Unilever said today it was comfortable it would hit its financial targets for 2003 and expects first-quarter sales growth from its top brands of 4 to 5 per cent.
The Anglo-Dutch consumer products giant, which makes food brands such as Knorr and Hellmann's and personal care top-sellers Dove and Calvin Klein, said it expected first quarter underlying earnings growth of 5 per cent. It set a 2003 earnings target of just over 10 per cent.
Unilever made its comments in a trading update covering the first two months of 2003 and ahead of its full first-quarter results on May 2nd.