Nestle sales up 5.6%, lifted by emerging markets

MADRID (MarketWatch) -- Swiss food major Nestle SA on Friday reported first-quarter sales rose 5.6%, lifted by growth in emerging markets, though developed markets remained subdued. Sales rose to 21.4 billion Swiss francs ($23.4 billion) from CHF20.3 billion a year ago. On an organic, or underlying basis, sales rose 7.2%, with 2.8% of that coming from real internal growth and 4.4% from pricing. A survey of analysts polled by Reuters had forecast first-quarter sales of CHF21.4 billion and organic growth of 6.6%. Nestle said its full-year outlook was unchanged, which calls for organic growth of 5% to 6%, improved margin and underlying earnings per share in constant currencies. "As anticipated, 2012 is already confirming itself to be a challenging year," said Paul Bulcke, chief executive officer of Nestle. "In many developed markets where consumer confidence is low, the trading environment is subdued whilst in most emerging markets, conditions remain dynamic and rich in growth opportunities."Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.

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