Unilever reports 63 per cent jump in 3Q earnings

AMSTERDAM: Unilever PLC, maker of consumer products such as Dove soaps, Lipton teas and Ben & Jerry's ice cream, reported a 63 percent rise in third quarter earnings Thursday owing to sales growth and cost-cutting in the year earlier period.

Net profit was 1.64 billion euros ($2.12 billion), from 1.01 billion a year earlier. Sales rose 2 per cent to 10.4 billion euros ($13.5 billion).

Chief Executive Patrick Cescau said in a statement that the company had been able to push cost increases through to customers in the form of price rises without hurting sales volumes. He said the company's cost-cutting programmes were now paying dividends.