Unilever Finds Growth More Elusive as Sales Meet Estimates
- Currency fluctuations shave 7 percent off quarterly revenue
- Pricing environment is `very, very mixed,' says finance chief
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Unilever reported first-quarter sales growth in line with estimates as the consumer-goods maker grappled with lower prices and ebbing demand for its products around the globe.
Underlying sales increased 4.7 percent, Unilever said in a statement Thursday, compared with the 4.6 percent analyst estimate. Growth slowed from 4.9 percent in the fourth quarter, as the maker of Dove soaps and Axe body sprays struggled with weaker volumes and a deflationary environment that’s made it hard to raise prices.