Unilever Q2 profit up 39 per cent

PARIS: Unilever NV says second quarter net profit rose 39 per cent, beating analyst expectations, as the maker of Lipton tea, Dove soap and Ben & Jerry's ice cream continued its push to increase sales volumes.

The consumer products maker said Thursday that net profit in the three months to June was 1.15 billion euro ($1.52 billion), compared with euro833 million in the same period a year earlier.

Revenue rose 12.4 per cent to 11.75 billion euro. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters had predicted net profit of euro1 billion on sales of 10.22 billion euro.

The company has been seeking to take market share and boost sales against bigger rivals Procter & Gamble Co and Nestle SA by slashing prices.