Analysts on average expected $19.1 billion. The company forecast first-quarter earnings of 97 cents to $1.01 a share and said organic sales are expected to grow 3 to 5 percent. Unfavourable currency exchange rates are expected to reduce net sales growth by about 3 percent. Analysts expect first-quarter earnings of $1.04 a share. P&G stock was down 5.3 percent at $59.77 in premarket trading.