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(Adds CEO quote, details)
Feb 9 (Reuters) - Soap maker PZ Cussons said on
Wednesday its first-half profit fell from a year earlier as
demand for its hand wash and sanitisers dipped from the heights
hit during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The maker of Imperial Leather soap and Carex hand wash
warned of rising inflationary pressures that could increase its
expenses, but reiterated that adjusted pre-tax profit for the
year to May 2022 should fall within current market estimates.
"Commodity and freight costs show no sign of abating in the
near term and we continue to anticipate cost pressures into
fiscal year 2023," Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Myers said
in a statement.
The Manchester-based company said its adjusted profit before
tax from continuing operations fell 8% to 32 million pounds
($43.4 million) in the six months ended November, from 34.9
million pounds a year earlier.
Still, the group's revenue returned to growth in the second
quarter after having fallen 9% in the three months prior.
PZ Cussons also approved an interim dividend of 2.67 pence
per share.
($1 = 0.7377 pounds)
(Reporting by Muhammed Husain in Bengaluru; editing by Milla
Nissi)
