Nestlé full year 2012: good performance across the board

Nestlé Group's reported sales in 2012 were up CHF 8.6 bn, or 10.2%, to CHF 92.2 bn. Organic growth was 5.9%, building on the strong growth of recent years, and was composed of 3.1% real internal growth and 2.8% pricing. According to the company, after years of adverse impact, foreign exchange added 1.7% to sales, and acquisitions, net of divestitures, a further 2.6%. The Group's trading operating profit was CHF 14.0 bn, up CHF 1.5 bn or 11.8%. The trading operating profit margin was 15.2%, up 20 basis points (+ 10 basis points in constant currencies). Net profit was up CHF 1.1 bn to CHF 10.6 bn, and earnings per share were up 12.2% reported to CHF 3.33.

The Nestlé Group's growth was broad-based across all categories and geographies, with 5.9% organic growth in the Americas, 2.4% in Europe and 10.3% in Asia, Oceania and Africa. The Zone Europe grew in both Western and Central / Eastern Europe, demonstrating that even in a challenging trading environment, there are opportunities to achieve above-market growth and share gains: sales were CHF 15.4 bn (1.8% organic growth, 1.1% real internal growth). In 2012 Nestlé`s product category confectionery achieved worldwide sales of CHF 10.4 bn with 4.8% organic growth. The category`s trading operating profit margin was 17.1% (+ 30 basis points).

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